By Gerald Harris
HUDSON, N.C. - The Southeast Super Truck Series Presented by City Chevrolet made the return to Tri-County Motor Speedway on August 24th. What everyone seemed to be a dreary wet day turned into a fantastic night of racing.
Sixteen drivers took to the multi-grooved 4/10ths mile oval. The first round of practice was up first.
Ashton Higgins driver of the #9 Big Ivy Guns Chevrolet Silverado topped the speed charts with a time of 16.548. He was followed Kenneth Headen, Clark Houston, Ed Surrett, and Ralph Carnes. The teams and drivers had one final practice to dial in their trucks for the night's features. Driver of the #99 S.H. Carter Development Inc. Kenneth Headen found his way on top of the final practice charts with a time of 16.748. Everyone was off to tech and lining up for qualifying. Ralph Carnes from Anderson, South Carolina put his #49 Door Tech Toyota Tundra on the Renegade Race Fuels Pole with a fast time of 16.593.
The night's competition was going to be great for the fans as the qualifying times was only a 8/10ths of a difference. Carnes rolled a five on the invert dice, which now set veteran short track driver Clint King on the top spot. As the field rode around behind the City Chevrolet Silverado pace truck warming up their tires the green was moments away. Flagman Timmy Hutson waited for the field to come out of turn four. The third generation driver from Newton, NC of Clark Houston quickly put his nose out in front of King as they went into turn one. The pair raced side by side, as Houston led the first lap of the night.
Higgins moved into the third position keeping his winshield full of the leaders. Kenneth Headen followed the youngster in fourth, waiting for the right opportunity. The rookie and the veteran has had plenty of hard fought battles this season and not only in the Super Trucks but at Anderson Motor Speedway's weekly NASCAR Late Model program. Sheflon Clay who was making his return visit with the series was back in fifth. After five laps were on the board, Houston finally cleared the #07 machine of King and began to pull away.
Higgins caught the rear bumper of King and quickly went to work on him, trying to take over the second place. The #07 Warehouse Design Ford F-150 of King was doing everything he could to hold off the young superstar of Higgins. In the tire tracks of Higgins was a line full of veteran drivers, Headen, Clay, Carnes, and Ed Surrett. Surrett dove to the inside of Carnes, trying to take over the 6th position. The pair raced door to door for several laps. As Headen followed Higgins the two now moved King back to fourth. Clay now found himself right behind the #07 Ford. Meanwhile back in the pack, the Travelers Rest duo of Greg Nix and Jamie Barbrey were fighting for 9th. With Marietta, South Carolina's Jimmy Roberts right in front of them.
Barbrey who finally got around Nix, now caught the rear bumper of Roberts and did not waste any time as he quickly made the pass to take over the eigth position. The first caution flew on lap 15, as the #5 Big Ivy Guns Silverado of Toby Hollifield looped it around in turn two. Toby gathered it back up and rejoined the field. Houston led them back to the green flag. The field fell nose to tail once the green was back out, Barbrey took his Barbrey Steel Toyota past Carnes to sit in the seventh place. However Carnes gained his momentum back and dove back to the inside of Barbrey.
Kenneth Headen turned his afterburners on and he pulled to the inside of Higgins, battling for second. The second caution flew as the #66 Bucket List racing Silverado of Bennie Davis spun around on the back straight away. Houston now had to hit his marks on this restart as short track veteran Headen was now restarting beside him. Houston chose the outside line which had been working for him all night long. The third caution flew on the night as Ralph Carnes looped it around on the back straight away. Houston once again had to get a good restart. Clark hit the restart box, and took off. Higgins had his hands full on this restart as King worked his way back into third, bringing Sheflon with him as well as Ed Surrett.
Clay now found his #15 right on the rear tailgate of King, he dove to the inside as the pair raced hard for third position. Surrett took his #8 Universal Construction Silverado to the inside of Higgins as they raced for the fifth place with Nix, Barbrey, and Roberts right in the tire tracks of the two. Carnes who restarted at the tail end of the field for bringing out the last caution had been driving extra hard trying to get back up to where he was. He dove to the inside of Roberts and back inside the top ten. The field crossed the halfway mark of the race.
Clay gained his momentum back and drove back to the inside of King battling for the third place. While the pair was racing for the position, Surrett realed them down. Ed worked his way around Clay for fourth with King next on his agenda. With just a handful of laps left in the feature the caution flew again. Houston knew he had to get a great restart, the fans could not tell he was a rookie as he hit the marks and took off once again. Surrett took advantage of the restart as he was finally able to clear King and now set his sights on Headen for second. After a lap of following the #99 Ford around the speedway, he cleared Headen and now had one more position left on the track. Houston brought his #6 Grizzly Coolers, Jewelry Exchange, Duck Graphics, Pepsi Silverado in the winners circle capturing his first ever Southeast Super Truck Series Victory.
He was followed by Ed Surrett, Kenneth Headen, Sheflon Clay, and Ralph Carnes rounding out the top five. The Series will make the trip back to Tri-County Motor Speedway on September 14 as a make up date for a earlier rain out. It will be Big Ivy Guns night at the races. For more information please visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com or our Social Media sites.
Official Results
1. 6 Clark Houston
2. 8 Ed Surrett
3. 99 Kenneth Headen
4. 15 Sheflon Clay
5. 49 Ralph Carnes
6. 00 Tanner Carter
7. 21 Jamie Barbrey
8. 3 Greg Nix
9. 9 Ashton Higgins
10. 5 Toby Hollifield
11. 07 Clint King
12. 20 Jimmy Roberts
13. 11 Jack Galunke
14. 66 Bennie Davis
15. 95 Jacob Owens
16. 33 Brett Suggs
HUDSON, N.C. - The Southeast Super Truck Series Presented by City Chevrolet made the return to Tri-County Motor Speedway on August 24th. What everyone seemed to be a dreary wet day turned into a fantastic night of racing.
