Loden Heads to Victory Lane & Canipe Jr. Wins Two

Story By: Jill Frischmann
Photos by: Legacy Video & Photography
May 24, 2008

(Newton, NC) Another beautiful night at that race track brought with another amazing night of stock car racing at the World's Most Famous Short Track, Hickory Motor Speedway. Fans were out in abundance this Memorial Day Weekend for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series presented by Woodforest Bank. The night featured a 100 lap feature for the Bojangles Late Models, a 50 lap feature for the Advance Auto Parts Super Trucks, a 35 lap feature for the Jewelry Exchange Limiteds, and a 30 lap feature for the Street Stocks. The competition was intense as drivers battled against one another all night for the honor to head to victory lane.

There was a full field and great competition for the Woodforest 100 featuring the Bojangles Late Models. It was clean racing from the moment the green flags waved, with the #10 of Andy Mercer on the point and slowly pulling away from the field. Debris on the race track, spotted on lap six, brought out the first caution of the event. It was go time from there, until the #29 of Andy Loden and the #00 of Lucas Ransone were jammed up in traffic coming out of turn four sending Ransone for a spin on lap seven, bringing out caution number two. It was a clean restart and Loden wasted no time making his way into the top five. Using his usual high line, Loden was able to work his way into second place by lap 16 of the 100 lap feature.

By lap 35 Mercer was coming up on lap traffic which allowed Loden to gain more ground as he made his way to Mercer in the first place position. It didn't take long for Loden to make his move on Mercer, using the high side coming out of turn four to capture the lead. Forty laps into the event it was a tight battle for third as the #25 of Sam Watts went door to door with the #89 of David Latour Jr. Watts also used the high side coming out of turn four to grab the precious track position.

It just wasn't Ransone's night as he spun heading out of turn two on lap 55 bringing out the third caution of the race. From the restart it seamed as though Latour Jr. was having the rough night as he lost track position to Watts and the #43 of Jess LeFevers. On lap 67 Latour Jr. made contact with #42 of Todd Goble on the back stretch bringing out the fourth caution and causing damage to the left front fender of Goble's ride.

With only thirty laps remaining Watts made a move on Mercer trying to capture the second place position, Watts got loose going into turn four causing him to loose momentum and the second place spot. As 15 laps remained the action was in the battle for fourth. The #70 of Britt Andersen, #31 of Kyle Grissom, and LeFevers took it three wide heading for the back stretch.

With ten laps remaining the action was again in the battle for the lead as Mercer put the pressure on Loden. Mercer made several attempts to regain the top spot, but he just didn't have enough time to take over Loden. Watts was able to hold on for third, Grissom fought his way back up in the field to capture fourth, and Goble came home in fifth.

The action wasn't lacking as the Jewelry Exchange Limteds made their way onto the track for their 35 lap feature of the evening. WynnCom pole sitter, Dexter Canipe Jr. (#3) put on a clinic, leading the field from the moment the green flag dropped to the moment the checkers waved. Ten laps into the feature, Canipe Jr. had gained a three car lead over the field, but that didn't hold drivers back from fighting their way to the front to try and take away the precious track position. On lap 16, the #77 of Joe Chaffin and the #32 of Jeremy Harrell found themselves in a tango coming out of turn four. Both drivers were able to save themselves from spinning out, but Chaffin found himself receiving the black flag for loose sheet metal on the right front fender of his hot rod. A quick stop in the pits and with a little help from his crew he was back out and running by lap 20.

The first and only caution of the event was brought out on lap 22 as the #45 of Kenneth Pardue went for a spin on the back stretch. With three laps to go, things got real exciting as the #07 of Tyler Church and the #05 of Jordan McGregor connected coming out of turn four. It looked as though it was going to be the wreck of the night, but both drivers displayed their talent behind the wheel and were able to save their rides. Even though they tried, no driver was a match for Canipe Jr. as he sailed into victory lane. The #94 of Josh Wright, #27 of Brandon Mundy, #17 of Kyle Mansch, and the #01 J. R. Allen completed the top five.

Fans don't forget, “When Jr. Wins, You Win!” Take your ticket stub from the Woodforest Bank Night at the Races to your local Little Caesars on Monday, purchase a small pizza and receive a two liter bottle of Pepsi FREE!

