STATESVILLE, N.C. – official team release by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman – Tom Baker photo –
Ryan Millington continued his season run of top five finishes at the Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday night, moving the needle to seven straight after a runner-up effort to Dexter Canipe in a 100-lap Late Model Stock Car feature as part of the track’s “Whelen Night” program.
With five races now under his belt in the LMSC field in 2016, confidence for the 14-year-old native of Statesville, North Carolina is at an all-time high despite coming up just short in Saturday’s 100-lap main, which also served as round four of the 10-race Paramount Kia Challenge mini-series at HMS.
Millington qualified third and settled in right where he qualified for the opening dozen laps, before giving up one position and riding fourth in an effort to best conserve his tires. Once the second half of the race rolled around, the No. 17 began a push towards the front – reinheriting third after mechanical troubles sidelined the second place machine ahead of him and passing for second a few laps later.
At the 10 to go point, Millington had made his way to second and set his sights on Canipe for the win, chasing him down from a straightaway back and catching his points rival with two laps remaining. However, he would not be able to complete the pass and had to settle for the bridesmaid position when the checkered flag flew to end the night.
“Overall, we had a really good night,” Millington expressed. “It was really all about saving tires and I feel like we did a pretty good job of that. I just feel like I didn’t have quite enough time to be able to work Dexter over at the end of the race, because it took me a little while to get to second. Once I did, I tried to make the pass for the win cleanly but just couldn’t get it done.”
“I need to thank my dad, Christian PaHud, Brandon Hinson and all the guys on the crew that help make this car go fast each week, as well as my sponsor TAO TAO USA. We’re close to winning another one of these each week and I know we’re going to get back to victory lane soon enough!”
The second-place result, combined with Canipe’s victory, means Millington is now tied for both the track and Paramount Kia Challenge points leads heading into an off week for the historic 0.363-mile oval.
With Hickory out of action for the Sams Club/Childrens Miracle Network Car Show and Concert, Millington and his team will take the weekend off with the late model. However, he will return to the dirt wars at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C. this Wednesday with his SKE Chassis mini outlaw, preparing for next Wednesday’s nationally-renowned Speed51 Open, which pays $5,151 to the winner.
Over 90 cars are expected from across the nation for the show at Millbridge, which is now in its third year.
Follow Millington on Facebook by searching Millington Motorsports, and for more information on driver and team, visit his website at www.RyanMillington.com.
About Ryan Millington
Ryan Millington is an accomplished 14-year-old racer from Statesville, North Carolina. Growing up in a family with a background and love for the sport, Ryan has already been a winner on both dirt and pavement, competing in several different types of cars.
Millington has won over 80 races in go-karts on dirt and has also won on INEX legends cars on pavement. In 2015, Ryan had legends car wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Anderson Motor Speedway, and scored a mini-outlaw win at Millbridge Speedway on the dirt.
The personable teenager has also had a pole and several strong finishes to date in the Millington Motorsports No. 17 late model stock car. 2016 will find Ryan and the team concentrating on building their late model program out of their shop in Statesville, N.C.
Ryan’s promotion and coaching is handled by veteran Performance Coach Tom Baker of Team Full Throttle in Charlotte, N.C. His marketing partners include Scott Millington Motorsports and TAOTAO USA Inc.
CREDIT: Millington Motorsports
