By Gerald Harris
NEWTON, N.C. - The 2018 season concluded as the Southeast Super Truck Series Presented by City Chevrolet and Textron Off-Road made their final stop. They rolled into the famous Hickory Motor Speedway on October 27th. Little Caesars Pizza came on board to sponsor the final Championship night at the historical track.
Seventeen of the best short track drivers in the southeast showed up, making it one of the highest truck counts of the season. The points battle was coming down to the wire between two time champion Kenneth Headen and Rookie of the Year contender Ashton Higgins. Higgins captured the championship last season in the Gripp Energy Limited Late Models which was formerly named the Southeast Super Stocks.
Headen set the fastest time in the first of three practice rounds, Higgins followed in second just a tenth off. However in the second practice we seen a complete change in speeds as hometown favorite Ashley Huffman found himself on top with Taylor Hosford in second. In the final practice round short track veteran Lee Tissot topped the charts with Huffman in second. Qualifying was up next for the drivers and teams, Huffman claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award and went on to roll a 5 on the invert dice. This now allowed Sheflon Clay to start on the top spot with Jimmy Roberts on the outside.
After all the other divisions completed their features, the Super Trucks lined up on the track for the main event. The championship going down between Kenneth Headen. Both drivers didn't have a real good qualifying run. As the field followed the City Chevrolet pace truck around the track during the warm up laps, it was go time. Clay waited for the flag man to wave the green, and he was off. Tissot who started the feature back in the fourth position quickly went to work chasing down the top three drivers and moving to the front. By lap four, Tissot had worked his way into second, bringing Huffman with him. Roberts wasn't about to give up to easy, he raced side by side for third with Huffman for two laps until Huffman was able to take over the position. The top three were nose to tail, Tissot, Clay, and Huffman. Higgins had worked his way into the fourth position and closing in on the top three.
The first caution flew as the #66 truck of Bennie Davis spun on the back stretch and had to be assisted to the infield by the wrecker service ending his night. Tissot paced the field back to the green flag and pulled away. Clay and Huffman battled it out for the second place for a few laps until Huffman was able to take over that position. Higgins followed Huffman's tire tracks and passed Clay taking over the third position. The second caution flew as the #5 of Toby Hollifield came to a stop on the front stretch. Tissot led the field back to the green flag, Huffman raced his heart out trying to take over the top spot on the high side. Higgins decided to make his move and pulled up to the inside of Huffman. The pair battled it out for the second position. Headen began working on Clay for the fourth place.
The third caution flew as Roberts #20 came to a stop up high in turn three. Tissot once again led them back to the green flag. The fourth caution flew again on lap 31 as multiple trucks were collected, Jamie Barbrey collecting most of the damage. Tissot paced the field back to the green flag and Higgins quickly went back to work on the #88 machine, trying to take over the top spot. Higgins followed back in line, Huffman closed in the gap on the top two drivers making it a three way battle for the lead. Headen wanted in the mix of things, he ducked to the inside of the #15 machine of Clay and took over fourth. Hosford pulled to the inside of Clay
trying to take over the fifth position.
The fifth caution flew as Roberts make contact with the outside turn one and two wall. The field follwed Tissot back to the green flag, however before they could complete a lap, mechanical issues caught the runner up for the points championship of Higgins. Higgins who was running third, slowed coming out of turn two and down the back stretch. Trucks scattered everywhere trying to avoid the mayhem this brought out the sixth caution of the night. Tissot one more time led the field back to the green flag. Before they could complete a lap Hollifield who was battling for position with Barbrey spun around in turn three and backed his Silverado into the
outside wall.
Tissot for the final time of the night led the field back to the green flag, Huffman had one more chance at taking over the lead from Tissot. Tissot went on to claim his sixth win in a row of the season for the Ted Caldwell Racing team. Huffman, Headen, Hosford and Surrett rounded out the top five. Kenneth Headen went on to claim his third championship now tying him with Tissot. We will take a few months off and get back together in January as we celebrate our season with our Championship Banquet. Special Thanks to all of our sponsors this season: City Chevrolet, Textron Off-Road, Renegade Race Fuels, AR Bodies, Bassett Racing Wheels, Martin Nesbitt with Used Race Parts, Ken Wilson Ford, ARE (Allen's Racing Experience), Integra Springs & Shocks, T&D Trucking, Gripp Energy Drinks and Little Caesars Pizza.
Special Thanks to all the tracks for hosting us this season Sylvia Porter and her staff at Anderson Motor Speedway, Casola's and their staff at Tri-County Motor Speedway, Darren & Renee Hackett and their staff at Caraway Speedway, Karen Tunnell and her staff at Kingsport Speedway, Kevin Piercy and his staff at Hickory Motor Speedway.
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS
1. 88 Lee Tissot
2. 7 Ashley Huffman
3. 18 Kenneth Headen
4. 13 Taylor Hosford
5. 8 Ed Surrett
6. 21 Jamie Barbrey
7. 15 Sheflon Clay
8. 22 Ricky Dennie
9. 3 Greg Nix
10. 80 Matt Johnson
11. 00 Ronnie Buckner
12. 5 Toby Hollifield
13. 9 Ashton Higgins
14. 20 Jimmy Roberts Jr
15. 49 Ralph Carnes
16. 66 Bennie Davis
17. 16 Tyler Worley DNS
NEWTON, N.C. - The 2018 season concluded as the Southeast Super Truck Series Presented by City Chevrolet and Textron Off-Road made their final stop. They rolled into the famous Hickory Motor Speedway on October 27th. Little Caesars Pizza came on board to sponsor the final Championship night at the historical track.
