COPPER HILL, VA :: The 2014 season had its fair share of memorable moments and plenty of those moments made us all feel good. Here’s a look back at the best moments of the season in Limited Late Model racing.
10. Justin Hoyle Races in Memory of Jason
Justin Hoyle and his brother, Jason, were close growing up. They both worked for Mike Robertson’s race team. They both loved racing. However, they would be separated when Jason died from a rare form of cancer in 2009. Justin honored Jason and his memory at the Mischa Sell Memorial at Ace Speedway in October, unveiling a special wrap with Jason’s image in the car number. He finished 10th in the race.
9. Two of a Kind
One thing the Ward brothers, Dylan and Trevor, have in common is driving talent. Dylan won five races in 2014 at Ace Speedway while his younger brother, Trevor, won two. But it was victories on September 5th that were special for both brothers. Trevor scored his second win of the year in the first of two Limited Late Model races. Later that evening, Dylan would pick up a victory as well.
8. Bethany Stovall Bumgarner Returns to Ace
Ace Speedway competitor Bethany Stovall Bumgarner spent a year out of the car after having a baby. She made her return to Ace in the Mischa Sell Memorial. During her absence, she knew she would return to racing and it was only a matter of when. She got the most out of her return as well, finishing 12th in the race.
7. Daryn Cockram Finally a Motor Mile Winner
Daryn Cockram finally scored his first win at Motor Mile Speedway on May 31st, a victory that was long awaited for the Floyd, Virginia driver. Cockram had a fast car all race but ended up finishing second to Preston McGhee – until McGhee was disqualified in postrace technical inspection handing the win to Cockram. Cockram would score two more victories in 2014 – both at Franklin County Speedway.
6. Taylor Stricklin Continues Family Legacy
Taylor Stricklin carried on the family tradition of winning races and championships. His father, Hut, won the NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series Championship in 1987. Taylor continued that legacy with a championship of his own. He only scored two victories at Hickory Motor Speedway but he finished inside the top-five in 17 races out of the 21 races in the 2014 season. That rock solid consistency allowed Stricklin to win the Limited Late Model championship at Hickory.
5. It Takes Two
The Lancaster family has something figured out at Motor Mile Speedway. Derrick Lancaster is a two time Limited Sportsman Champion at Virginia’s Motor Mile Speedway. Now, his younger brother, Scott, can also lay claim to being a Limited Sportsman champion at Motor Mile Speedway. Lancaster won three races at Motor Mile Speedway in 2014 and easily won the division championship – his first.
4. Double Take
The race for the Limited Sportsman championship at South Boston Speedway came down to the last race of the year and a thrilling battle between Danny Willis, Jr. and JD Eversole. It seemed as if neither driver wanted to win the championship in that race as both drivers were involved in incidents. When the race ended, the championship finished in a tie with both drivers being tied in victories as well. Willis won the championship by virtue of having more second place finishes than Eversole. It doesn’t get much closer than that.
3. Haley Makes History
The offseason was tough for 19-year-old driver Haley Moody with the loss of her father, Jerry Moody. When the regular season began at Southern National Motorsports Park, Haley stepped up to the Limited Late Model division with the help of Jamey Caudill. She was hoping just to score top-five finishes and contend for wins in her rookie season. By the end of the season, Moody collected three victories, was a contender for the win almost every week and scored the division championship at Southern National Motorsports Park. To our knowledge, Moody became the first woman to win a Late Model championship in the region with her pennant at Southern National.
2. Travis Byrd Honors Jake Ziegler With a Victory
When the season started, Travis Byrd announced that he would be racing in honor of Jake “Ziggy” Ziegler. Ziegler worked with Byrd’s team while also racing for a while before dying in a car accident. Byrd’s sponsors all contributed to a scholarship fund set up in Ziggy’s name and Byrd’s car sported a decal honoring him. In the first race of the season at Hickory Motor Speedway, Byrd made the most of it by scoring an emotional victory.
1. Family Affair
The father and son race team of Tony and Andrew Grady had a lot on their minds entering the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic. In October, Tony’s father, AT, passed away. Earlier in November, Tony Grady had survived (and was fortunately uninjured) in a spectacular crash in the Halloween Spooktacular at Southern National Motorsports Park. And, a few days later, Tony’s wife and Andrew’s mother, Pam, had been hospitalized with a kidney infection. Pam was released from the hospital before Thanksgiving and was able to spend it Tony, Andrew, Andrew’s sister (Crystal) and Andrew’s three-year-old son Allen.
Tony and Andrew spent their Thanksgiving at the racetrack in the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic. Tony put on a dominant performance in the race, qualifying on the pole and leading most of the race to score the victory. Andrew went on to finish the race in the second position, turning the Thanksgiving Classic into a family affair and a healing moment for a family that deserved it. After all, family is what Thanksgiving is all about.
