Vic Hill drove a new Longhorn Chassis to the win
The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series made its way to the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. on Saturday night for for the third time in 2015 for a $4,000-to-win contest on the high-banked oval. At the end of the night, it would be Vic Hill who claimed the first prize as he put a brand new race car in Victory Lane on his home track.
Carolina Clash series leader Ben Watkins led the way in qualifying as he bested a field of 25 cars with a fast lap of 12.470 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. He would be followed by Hill, Pierce McCarter, Chad Ogle, Cory Hedgecock, Mark Douglas, Roger Best, Steve Smith, Dusty Carver and Mark Vineyard in the top-10 of the starting grid for the feature.
There were no heat races held as the entire starting lineup was established via time-trials.
At the start of the 40-lap main event, Watkins jumped to the early lead after choosing to start the race from the outside of the front row. Hill, McCarter, Ogle, Douglas and Hedgecock closely pursued the leader in the early laps.
By the fourth circuit, however, Hill was applying heavy pressure as he sought the lead on a track in which he has won five Super Late Model season championships. Finally, by lap 6 the No. 1 machine moved by Watkins to grab the top spot. At the same time, McCarter, Ogle, Douglas and Hedgecock were involved in a furious fight for positions 3-6 as they worked around each other and the slower traffic that had become a factor by the tenth time around the track.
Once he went to the lead, Hill was able to build a margin of over a full straightaway ahead his closest competition. However, a series of late race cautions kept the field in tow and the outcome in doubt.
Meanwhile, the battling behind the front runner was exceptional as Ogle and McCarter waged war for the third position while Hedgecock and Douglas went at it for fifth during the middle stages of the race. It would ultimately be Hedgecock who would emerge from that frenzy as the second place runner to give Hill a contest right to the end.
After a yellow flag with just two laps remaining, Hill kept the pack behind him as he drove to his first victory of the season.
Significantly, Hill was driving a brand new Longhorn Chassis that just under two weeks ago was little more than a bare frame.
Feature Finish: 1. Vic Hill, 2. Cory Hedgecock, 3. Pierce McCarter, 4. Chad Ogle, 5. Mark Vineyard, 6. Ben Watkins, 7. Mark Douglas, 8. Roger Best, 9. Dusty Carver, 10. Forrest Trent, 11. John Tweed, 12. Doug Sanders, 13. Bobby Mays, 14. Travis Greer, 15. Jensen Ford, 16. Ellery Leake, 17. Jeff Wolfenbarger, 18. Steve Smith, 19. Brian Strickland, 20. Kevin Wilson, 21. Phil Helton, 22. Dale Ball, 23. Hunter Best
