NEWTON, N.C. — Audio, photo and story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman —
After wanting to “load it up and go home” during practice earlier in the day, Hickory native Tyler Church made a little magic happen at his hometown track.
Church clocked a quick lap of 14.802 seconds (88.285 mph) in Pro All Stars Series South time trials on Saturday at Hickory Motor Speedway, leading the way over a 28-car field and scoring his fourth career PASS South Quick Time Award ahead of the Mason Dixon Meltdown.
The time was just a shade off of the all-time PASS South track record at Hickory of 14.713 seconds, set by Andy Loden in 2010, but Church said that 200 laps during the race will be far more key than his single quick lap in qualifying.
The No. 4 of Limerick, Maine driver and PASS North regular Trevor Sanborn clocked in second-fastest at 14.829 seconds (88.125 mph), followed by PASS South championship contender Zane Smith in the No. 77 Crooks Racing entry, who timed in third-overall (14.836/88.083)
Though Smith’s time was good enough for third on the provisional grid, he will be forced to drop to the rear of the field under penalty for testing at the track inside of the PASS-mandated one week “break period,” making his quest for a maiden title all the more difficult. Smith must win the race and hope that current standings leader Tate Fogleman finishes ninth or worse in order for him to claim the crown.
Roger Lee Newton (14.884/87.799) and Mike Hopkins () rounded out the ‘Fast Five’ in qualifying.
Notables outside the top five included Joey Padgett (eighth), who recently finished third in the PASS portion of the North-South Shootout at Concord Speedway; Derek Scott Jr. (10th), who was the quick qualifier for Hickory’s Easter Bunny 150 back in March; Fogleman (12th); three-time PASS National Champion Ben Rowe (18th) and recently-crowned PASS North champion Mike Rowe (25th).
The top 10 drivers in qualifying, sans Smith, made the redraw — with Scott pulling the number one pill to garner the pole position for the 200-lap main event. Church was the reverse, pulling the 10th pill after qualifying on pole.
Drivers from 21st on back were relegated to the 15-lap Last Chance Showdown to set positions 21 through 26 for the main event, with East Providence, R.I. native Kyle DeSouza wiring the field to win and lead the transfer cars on to the Mason Dixon Meltdown.
In other action, the No. 2 of Austin Thompson claimed quick time honors in what may be his final race as a driver, laying down a lap of 15.271 seconds (85.574 mph) to top the eight-car PASS Pro Late Model Series field.
Thompson will be looking to go out a winner, saying that he is “excited about his chances” for that division’s 40-lap main event.
The 10th annual Mason-Dixon Meltdown takes the green-flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET, with live updates on Twitter @RaceChaserNews.
RESULTS: PASS South Super Late Model Series; Time Trials; Hickory Motor Speedway; Nov. 21, 2015
- #7 – Tyler Church, 14.802
- #4 – Trevor Sanborn, 14.829
- #77 – Zane Smith, 14.836 (to the rear)
- #33 – Roger Lee Newton, 14.884
- #15 – Mike Hopkins, 14.927
- #71 – Jimmy Doyle, 14.937
- #54 – Matt Craig, 14.951
- #83 – Joey Padgett, 14.956
- #6 – Brandon Setzer, 14.963
- #01 – Derek Scott Jr., 14.998
- #17 – Clay Rogers, 15.016
- #8F – Tate Fogleman, 15.022
- #19 – Riley Herbst, 15.044
- #62 – Brandon Ward, 15.045
- #45 – Kodie Conner, 15.106
- #12 – Kody Evans, 15.138
- #98 – Jody Measamer, 15.146
- #4N – Ben Rowe, 15.154
- #98X – Justin Ashburn, 15.163
- #4M – Kyle McCollum, 15.169
- #64 – Garrett Evans, 15.179
- #88 – Kyle DeSouza, 15.238
- #16 – Vinnie Miller, 15.275 (to the rear)
- #82 – John-Michael Shenette, 15.309
- #41 – Mike Rowe, 15.332
- #29 – Ryan Krachun, NT
- #90 – Craig Winestein, NT
- #49 – Jeff Batten, NT
Last Chance Showdown (15 laps, six transfer): 1. #88 – Kyle DeSouza; 2. #16 – Vinnie Miller; 3. #41 – Mike Rowe; 4. #82 – John Michael Shenette; 5. #29 – Ryan Krachun; 6. #49 – Jeff Batten; 7. #90 – Craig Winestein (DNS).
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: news@racechaseronline.com
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