Cory Hedgecock (23) works to the inside of Scott Dedwylder (33) with two laps to go in Saturday night’s NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series race at I-75 Raceway. Photo by Bruce Carroll/NeSmith Media
Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, TN is now two-for-two to open the 2016 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season after taking his second straight win on Saturday night in a wild 50-lap main event that saw eight lead changes at I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, TN.
Hedgecock got a break with a late-race caution to take the lead on the restart and led the last three laps of the race.
Scott Dedwylder was leading the race in the closing laps with Hedgecock in the second spot. Dedwylder was able to maintain a two car-length advantage over Hedgecock, but on lap 48, Ronnie Johnson had tire going down, and slowed off the pace to bring out the caution flag.
When the field went green for the three lap dash to the checkered flag, Hedgecock powered to the inside to take the lead, and then pulled away to take a margin of victory to the checkered flag of 1.818 seconds in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket.
“On that last restart, Dedwylder went high just like he had in previous laps, so I went low, never cracked the throttle, it stuck, and I pulled alongside him,” Hedgecock said. “We went side-by-side through turn two, down the backstretch, and when we got to turn three, I never cracked the throttle. It stuck, and I drove by him to take the lead.”
Dedwylder, despite the late race caution that may have cost him a win, could still smile with a second-place finish.
“When we were coming around for the white flag, I saw the caution flag instead,” Dedwylder said. “I hated to see it, but that’s just one of those things. I got beat on the restart, we’ll settle for second and go on to the next race.”
Chase Edge finished third. While Hedgecock leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series standings with a perfect 200 points after two races, Edge and Dedwylder are tied for the second spot in the standings with 184 points.
Anthony White took the fourth spot and Matt Henderson drove to a fifth-place finish.
Brandon Williams, Marcus Minga, Adam Gauldin, Heath Hindman and Jason Britton rounded out the top ten.
On a track that proved to be faster than the Friday night track that saw nine drivers break the 2015 track record, Hedgecock’s 24-hour-old track record of 13.302 seconds fell five times in qualifying. The racing surface was diced up overnight, and the drivers described it as having “character” with bumps, ridges and multiple grooves.
Richie Stephens took the early lead from his outside front row starting spot. He led the first three laps before Edge grabbed the point on lap four, and showed the way for five laps.
Stephens and John Ownbey stayed close to Edge and made it a three car battle for the lead. The lead changed hands several times between laps eight and 13, but at the start/finish line, Ownbey took the lead on lap nine, Stephens led lap 10, Ownbey led laps 11 and 12, and Stephens reclaimed the top spot on lap 13.
The first of 11 caution flags came out on lap 14 when Riley Hickman stalled in turn four. When the field went back to green, Stephens led for three more laps until Ownbey took over on lap 17. Ownbey held on to the lead through several caution flags.
Stephens dropped out during a lap 29 caution period while running fourth behind Ownbey, Dedwylder, and White. Stephens’ exit moved Hedgecock up to the fourth spot, and Edge settled into the fifth spot. Once the field went back to green flag action, Ownbey set sail and took a commanding lead, getting his car airborne sliding through the ridges and ruts in the turns.
That took its toll on the tires of Ownbey’s machine. During a lap 43 caution period, the air escaped Ownbey’s right-rear tire, and he headed for the pits. Dedwylder took over the lead with seven laps to go followed by Hedgecock, White, Edge, Henderson, Williams, Gauldin, Minga, Hindman and Britton.
Dedwylder looked like he was on his way to victory, but the caution flag came out on lap 48, and completely changed the complexion of the race. Hedgecock took advantage of the opportunity, and took the lead on lap 48 to capture his second straight victory.
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The next two races for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be on NASCAR Weekend at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. Round 3 the 2016 season will be a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race on April 29, and Round 4 will be a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on April 30.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at NesmithRacing.com.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
I-75 Raceway – Sweetwater, TN
Race Results – April 9, 2016
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER
1. 5 23 Cory Hedgecock Loudon, TN 50 $2,625
2. 3 33 Scott Dedwylder Vossburg, MS 50 $1,375
3. 1 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 50 $1,075
4. 6 2x Anthony White Clinton, TN 50 $700
5. 12 H2 Matt Henderson Loudon, TN 50 $775
6. 8 95 Brandon Williams (R) Crossville, TN 50 $675
7. 19 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 50 $625
8. 16 17 Adam Gauldin (R) Talladega, AL 50 $450
9. 17 9 Heath Hindman Signal Mountain, TN 50 $400
10. 18 15 Jason Britton (R) Alexander City, AL 48 $500
11. 4 J0 John Ownbey Cleveland, TN 43 $475
12. 15 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 43 $300
13. 11 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 42 $280
14. 13 30 Ryan King Seymour, TN 36 $260
15. 10 24 Barry Goodman Spring City, TN 35 $250
16. 2 00 Richie Stephens (R) Smith Station, AL 28 $365
17. 14 00m Ruben Mayfield Lenoir City, TN 27 $220
18. 21 32 Jason Manley Loudon, TN 21 $200
19. 20 44 Kip Sawyer Knoxville, TN 19 $200
20. 9 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 14 $200
21. 7 R1 Riley Hickman Cleveland, TN 13 $325
22. 22 32h Greg Huskey Knoxville, TN 0 $0/DNS
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