Lee Faulk Racing and Development driver Austin Green delivered his third victory of the season on Saturday night in late model stock car competition at Hickory Motor Speedway.
The victory was Green’s first at Hickory, with his previous two victories coming earlier this season at South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway and Greenville Pickens Speedway.
Coming off a strong run last weekend at Hickory in the annual Bobby Isaac Memorial that saw him retire from the race while leading because of a hole in his car’s radiator, Green felt he had something to prove Saturday night.
Things didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts however as Green’s Lee Faulk Racing and Development team discovered a failed rear-end part during Friday’s practice session at Hickory, forcing the team to change rear-ends Saturday morning.
Green, the son of former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion David Green, promptly showed that he was the driver to beat at the historic three-eighths-mile oval by pacing both practice sessions Saturday afternoon.
He followed that up by qualifying third for the first of two twin 40-lap features that were scheduled for Saturday night. He was able to make his way to second in the first feature but was unable to track down race leader Thomas Beane in the run to the checkered flag.
In the second race, Green was in a league of his own, easily besting the field to earn his third victory during his rookie season in late model stock car competition.
“With the bad luck last weekend and Friday in practice I was hoping we had that all out of the way. I guess we did because we got this win,” said Green. “It feels great to win here at Hickory. Michael (Faulk) made me aware that we have won at all the race tracks I have raced at this year except Myrtle Beach and I race there in November. I am ready to go try and check that one off my list.
“I can’t thank this Lee Faulk team enough. They provide me with amazing race cars each and every time I race. Thank you to my parents, MPI Steering Wheels, Bell Helmets, and Motul. Without them, none of this would be possible.”
With three wins under Green’s belt at three different tracks, Lee Faulk Racing and Development’s Michael Faulk says the next logical step is to score a win at South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach Speedway.
“Austin has won three times this year on three very different but very difficult race tracks,” Faulk said. “All that’s left for him at this point is to pick up a win at Myrtle Beach and he’ll have won at every track he’s raced on this year. We’ve got a shot to do that in November and with Austin behind the wheel I’m confident we can get it done.”
?: Sherri Stearns