Seventeen of the best short track drivers in the southeast showed up, making it one of the highest truck counts of the season. The points battle was coming down to the wire between two time champion Kenneth Headen and Rookie of the Year contender Ashton Higgins. Higgins captured the championship last season in the Gripp Energy Limited Late Models which was formerly named the Southeast Super Stocks.
Headen set the fastest time in the first of three practice rounds, Higgins followed in second just a tenth off. However in the second practice we seen a complete change in speeds as hometown favorite Ashley Huffman found himself on top with Taylor Hosford in second. In the final practice round short track veteran Lee Tissot topped the charts with Huffman in second. Qualifying was up next for the drivers and teams, Huffman claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award and went on to roll a 5 on the invert dice. This now allowed Sheflon Clay to start on the top spot with Jimmy Roberts on the outside.
After all the other divisions completed their features, the Super Trucks lined up on the track for the main event. The championship going down between Kenneth Headen. Both drivers didn't have a real good qualifying run. As the field followed the City Chevrolet pace truck around the track during the warm up laps, it was go time. Clay waited for the flag man to wave the green, and he was off. Tissot who started the feature back in the fourth position quickly went to work chasing down the top three drivers and moving to the front. By lap four, Tissot had worked his way into second, bringing Huffman with him. Roberts wasn't about to give up to easy, he raced side by side for third with Huffman for two laps until Huffman was able to take over the position. The top three were nose to tail, Tissot, Clay, and Huffman. Higgins had worked his way into the fourth position and closing in on the top three.
The first caution flew as the #66 truck of Bennie Davis spun on the back stretch and had to be assisted to the infield by the wrecker service ending his night. Tissot paced the field back to the green flag and pulled away. Clay and Huffman battled it out for the second place for a few laps until Huffman was able to take over that position. Higgins followed Huffman's tire tracks and passed Clay taking over the third position. The second caution flew as the #5 of Toby Hollifield came to a stop on the front stretch. Tissot led the field back to the green flag, Huffman raced his heart out trying to take over the top spot on the high side. Higgins decided to make his move and pulled up to the inside of Huffman. The pair battled it out for the second position. Headen began working on Clay for the fourth place.
The third caution flew as Roberts #20 came to a stop up high in turn three. Tissot once again led them back to the green flag. The fourth caution flew again on lap 31 as multiple trucks were collected, Jamie Barbrey collecting most of the damage. Tissot paced the field back to the green flag and Higgins quickly went back to work on the #88 machine, trying to take over the top spot. Higgins followed back in line, Huffman closed in the gap on the top two drivers making it a three way battle for the lead. Headen wanted in the mix of things, he ducked to the inside of the #15 machine of Clay and took over fourth. Hosford pulled to the inside of Clay
trying to take over the fifth position.
The fifth caution flew as Roberts make contact with the outside turn one and two wall. The field follwed Tissot back to the green flag, however before they could complete a lap, mechanical issues caught the runner up for the points championship of Higgins. Higgins who was running third, slowed coming out of turn two and down the back stretch. Trucks scattered everywhere trying to avoid the mayhem this brought out the sixth caution of the night. Tissot one more time led the field back to the green flag. Before they could complete a lap Hollifield who was battling for position with Barbrey spun around in turn three and backed his Silverado into the
outside wall.
Tissot for the final time of the night led the field back to the green flag, Huffman had one more chance at taking over the lead from Tissot. Tissot went on to claim his sixth win in a row of the season for the Ted Caldwell Racing team. Huffman, Headen, Hosford and Surrett rounded out the top five. Kenneth Headen went on to claim his third championship now tying him with Tissot. We will take a few months off and get back together in January as we celebrate our season with our Championship Banquet. Special Thanks to all of our sponsors this season: City Chevrolet, Textron Off-Road, Renegade Race Fuels, AR Bodies, Bassett Racing Wheels, Martin Nesbitt with Used Race Parts, Ken Wilson Ford, ARE (Allen's Racing Experience), Integra Springs & Shocks, T&D Trucking, Gripp Energy Drinks and Little Caesars Pizza.
Special Thanks to all the tracks for hosting us this season Sylvia Porter and her staff at Anderson Motor Speedway, Casola's and their staff at Tri-County Motor Speedway, Darren & Renee Hackett and their staff at Caraway Speedway, Karen Tunnell and her staff at Kingsport Speedway, Kevin Piercy and his staff at Hickory Motor Speedway.
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS
1. 88 Lee Tissot
2. 7 Ashley Huffman
3. 18 Kenneth Headen
4. 13 Taylor Hosford
5. 8 Ed Surrett
6. 21 Jamie Barbrey
7. 15 Sheflon Clay
8. 22 Ricky Dennie
9. 3 Greg Nix
10. 80 Matt Johnson
11. 00 Ronnie Buckner
12. 5 Toby Hollifield
13. 9 Ashton Higgins
14. 20 Jimmy Roberts Jr
15. 49 Ralph Carnes
16. 66 Bennie Davis
17. 16 Tyler Worley DNS