Mack McCarter won by .006 seconds
Smoky Mountain Speedway hosted twin main event features on Saturday night as the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series for Super Late Models was joined by the Steel Block Bandits Series for Limited Late Model cars. After a thrilling race that ended with a photo finish, Mack McCarter emerged as the victor as he edged Cory Hedgecock by .006 seconds at the checkered flag. The Gatlinburg, TN driver earned $5,000 for his efforts.
Willie Milliken was the fastest in Steel Block Bandits qualifying as he posted a time of 17.170 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval to beat out Jason Manley, Austin Neely, Cory Hedgecock, Kyle Courtney and Mack McCarter.
Willie Milliken would start the feature from the pole after he won the first heat over Cory Hedgecock, Jason Cardwell, and Derrick Quade.
Jason Manley took the second heat topping Kyle Courtney, Russell Erwin, and Shaun Harrell.
Mack McCarter bested Austin Neely, Matt Henderson, and Jordon Horton in the third and final heat of the night.
At the start of the 40-lap feature, it was Milliken who bolted to the early lead with Manley, Courtney, McCarter and Hedgecock behind. On the second circuit, it was Hedgecock who would move forward as he took fourth away from McCarter just before the first caution of the event slowed the action when Sammie Russell spun.
On the restart, Courtney went to second behind Milliken. Soon after, Hedgecock went to the high line to wrest third away from Manley. The leaders ran into slower traffic by lap 9 with Milliken continuing to show the way with a tight battle between Courtney and Hedgecock for the runner-up position.
Milliken’s time at the front of the field would end on lap 10 when the No. 1 car slowed with a flat tire to bring out another yellow flag. On the restart, Hedgecock led with McCarter moving around Courtney for second.
McCarter took to the outside line to move around Hedgecock for the lead of the race on lap 13.
Courtney again moved to second on a lap 18 restart but that momentum would be broken one lap later when he slowed with a flat tire. When the race returned to green flag conditions, simultaneous battles between McCarter and Hedgecock for the lead and Manley and Henderson for third were enjoined.
Hedgecock used a slide job pass to take the lead from McCarter on lap 29 but McCarter responded with a crossover move to retake the position in the next set of turns. McCarter then pulled away by several car lengths as the laps clicked away.
However, Hedgecock began to close the gap with two circuits remaining. On the final lap, Hedgecock made his move on the outside in turns three and four but was unable to gain ground. The No. 23 then switched lines and went to the inside as the cars roared down the front stretch.
At the finish line, the two machines were side-by-side with McCarter just nipping Hedgecock by the slimmest of margins.
Feature Finish: 1. Mack McCarter, 2. Cory Hedgecock, 3. Jason Manley, 4. Matt Henderson, 5. Russell Erwin, 6. Austin Neely, 7. Robbie Emory, 8. Derick Quade, 9. Kyle Courtney, 10. Jason Cardwell, 11. Shaun Harrell, 12. Bobby Giffin, 13. Roger Best, 14. Willie Milliken, 15. Mitchell Burke, 16. Ruben Mayfield, 17. Clint Hodges, 18. Chuck Southard, 19. Chris Lewis, 20. Michael Dotson, 21. Taylor Puckett, 22. Ross White, 23. Sammie Russell, 24. Kelvin White, 25. Jordon Horton