It was one spectacular night for Dexter Canipe Jr. as he competed in and took home the checkers in two feature events during Woodforest Bank Night at the Races. Again, Canipe Jr. was the man to beat as he took to the track during a special 50 lap Advance Auto Parts Super Trucks feature. Canipe Jr. started the feature in the second place position, but by lap seven he was ready to make his move on WynnCom pole sitter Keith Bumgarner (#97). After several laps and several attempts it looked like Canipe Jr. had nothing for Bumgarner as he pulled away from the field. The #69 of Trevor Hignutt was the man to watch as he made his move picking off trucks one by one, cracking the top five by lap 20 from a tenth place starting spot.

On lap 25 the battle for the lead continued, as Bumgarner and Canipe Jr. approached lapped traffic. This was Canipe Jr.'s chance to take the lead. Bumgarner went high and Canipe Jr. went low coming out of turn four and by lap 27 Canipe Jr. was able to capture the lead from Bumgarner. Once in the lead, Canipe Jr. used the lapped traffic to his advantage, weaving in and out of trucks increasing his lead over the field as he went along. On lap 34 the #44 of Ron Hall and the #80 of Danny Willard connected coming off of two and spun out on the back stretch. The #0 of Jody Church spun out to avoid hitting the two parked trucks, bringing out the caution. This caution was not what Canipe Jr. wanted to see as his lead was continuing to increase.

From the restart Canipe Jr. jumped back to the point and with ten laps to go he maintained his lead over Bumgarner by two truck lengths. With two laps remaining the caution flag flew for a second time when the #78 of Chris Birdsall spun coming out of turn two. Again, Canipe Jr. jumped to the point at the restart and held off Bumgarner until the checkers waved. The #59 of Rock Harris, #17 of Tyler Taft. and Hignutt made up the top five.

It was an exciting battle for the victory during the 30 lap feature of the Hickory Street Stocks. The #7 of Jeff Sparks jumped to the point the moment the green flag waved, but the #64 of Marshall Sutton put the pressure on as he battled Sparks for the lead with no success. Sparks continued to increase his lead as the laps went on, using lap traffic as a pick. Things started heating up when the #21 of Monty Cox was tight on the back bumper of the #03 of Kevin Eby. Cox made a move on Eby for the third place position coming off of turn four but was unsuccessful. It looked as though this was panning out to be caution free feature until lap 17, when the #39 of Dan Crate went for a spin coming out of turn four.

Cox used the restart to his advantage as he made his move on Eby to capture the third place position. Cox went on to battle Sutton for second place, capturing the position by lap 19, bring Eby with him for the ride. With five laps to go, Cox was in the right spot to work on Sparks for the lead, coming out of turn four the two connect sending Sparks for a spin bringing out the second caution of the feature. Both cars were sent to the back of the line of lead lap cars for the restart. It was a four lap shootout for the checks, with Eby on the point. Eby was able to hold onto his position for the win, but Sparks didn't make it easy on him as he battled back for a second place finish. The #5 of Mike Newton, Cox, and Crate rounded out the top five.

Be sure to join us next Saturday, May 31, for Hickory Motor Speedway's 58 th Birthday Celebration presented by Pepsi featuring the ninth round of the NASCAR Whelen All American Series. The show will include appearances by the Bojangles Late Models, the Jewelry Exchange Limiteds, the Hickory Pro 4's, Hickory Street Stocks and the Red Baron Race Parts Hobby Stocks. The night will be topped off with a fireworks extravaganza by Zambelli Fireworks and many other surprises to celebrate Hickory's 58 th birthday. Grandstands open at 5 PM with qualifying immediately following and feature racing action beginning at 7 PM. Fans don't miss your chance to meet your favorite drivers of the Jewelry Exchange Limiteds during the On Track Autograph session beginning at 6 PM.

Tickets are only $10 for adults, $8 for teens and seniors, $5 for kids 7-12 and kids 6 and under are free. Be sure to bring out the whole family for a night of family fun with exciting high speed racing action, family packs for this special event are only $20 and on sale NOW! For more information please visit our website at www.hickorymotorspeedway.com or by phone at 828-464-3655. We can't wait to see you at the races!

ickory Motor Speedway is a .363 mile asphalt track. The track held its first event in June of 1951 posting Gwyn Staley as the event winner. Hickory Motor Speedway has supported series such as the now Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. Currently the Speedway is sanctioned by NASCAR featuring the NASCAR Whelen All American Series. The Speedway also hosts a wide variety of touring series that travel throughout the country.

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