Ray Cook’s Southern Nationals Bonus Series would present its opening event of the 2016 season at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN on Saturday afternoon with the inaugural running of the Frostbuster 50 and Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, TN would roll to the biggest win of his Super Late Model driving career as he would lead all 50 laps and score the $7,151 payday. (MRM Racing Photo)
The win for Hedgecock is his biggest career win to date and came aboard a brand new Rocket Chassis which receives its horsepower from an Eagle Racing Engine. Hedgecock’s winning entry is sponsored by Brucebuilt Performance, Eagle Racing Engines, Renegade Race Fuels, K&P Used Cars, Sweet Trucking, and Smithbilt Homes.
Hedgecock would take the lead at the start of the 50 lap contest, with Mack McCarter, Donald McIntosh, Jimmy Owens, and Skip Arp giving chase. Hedgecock would stretch his lead early in the event, with McIntosh pressuring McCarter for second, while Joe Leavell would challenge Arp for the fifth position. The first caution of the race appeared on lap 7 when defending series champion David Payne would loop his machine in turn two, but would be able to continue. The restart would see Hedgecock again motor away from the field, while McCarter and McIntosh began an entertaining battle for the second position, as the duo would race side-by-side for the next seven circuits before McIntosh would take the position from McCarter, while Owens would join the fray and he would snatch third from McCarter two trips later on lap 17.
Action would be slowed again on lap 18 when veteran racer Steve Smith would pull his machine to a stop at the top of turn one with mechanical issues, ending his race. The restart would see one more circuit completed before the most serious accident of the race happened on lap 19 when Jason Welshan and Ryan King would tangle in turn three and Danny Yoder would make heavy contact with the outside retaining wall, ending Yoder’s race, with Welshan and King able to continue. The green flag would wave to resume race action, but only for one more circuit as Jesse Lowe’s machine would spin just past the finish line before entering turn one, but would be able to continue.
Once action resumed, second place McIntosh and third place Owens would keep Hedgecock in close proximity until the pair started battling for the runner-up slot on lap 30, once again allowing Hedgecock to drive away from the field. Meanwhile, 14th starting Dustin Linville had made his presence known as he had charged his way to the fourth position and began reeling in the battle going on second, while Greg Johnson would run in the fifth position. By lap 35, Hedgecock began to turn the wick up on his machine even more and had pulled away to a comfortable lead, while McIntosh had secured the second position from Owens by this point.
However, Hedgecock would continue to drive past slower traffic and by the drop of the checkered flag had lapped up to the ninth place car. McIntosh and Owens would complete the top five, while Linville and Johnson would finish fourth and fifth. The remainder of the top ten would be 17th starting Anthony White, David Payne, Joe Leavell, Jason Welshan, and Ryan King.
The next event for the Southern Nationals Bonus Series will be at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA on Saturday March 19. The event will be a $4,000 to win and $400 to start contest. For more information about the Southern Nationals Bonus Series, visit the tour’s website at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com .
Official Summary of Results
Southern Nationals Bonus Series
2016 Event #1
411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN
February 27, 2016
Frostbuster 50 A-Main Finish:
1. Cory Hedgecock- Loudon, TN
2. Donald McIntosh- Dawsonville, GA
3. Jimmy Owens- Newport, TN
4. Dustin Linville- Lancaster, KY
5. Greg Johnson- Bedford, IN
6. Anthony White- Clinton, TN
7. David Payne- Murphy, NC
8. Joe Leavell- Waynesboro, VA
9. Jason Welshan- Maryville, TN
10. Ryan King- Seymour, TN
11. Josh Henry- Newport, TN
12. Jesse Lowe- Crossville, TN
13. Drew Kennedy- Sunbright, TN
14. Mack McCarter- Gatlinburg, TN
15. Tony Morris- Lascassas, TN
16. Skip Arp- Georgetown, TN
17. John Ownbey- Cleveland, TN
18. Benji Cole- Canon, GA
19. Steve Smith- Powell, TN
20. Danny Yoder- Knoxville, TN
21. Ross White- Knoxville, TN
22. Ruben Mayfield- Lenoir City, TN
Yellow Flags: 4 (lap 7- Payne; lap 18- Smith; lap 19- Welshan, King, Yoder; lap 20- Lowe )
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: 1 (Hedgecock 1-50)
Time of Race: 27 minutes, 25 seconds
Provisional Starters: None
Entries: 24 representing six states (GA, IN, KY, NC, TN, VA)
Top Qualifier- Cory Hedgecock 14.321 seconds
CT 525 $200 Bonus- None
All Steel Engine $200 Bonus- Josh Henry
Hard Charger- Anthony White (started 17th- finished 6th: advanced 11 positions)
Top Four Qualifiers Locked In to the Frostbuster 50- Cory Hedgecock (14.321), Mack McCarter (14.397), Skip Arp (14.487), Donald McIntosh (14.501)
Heat # 1 (10 laps, top 9 transfer)- Joe Leavell, Greg Johnson, Ryan King, Jason Welshan, Jesse Lowe, Josh Henry, Anthony White, Ross White, Drew Kennedy, Doug Smith
Heat #2 (10 laps, top 9 transfer)- Jimmy Owens, John Ownbey, David Payne, Steve Smith, Dustin Linville, Ruben Mayfield, Tony Morris, Benji Cole, Danny Yoder (DNS- Craig Greer)
Special Thanks to the 2016 Southern Nationals Bonus Series Sponsors/Marketing Partners: Schaeffer’s Oil, Old Man’s Garage, AR Bodies, RockAuto.com, Arizona Sport Shirts, Keyser Manufacturing, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Tennessee RV Sales and Service Super Center, Fast Shafts, American Race Tires, Hoosier Tires, Collins Signs.