McCune led the first 23 laps before Gerster used a huge dive entering turn three to move inside for the lead, edging him out for the top spot on lap 24 before clearing him completely to assume command moments before the crossed flags were displayed for halfway.
But it was only two more rotations before McCune used a similar move to reclaim the point for good, diving to Gerster’s inside in turns one and two on lap 27 as Gerster was held up by slower traffic to take command back and drive away from there.
McCune ultimately drove off to a three-second margin when the twin checkered flags were displayed, while Gerster was left to settle for second one more time.
“It was a good race,” Gerster said. “We had something go wrong with our motor, though, because I was probably only running on six cylinders for most of the feature. I was really surprised I could hang with him on the restart, but once I got a crack at him I figured I’d bury it down into the corner and see what happened.”
“We got the lead, but I knew if I didn’t get up off the corners real well he’d be right back there and drag-race me. He put the big dive-bomb on me there and I just didn’t have an answer for it. We were lucky to finish; we’ll take this and come back next year to take another crack at it.”
Aaron Pierce completed the podium finishers in third, using a huge outside-inside crossover to pass Johnny Petrozelle for the position after Petrozelle was forced three-wide by a lapped car while looking to take second from Gerster late in the race.
Once Pierce cleared Petrozelle for third with 13 laps to go, the Denton, N.C. native didn’t have the steam to get back by, but his fourth-place finish was more than enough to clinch the Must See Racing South division championship.
Steve Surniak completed the top five, followed by Bronzie Lawson, who came home sixth and outdueled Adam Biltz for Rookie of the Year honors in the final outing of the season.
The 2018 Must See Racing Sprint Car Series season kicks off April 20 at South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway.
RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; MSR Championships; Hickory Motor Speedway; Nov. 18, 2017
1-800-RADIATOR A-Feature (50 laps): 1. #88 – Jimmy McCune [1]; 2. #50m – Brian Gerster [3]; 3. #26 – Aaron Pierce [5]; 4. #59 – Johnny Petrozelle [2]; 5. #1st – Steve Surniak [4]; 6. #4B – Bronzie Lawson IV [12]; 7. #9s – Charlie Schultz [7]; 8. #8A – Adam Biltz [9]; 9. #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker [8]; 10. #33 – Joe Larkin [10]; 11. #12 – Glenn Worrell [11]; 12. #88VA – Bobby Rice [13]; 13. #17s – Jeremiah Simonis [14]; 14. #8 – Anthony McCune [6].
Lead Changes: Two between two drivers.
Lap Leader(s): J. McCune 1-23; Gerster 24-26; J. McCune 27-50.
Laps Led: J. McCune (47); Gerster (3).
Hard Charger: #4B – Bronzie Lawson IV (+6)
CREDIT: Must See Racing
