Dirt on Dirt - Fracas overshadows Hedgecock's I-75 victory

July 19

I-75 Raceway,

Sweetwater, TN

Sanction: Schaeffer's Southern Nationals - $4,053

Information provided by: Staff and series reports (last updated July 21, 1:12 am)

Fracas overshadows Hedgecock's I-75 victory

Cory Hedgecock
Sam Seawright
Jensen Ford
Will Roland
Zack Mitchell
Camaron Marlar
Carson Ferguson
Kenny Collins
Chase Oliver
Dalton Cook
Brenden Smith
Clay Coghlan
Austin Kirkpatrick
Mack McCarter
Ashton Winger
Brandon Williams
Tyler Millwood
Parker Martin
John Henderson
Bobby Giffin
Michael Page
Heath Hindman

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Rick Neff

Cory Hedgecock's winning team at I-75 Raceway.

What won the race: Inheriting the lead on lap-25 after a fracas that saw 24-lap leader Mack McCarter retire after turn-two contact that sent Ashton Winger's car into a violent, flipping accident off the backstretch, Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., secured the Schaeffer's Southern Nationals points lead Tuesday at I-75 Raceway with his second series victory. Hedgecock took the checkers 0.742 of a second ahead of Sam Seawright for a $4,053 payday in the 40-lapper, the tour's fourth event.

Quotable: "Man, I guarantee me winning wasn't the most exciting part of that race," Hedgecock said. "To take advantage of what was unfolding, I'm just glad we can take the win ... we'll will take them however we can get them. I hate Winger got tore up. I love that dude and I love that family, so I'm hoping he's OK. Man, just an awesome car again. We were fast in qualifying and I was able to take advantage of it in the feature."

Key notes: Mack McCarter led the first 24 laps, swapping the lead (unofficially) multiple times with Winger after a lap-16 restart. Winger, who had twice slipped over the track's banking only to hang on, edged ahead on the outside to take the lead at the flagstand, and when the frontrunners got to turn two, McCarter's car slid up into Winger's and pushed him over the backstretch banking. Winger's Team 22 Inc. machine rolled several times, landing on its wheels, and Winger climbed out apparently unhurt. ... With McCarter's car sitting in turn two during the red flag, Winger and his father Gary Winger angrily tried to grab at McCarter in the cockpit while officials tried to pull them away amid a scene of a dozen or more people; Ashton Winger at one point climbed into the right-side window of the car in an attempt to reach McCarter. ... After the red flag, McCarter thought he was told via the one-way radio to go to the rear for the restart and elected to retire; series owner Ray Cook said no official told him to go to the tail and confirmed McCarter wasn't disqualified. ... Besides the red flag, five cautions slowed the action (John Henderson and Bobby Giffin tangled in turn two on lap five; Clay Coghlan's lap-16 spin; Will Roland and Camaron Marlar hooked together before the lap-16 restart; lap 18 when third-running Tyler Millwood spun in turn four after contact with Winger; and finally on lap 35 for Austin Kirkpatrick's flat tire). ... Parker Martin retired on lap 17 after dumping fluids under caution. ... Rain showers delayed the beginning of the program a few hours with time trials for Super Late Models beginning about 9:45 p.m. ... Cameron Weaver scratched before hot laps.

On the move: Camaron Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., started 16th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Hedgecock’s Black Diamond Chassis is powered by an Eagle Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from E-Z-Go, Budget Transmissions, Pace Performance, K&P Used Cars, W.E. Hardscapes & Masonry, Circle H Services, Hickory Hardscapes, Noble Knights Construction Services, I-75 Raceway and Timeless Memories Photography.

Points chase: After I-75: 1. Cory Hedgecock (758); 2. Camaron Marlar (746); 3. Jensen Ford (746); 4. Will Roland (744); 5. Zack Mitchell (734); 6. Carson Ferguson (706); 7. John Henderson (696); 8. Kenny Collins (692); 9. Ashton Winger (686); 10. Brenden Smith (684).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 79°F

Car count: 26

Fast qualifier: Cory Hedgecock

Time: 13.749 seconds

Polesitter: Mack McCarter

Consolation race winners: Kenny Collins, Zack Mitchell

Provisional starters: Heath Hindman, Michael Page

Next series race: July 21, Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) $4,053

Editor's note: Clarifies McCarter's decision to retire; corrects that McCarter wasn't disqualified; corrects Hedgecock inherited lead on lap 25.