Sixteen drivers took to the multi-grooved 4/10ths mile oval. The first round of practice was up first.
Ashton Higgins driver of the #9 Big Ivy Guns Chevrolet Silverado topped the speed charts with a time of 16.548. He was followed Kenneth Headen, Clark Houston, Ed Surrett, and Ralph Carnes. The teams and drivers had one final practice to dial in their trucks for the night's features. Driver of the #99 S.H. Carter Development Inc. Kenneth Headen found his way on top of the final practice charts with a time of 16.748. Everyone was off to tech and lining up for qualifying. Ralph Carnes from Anderson, South Carolina put his #49 Door Tech Toyota Tundra on the Renegade Race Fuels Pole with a fast time of 16.593.
The night's competition was going to be great for the fans as the qualifying times was only a 8/10ths of a difference. Carnes rolled a five on the invert dice, which now set veteran short track driver Clint King on the top spot. As the field rode around behind the City Chevrolet Silverado pace truck warming up their tires the green was moments away. Flagman Timmy Hutson waited for the field to come out of turn four. The third generation driver from Newton, NC of Clark Houston quickly put his nose out in front of King as they went into turn one. The pair raced side by side, as Houston led the first lap of the night.
Higgins moved into the third position keeping his winshield full of the leaders. Kenneth Headen followed the youngster in fourth, waiting for the right opportunity. The rookie and the veteran has had plenty of hard fought battles this season and not only in the Super Trucks but at Anderson Motor Speedway's weekly NASCAR Late Model program. Sheflon Clay who was making his return visit with the series was back in fifth. After five laps were on the board, Houston finally cleared the #07 machine of King and began to pull away.
Higgins caught the rear bumper of King and quickly went to work on him, trying to take over the second place. The #07 Warehouse Design Ford F-150 of King was doing everything he could to hold off the young superstar of Higgins. In the tire tracks of Higgins was a line full of veteran drivers, Headen, Clay, Carnes, and Ed Surrett. Surrett dove to the inside of Carnes, trying to take over the 6th position. The pair raced door to door for several laps. As Headen followed Higgins the two now moved King back to fourth. Clay now found himself right behind the #07 Ford. Meanwhile back in the pack, the Travelers Rest duo of Greg Nix and Jamie Barbrey were fighting for 9th. With Marietta, South Carolina's Jimmy Roberts right in front of them.
Barbrey who finally got around Nix, now caught the rear bumper of Roberts and did not waste any time as he quickly made the pass to take over the eigth position. The first caution flew on lap 15, as the #5 Big Ivy Guns Silverado of Toby Hollifield looped it around in turn two. Toby gathered it back up and rejoined the field. Houston led them back to the green flag. The field fell nose to tail once the green was back out, Barbrey took his Barbrey Steel Toyota past Carnes to sit in the seventh place. However Carnes gained his momentum back and dove back to the inside of Barbrey.
Kenneth Headen turned his afterburners on and he pulled to the inside of Higgins, battling for second. The second caution flew as the #66 Bucket List racing Silverado of Bennie Davis spun around on the back straight away. Houston now had to hit his marks on this restart as short track veteran Headen was now restarting beside him. Houston chose the outside line which had been working for him all night long. The third caution flew on the night as Ralph Carnes looped it around on the back straight away. Houston once again had to get a good restart. Clark hit the restart box, and took off. Higgins had his hands full on this restart as King worked his way back into third, bringing Sheflon with him as well as Ed Surrett.
Clay now found his #15 right on the rear tailgate of King, he dove to the inside as the pair raced hard for third position. Surrett took his #8 Universal Construction Silverado to the inside of Higgins as they raced for the fifth place with Nix, Barbrey, and Roberts right in the tire tracks of the two. Carnes who restarted at the tail end of the field for bringing out the last caution had been driving extra hard trying to get back up to where he was. He dove to the inside of Roberts and back inside the top ten. The field crossed the halfway mark of the race.
Clay gained his momentum back and drove back to the inside of King battling for the third place. While the pair was racing for the position, Surrett realed them down. Ed worked his way around Clay for fourth with King next on his agenda. With just a handful of laps left in the feature the caution flew again. Houston knew he had to get a great restart, the fans could not tell he was a rookie as he hit the marks and took off once again. Surrett took advantage of the restart as he was finally able to clear King and now set his sights on Headen for second. After a lap of following the #99 Ford around the speedway, he cleared Headen and now had one more position left on the track. Houston brought his #6 Grizzly Coolers, Jewelry Exchange, Duck Graphics, Pepsi Silverado in the winners circle capturing his first ever Southeast Super Truck Series Victory.
He was followed by Ed Surrett, Kenneth Headen, Sheflon Clay, and Ralph Carnes rounding out the top five. The Series will make the trip back to Tri-County Motor Speedway on September 14 as a make up date for a earlier rain out. It will be Big Ivy Guns night at the races. For more information please visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com or our Social Media sites.
Official Results
1. 6 Clark Houston
2. 8 Ed Surrett
3. 99 Kenneth Headen
4. 15 Sheflon Clay
5. 49 Ralph Carnes
6. 00 Tanner Carter
7. 21 Jamie Barbrey
8. 3 Greg Nix
9. 9 Ashton Higgins
10. 5 Toby Hollifield
11. 07 Clint King
12. 20 Jimmy Roberts
13. 11 Jack Galunke
14. 66 Bennie Davis
15. 95 Jacob Owens
16. 33 Brett Suggs