Duck River Raceway Park
Hickman adds Duck River win to solid weekend
By Connie Putnam
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Riley Hickman celebrates in victory lane with crew chief Brad Carvin. (photobyconnie.com)
WHEEL, Tenn. (May 26) — Capping off his solid Memorial Day weekend, Riley Hickman of Ooltewah, Tenn., raced to a $3,000 victory Sunday night at Duck River Speedway with a dominating performance in the quarter-mile oval’s unsanctioned Memorial Day Classic.
Hickman, whose three-race weekend also produced a victory and a runner-up finish in the weekend’s Southern Regional Racing Series doubleheader at Thunderhill Raceway and Tennessee National Raceway, led every lap of Sunday’s 40-lapper in claiming the victory. | Slideshow
Mark Fields of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., finished second for his third top-three finish on the weekend, while Scott Cook of Shelbyville, Tenn., took third ahead of Kentucky drivers Terry English of Benton, and Dillan White of Crofton.
The first of the race’s five cautions came on the initial start when Richard Smith and Mark Haddon tangled in turn four.
On the complete restart, Hickman took control followed by closely by White and Fields before the second caution appeared just five laps in as Kenny Cobble slowed high on the track and Jeff Walker spun at the same time.
Hickman resumed his lead on the restart, but the pace was again slowed when Tony Morris slowed high in turn four. Hickman was still leading with White, Fields, Cook and Brad Skinner rounding out the top five.
Hickman once again resumed the lead as Fields, who had been pressuring White, made the pass and moved into second place on lap 23.
White was shuffled back another spot when Cook also went by on a lap-29 restart. A spin by Derrick White caused the fourth caution on lap 34 with the top five running order as Hickman, Fields, Cook, White and Skinner.
The fifth and final caution waved with two laps remaining when Jason Welshan and Jay Brinkley made contact in turn two. By that time, Skinner was moved out of the top 5 as Terry English passed both him and White in the previous four laps to take over fourth place.
Hickman cruised through the final two-lap dash to the finish in claiming the dominating victory.
Notes: Hickman drives a MasterSbilt Race Car powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine with sponsorship from Hickman Manufacturing, MRC Racing Components, American Billet, Tucker Mobile Home Service, VP Racing Fuels, Allstar Graphics and RH Designs. ... Hickman, who claimed last year’s SRRS championship, currently leads both the SRRS standings and the Southern All Stars Series points standings. ... Former SRRS champion Josh Putnam of Killen, Ala., was the night’s second-fastest qualifier, but a broken right-rear wheel center during a hot lap session for the top-eight qualifiers sent his car barrel rolling. Putnam was uninjured, but his race car suffered heavy damage.
Memorial Day Classic: (1) Riley Hickman, (2) Mark Fields, (3) Scott Cook, (4) Terry English, (5) Dillan White, (6) Brad Skinner, (7) Chad Winkles, (8) Caleb Ashby, (9) Jay Brinkley, (10) David Seibers, (11) Dylan Ames, (12) Carnell Parker, (13) Derrick White, (14) Jason Welshan, (15) Jeff Walker, (16) Jon Miller, (17) Tony Morris, (18) Brett Miller, (19) Kenny Cobble, (20) Josh Putnam, (21) Levi Ashby, (22) Daniel Miller, (23) Richard Smith, (24) Mark Haddon, (25) Weslley Shelton, (26) Steven Ashby, (27) Justin Taylor. Fast qualifier (among 28 cars): Hickman, 13.60 seconds. Consolation winners: White, Brinkley, Seibers.
