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Steve Hixson
RINGGOLD, Ga. (April 17) - When the money's on the line, veteran Tennessee racer Rick Hixson seems to be the man to beat at BOYD's SPEEDWAY. Friday night the CABIN FEVER Champion backed up his big event victory from March, with a $2,500. last lap GAMBLE to take the KING of CRATE CHALLENGE victory. The TROJAN from Soddy Daisy started from the outside of row two and quickly went to work on race leader James Gamble. Billy Mayo sliced and diced his way from his 10th starting spot to third, by the halfway point and worked by Hixson as the two-to-go signal was given. "I was creeping up ever so lightly", stated Hixson from victory lane, who made the command decision to put the # 16 "Austin Trucking, BJ's Flooring, Gene's Racing Parts" sponsored MasterSbilt / 604 GM powered - Race Engine Design on the high-line for the final two circuits. "Billy (Mayo) flat had me on the bottom and would've gotten this race, I believe", continued Hixson. Donning the Crown, Cloak and drinking from the kingly Goblet, Hixson victory court concluded in the Jody Millard Pest Control Victory Lane with family, crew and friends.
Raceday drew forty-three (43) unsanctioned Crate Late Model's from around the South. Four heat races would set the stage, allowing the Top 5 finishers passage to the KING of CRATE's "A" Main Feature. In heat # 1 Jerry Fowler of Acworth, GA would hold off Alan Green and Todd Morrow for the Pole Position victory. Green and Morrow battled the 15 lap dance, side-by-side for most of the heat for the runner-up spot. Ronnie Johnson survived a tangle with Chuck Padgett for the final transfer position, just behind former NATIONAL 100 CHAMP Jody Summerville. Heat # 2 saw Brian Pritchard defeat "THE BIG MAN in BLACK" Gamble. Unfortunately a reported 4-pound discrepancy at the scales negated "BP's" victory. Gamble was awarded the win with; Kayne Hickman, Mayo, Darel Owenbey and Lee Gray rounding out the field. Heat # 3 saw Aaron Ridley go from hero-to-zero (almost), when something broke on the leaders car with 2 laps remaining. Ridley salvaged narrowly a 4th place finish as Brian Burke took the checkers. In the final 15-lap heat Rick Hixson and teammate Jerry Coffman squared off. Hixson took the win with Cook passing Coffman for 2nd. Former ICE BOWL CHAMPION Bobby Mayse and Craig Burrows transferred.
Before the "A" Main Feature could roll-out the final four spots on the starting grid were needed to be filled. The 12-lap "B" Main Last Chance race served that purpose. William Thomas 2007 $50,000. FASTRAK Crate Champion took care of that one, in one of Rick Hixson's machines. "Ronnie Johnson hooked us up", stated Thomas before the feature. "It's a real good racecar and this place is real nice" commented the young racer from Phenix City, AL. Jeff Smith followed Thomas under the checkers, with Danny Pippen and Bobby Wilson also transferring to the "A" Main Feature. David Payne missed the feature by one spot with Cody Barnett, Mike Head, Brian Jackson, Reed Johnson, David Tindell, Boonie Gulett, Chad Chitwood, Michael Evans, Kenneth Sweatt and Scott Franks following. As flagman Chuck Christopher waved the green flag over the twenty-four starters, Gamble showed the way as Hixson made quick work of pole-sitter Fowler. Green was in-deep with Cook and Stewart just inside the Top 5 with Brian Burke following Hixson. Ridley and Gray would be the first-two outta action and Green would end his BOYD's season debut a few laps later.
Burke and Cook kept up within the Top 5 as Gamble worked thru heavy back-marker traffic. Hixson would put the noise of his machine underneath the # 27 "United Wrecker, Truck Service Co., Wilson Co." sponsored racecar several times, but it was Mayo the fans were keeping track of en route towards the front. The CHATTANOOGA FLASH was also coming to the front working on Blake Stewart, Mayse and Morrow in the latter half of the 40 lapper. Hixson soon had to deal with the #115 "A&K Transportation, Shorty's Shock Service, King of the Road Conversions, Stealth Racing Carburators, Mid-Nite Oil" sponsored GRT from Cleveland. Mayo kept roaring along the bottom, as Hixson began "toeing-the waters" on the high-side. Inside 5 remaining Gamble seemed in firm control as RJ was working on entering the Top 5 for the first time. With Mayo now entrenched in second and gaining-ground on Gamble, Hixson went full force to the high-side with 2 circuits remaining. Hixson made the winning pass, driving past both Gamble and Mayo. At the checkers it was Hixson, with Mayo narrowly passing Gamble for 2nd. Cook finished 4th and Johnson surpassed Burke for a Top 5 finish, after starting 17th. Behind Burke, Mayse, Morrow, Stewart and Hixson's teammate Coffman within the Top 10.
In other racing action A-Hobby was won by Tod Hernandez, whom seems unstoppable early this season. Larry Higgins in a new racecar finished 2nd with HUNDRED DOLLAR Bill Wilson 3rd. Corey Cresswell and Len McNeese rounded out the Top 5. In the Steel-Head Late Model division Mark Rosner was the winner of the 26 cars entered. The WIZARD OF ROZ claimed he's looking forward and battling Rick Hixson for the $2,000. in next Friday's BORDER WARS at BOYD's SPEEDWAY. Robert Stutts, Andy Miller, Ruben Mayfield and Greg Husky rounded out the Top 5. In the final feature of the evening Kenny Kizzar topped the FWD division. Michael Arp, Shaney Forgey and Steve Boyd finished 2nd thru 4th. Next Friday night gets underway at 7PM EST with a Round # 1 of the SIX (6) race Mini-Series, for the Steel-head LM's. Crate Late Models return to top the undercard, with a $800. to-WIN regular racing feature. For more information visit the tracks web-site www.boydsspeedway.com.
Boyd's Speedway
Chattanooga, TN/Ringgold, GA
Friday, April 17, 2009
KING of CRATE CHALLENGE: Official Finish
1. Rick Hixson (# 16) of Soddy Daisy, TN
2. Billy Mayo (# 115) of Cleveland, TN
3. James Gamble (# 27) of Rossville, GA
4. Ray Cook (# RC1) of Brasstown, NC
5. Ronnie Johnson (# 5) of Chattanooga, TN
6. Brian Burke (# B39) of Dalton, GA
7. Bobby Mayse (# 22) of Harrison, TN
8. Todd Morrow (# T16) of East Ridge, TN
9. Blake Stewart (# M1) of Centre, AL
10. Jerry Coffman (# 30) of Soddy Daisy, TN
11. Jeff Smith (# 00) of Villanow, GA
12. Jerry Fowler (# 9) of Acworth, GA
13. Kayne Hickman (# H31) of Soddy Daisy, TN
14. William Thomas (# M16) of Phenix City, AL
15. Darel Ownbey (# 12) of Calhoun, GA
16. Craig Burrows (# 23) of Chickamagua, GA
17. Danny Pippen (# 76) of Red Bank, TN
18. Bobby Wilson (# 48) of Ringgold, GA
19. Casey Hall (# 42) of Geraldine, AL
20. Aaron Wheat (# 99) of Chatsworth, GA
21. Jody Summerville (# 25) of Rome, GA
22. Alan Green (# 41) of Dalton, GA
23. Lee Gray (# 11) of Tunnel Hill, GA
24. Aaron Ridley (# 81) of Chatsworth, GA
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