SWEETWATER, Tenn. — Tuesday's updates from the fourth round of the Schaeffer's Southern Nationals at I-75 Raceway, highlighted by a $4,053-to-win Super Late Model event (results unofficial):

Feature

Inheriting the lead on lap-25 after a fracas that saw 24-lap leader Mack McCarter retire after turn-two contact that sent Ashton Winger's car into a violent, flipping accident off the backstretch, Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., secured the Schaeffer's Southern Nationals points lead Tuesday at I-75 Raceway with his second series victory. Hedgecock took the checkers 0.742 of a second ahead of Sam Seawright for a $4,053 payday in the 40-lapper, the tour's fourth event.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Mack McCarter, Cory Hedgecock
Row 2: Ashton Winger, Will Roland
Row 3: Bobby Giffin, Tyler Millwood
Row 4: Sam Seawright, John Henderson
Row 5: Jensen Ford, Brenden Smith
Row 6: Kenny Collins, Zack Mitchell
Row 7: Chase Oliver, Carson Ferguson
Row 8: Brandon Williams, Camaron Marlar
Row 9: Austin Kirkpatrick, Dalton Cook
Row 10: Clay Coghlan, Parker Martin
Row 11: Heath Hindman, Michael Page

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top five transfer)

First consolation: Kenny Collins, Chase Oliver, Brandon Williams, Austin Kirkpatrick, Clay Coghlan, Heath Hindman, Joe Denby, Phil Helton.

Second consolation: Zack Mitchell, Carson Ferguson, Camaron Marlar, Dalton Cook, Parker Martin, Michael Page, Tim Rucker. Scratched: Cameron Weaver.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown
Group A

Mack McCarter (51), Gatlinburg, Tenn., 14.000
Ashton Winger (22), Hampton, Ga., 14.006
Bobby Giffin (97), Maryville, Tenn., 14.041
Sam Seawright (16), Rainsville, Ala., 14.103
Jensen Ford (83), Johnson City, Tenn., 14.200
Chase Oliver (5), Crossville, Ala., 14.211
Kenny Collins (1c), Colbert, Ga., 14.341
Austin Kirkpatrick (11k), Concord, N.C., 14.389
Brandon Williams (95), Crossville, Tenn., 14.437
Clay Coghlan (6), Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 14.526
Heath Hindman (91), Signal Mountain, Tenn., 14.665
Joe Denby (27), Tullahoma, Tenn., 15.280
Phil Helton (24H), Clinton, Tenn., 15.437

Group B

Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 13.749
Will Roland (22), Jasper, Ga., 13.765
Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 13.848
John Henderson (2x), North Augusta, S.C., 13.968
Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 14.007
Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 14.072
Camaron Marlar (99), Winfield, Tenn. , 14.099
Michael Page (18x), Douglasville, Ga., 14.102
Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.168
Parker Martin (6jr), Milledgeville, Ga., 14.184
Dalton Cook (44D), Smiths Station, Ala., 14.379
Tim Rucker (47), Tellico Plains, Tenn., 15.269
Cameron Weaver (116), Crossville, Tenn., no time

Tuesday's schedule

(All times local)

6:45 p.m. - Drivers meeting
On-track activity
- Super Late Model hot laps
- 602 Crate Late Model hot laps
- Four-cylinder hot lap/time trials
- Front-wheel driver hot lap/time trials
- Super Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- 602 Crate Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Competition begins
- Four-cylinder heats (6 laps)
- Super Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Front-wheel drive heats (6 laps)
Prayer and national anthem
- 602 Crate Late Model feature (25 laps)
- Super Late Model feature (40 laps)
- Four-cylinder feature (20 laps)
- Front-wheel drive feature (20 laps)