Hilltop Speedway Stands True to Form

The highly anticipated first race of the 2014 season was everything that any spectator, racing team, driver, and staff could ask for! The competition was as fierce and evenly matched as anyone can remember; and this is merely a prelude to a season that everyone is asking for. It was obvious that NO ONE is anticipating being in the “first place loser” bracket and this title is always for someone else! Everyone has stepped up their game exponentially and the end results are only contingent on driver resolve and simple “racing luck.” Ask any driver in every class if they would rather be lucky or good… odds are you’ll hear “both!”… which is exactly how the feature winner becomes the feature winner! Next week will certainly bring more encouraged attitudes and rejuvenated hope of claiming that elusive Checkered Flag at the end of the night.

The Modified class provided the racing expectations set for the rest of the evening and their feature was a “hold-your-breath and pucker-up” race till the checkered was waved. It was the #1 of Kenny Johnson from Parkersburg West Virginia after tagging the wall on the white flag lap that earned the first payday at Hilltop and he did it with the fans on their feet! Great show Kenny! The 000 piloted by Garnes followed Johnson for 2nd and the 101of Jesse Wisecarver finished out the top three.

Next up was the HOLMES TIRE LATE MODELS and what an awesome show they put on for the crowd! Track Champ in the front row and side by side champs in the third row! Wow, 3 of 6 drivers are champions and start up front! Could this be a sign of what’s to come at Hilltop? Absolutely!!

Every racer knows that heat races and qualifying doesn’t pay money, the last lap in the feature does! So let’s go there…

HOLMES TIRE LATE MODELS FEATURE:
Taking the green flag was none other than the 240 of Charlie Duncan with the 42 of Chris Garnes on the outside anticipating Duncan’s launch. It is in the next row that #25 Bryan Casey and #99M of Devin Moran have “missile tone” on their intended targets and are ready to hit the launch trigger gingerly under their foot! And that they did, 240 Charlie Duncan right out of the gate is pushed to the limits by the Garnes and Moran and the “luck” everyone needs is not to be found in the 240 stable, a flat tire will rewrite this team’s chances tonight… but failure is never an option for anyone here behind the wheel. After changing a tire staying on the lead lap is no easy task, especially when the entire field has a “No Quarter” frame of mind…the goal is to swallow up as many wounded prey as they can!

When the smoke cleared this is the result: 1st place goes to #99m Devin Moran, 2nd place earned by # 42 Chris Garnes, 3rd is the #14JR JR Gentry.

Next show is the MODLITE class and there is no shortage of competition. Tracy Fritter has always been the target to defeat and has set the standard of performance many teams choose to emulate. True to form is the # 59 and on top of his game and quickly pulled away from the field. #59 was everyone’s target but became a very small object in everyone’s crosshairs. Fritter takes home the first win this year at Hilltop while the #17 of Brian Stulhdreier wished for two more laps. Stulhdreier was coming and only the checkers could take the win from him. Awesome show guys! We hope you come back to amaze us again!

Holmes Pest Control Street Stocks are the next venue to amaze every spectator! These guys came here with one thing on their mind…beat everybody else! I watched this class from the tower and will honestly confess that the show of desire and dedication to win is unmatched in any racing class.

The top five feature finish is: #12 Kyle Moore, #43 Mitch Caskey, #77 Dave Potts, #15B Butch Butcher, and #96 Ryan Wisecarver and put on a show worthy of recognition by every paper and media known to the region and abroad! This was one of many great shows that our season predicts and can modestly guarantee. Spectators should get here early to sound off their support to this amazing field of talent next week!
Bugs- R -Gone Trucks are next to put on a show that is equal in excitement and competition.

The payout and finish wraps up like this: 1st place goes to hard charging #58 Jerry Gardner, 2nd place is none other than #7 of J. Large, while the 3rd spot is earned by the #21 of Dewy Powell, who will be the hunter of next week’s honors! Bet on it!

A class that always goes overlooked by most would be the Mini-stocks. This is a class that is based solely on ingenuity, none of us have resources to speak of and the only desire is to be a part of the excitement. We have limited resources and simply want to race whatever will stand still long enough for us to grab ahold of! It is all fun; let’s see if anyone will notice!

These guys are good and raising the bar of competition in this class every time they collect themselves on the track, I personally believe that this class will bring the greatest turnout of fans than any other class. The Mini Stock feature ended like this: The top 3 are 1st — #83 Jordan James, 2nd place # 28 Gary Hensel Jr. and 3rd place is the #429 of Kevin Markey. Hilltop Speedway’s final feature brings everyone to a place of expectation; the Mini Stock Novice. These racers are the next generation of superstars. These are the youngest racers on track in an adult race car and get an opportunity to see first-hand what the hype is all about. They put on an awesome show for us and we welcome them back with a smile on our face. The top 3 in the Mini Stock Novice were: 1st place was earned by #89 — Byron King, 2nd place went to the #01of Colten Priebe, and 3rd place is the hard charging #84 — Colten St. John.

Our hats are off to all the teams, drivers, and certainly the new and returning staff of Hilltop Speedway! It was an awesome season opener and leaves everyone anxious to come back and race again!