KINSTON, NC :: Haley Moody made an inspirational drive into history on Sunday afternoon, becoming the region’s first female Late Model champion. The 19-year-old driver’s third win of the 2014 season was the one that clinched the division championship in the Limited Late Model division at Southern National Motorsports Park.
Moody, the daughter of the late Jerry Moody, entered Sunday’s tripleheader knowing she controlled her destiny. Entering the race, she had a nearly insurmountable points advantage over her main championship rival Dillon Spain. In fact, all she had to do was ride around and she would clinch the championship – but she didn’t show up to ride around, she showed up to win. After finishing sixth in the first of three races, an inversion put her on the pole and, after surviving a challenge on a restart from Rusty Daniels, she pulled away from the field en route to her third win of the season.
“The first race, we were just like, we need to race Spain and that’s who we need to race with and be careful so when, we got around him, we saved tires,” Moody said. “The invert was a six so I started on the pole and decided here’s my chance so I have to go, get away and lock the championship up.”
After scoring the victory, Moody knew that her first career championship had become a virtual certainty. The pressure was off. All she had to do was start the final race and she would win the division championship.
“I mean, it was a good feeling after winning that second race knowing that pressure was off but we still wanted to race to win in that last race but it didn’t work out,” Moody remarked. “It didn’t mess us up either. We went out to win.”
When the season started, Moody had not planned on racing for a championship. With the help of Jamey Caudill and Charlie Long, the plan was just to go out and race. She had only run a handful of Limited Late Model races prior to the 2014 season
“It’s really crazy because we didn’t start off trying to run for the points,” Moody explained. “We didn’t plan it at all. We were just trying to get through the year. We were running good, finishing consistently top five, led the points and decided we might as well go for it and that’s what we did and it paid off a lot.”
Moody had already been in contention for the championship. Then, on May 24th, she picked up her first win of the season, took possession of the points lead and survived challenges on and off the track. Moody began to appear destined for the championship during the summer months. When she collected her second win of the season on August 23rd, her championship chances appeared solidified. On Sunday afternoon, she went on to clinch her history making championship, the first championship of any kind in her racing career.
“It’s a great feeling. This is my first ever championship and my first full Limited season so I think that’s a big accomplishment for us and the team. It’s a great feeling.”
The only thing missing from the celebration was her father, Jerry Moody. Jerry passed away on November 24, 2013 – two days after watching Haley score her first career Limited Late Model victory in a sentimental stunner at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
“It would be 100 times better if my dad was here to celebrate with us. It would mean a lot to him.”
The loss of her father and her biggest friend was emotionally tough on Haley who, at the time, was 18. But, with the help of Caudill and Long, she continued racing at her hometown track. She also knows that her father is looking down on her.
“It was tough at the beginning of the season not having my dad there since he was the main supporter. It’s still tough, but with Jamey and the crew there, they helped me a lot and I just wanted to make him proud, I guess, to run my best and I know he was looking down over us every race.”
With the regular season now behind her and no longer needing to focus on a championship points battle, Moody is anxious to get back out and race for wins at various racetracks. She plans on competing in the season finale at East Carolina Motor Speedway. After that, she’ll prepare for Southern National’s recently announced ‘Halloween Spooktacular 150’ on November 1st and then she’ll turn her sights on the Southeast Limited Late Model Series race at Myrtle Beach Speedway and the Limited Late Model portion of the Thanksgiving Classic.
Throughout the season, as Moody matured, she developed superstar appeal with the Southern National faithful while writing her own story – the story of a teenage girl who added a Limited Late Model championship alongside the varsity scoring record she set playing basketball at Bethel Christian Academy. It has become success that has defined Haley Moody’s story and she plans to continue that success in the months and years ahead.
