April 12
Cherokee Speedway,
Gaffney, SC
Sanction: Fast Unified Engine Late Model Series - $3,000
Information provided by: Gene Murphy and series reports (last updated April 15, 11:47 pm)
Hamm FUELs up to capture Cherokee opener
- Brett Hamm
- Ross Bailes
- Billy Hicks
- Jason Pack
- Donald Bradsher
- David Smith
- Matthew Turner
- Ryan Atkins
- Carson Ferguson
- Ricky Weeks
- Clinton Cook
- Trent Ivey
- Kenny Van Derveer
- Steve Cooke
- Johnny Pursley
- Kip Cochran
- Chris Cantrell
Brett Hamm's team enjoys victory lane in Gaffney, S.C.
What won the race: Polesitter Brett Hamm of Newberry, S.C. outran Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C. and Billy Hicks of Mount Airy, N.C., for a $3,000 in the opening event for the first-year FUEL tour.
Quotable: “We got a little lucky with the draw since we were a bit behind in qualifying,” Hamm said. “Sometimes you just have to have things go your way, so tonight, that went our way. The car was real good (during the feature) though, and we were able to keep the tires on it. The tires started burning off there a little bit toward the end. But we held on and kept it out front.”
Key notes: The tour is for Late Models powered by CT 525 engines, the economical, all-aluminum crate powerplant by Chevrolet. ... FUEL is the second series to use the engine combination solely following the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.
Winner's sponsors: Hamm's car is sponsored by Cagle Racing Automotive, Hamm's Marchine Shop, Hamm's Performance Fabrication, Stokes-Trainor GM Superstore Wilson Tractor and WP Racing Shocks.
Points chase: Saturday's event kicked off the tour's inaugural campaign.
Car count: 17
Fast qualifier: Billy Hicks
Time: 16.203 seconds
Polesitter: Brett Hamm
Heat race winners: Ricky Weeks, Ross Bailes
Next series race: April 26, Friendship Motor Speedway (Elkin, NC) $3,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.