All Hail the "New King" Mercer Wins Again

Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Hickory, NC(April 19, 2009) ~ Jesse LeFevers and Ashley Huffman thought that they would settle the Late Model Stock Car race among themselves on Saturday night at Hickory, but a low tire late in the race for Andy Mercer gave him the advantage.

Mercer, LeFevers and Huffman are the class of the field at Hickory Motor Speedway this season, but on Saturday night Mercer was the one who turned bad luck into gold as he won his second race in a row. Late in the race Mercer began to slip from the lead duo of LeFevers and Huffman, soon he figured out he had a tire going down and after becoming the latest caution it was time for the “New King” to pull on to pit road and get some fresh rubber.

Mercer came down pit road got the tire changed and headed back out, he restarted toward the back of the field, but it didn’t take him long to make his way up to the front two and pass them on his way to another victory. The victory however didn’t come without a little controversy as while Mercer was taking his victory lap, LeFevers pulled into victory lane as a way of protesting Mercer’s win, but order was restored and Mercer celebrated in victory lane.

Meanwhile LeFevers and Huffman, who both thought they had a chance to win the race was upset over the nights activities as they believed that Mercer pit stop had run afoul of the rules. According to many sources we’ve talked with the rule is if you intentionally bring out the caution to change a tire, you must serve a one-lap penalty, but Mercer did not have to.