Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]
Photos by: Lori Hopper ~ www.mytrackphotos.com

Hickory, NC(April 10, 2011) — The second Saturday night at the track for most of the local divisions of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Hickory Motor Speedway turned into a Sunday evening affair after rain forced the race to be postponed.

On Sunday, the winds brought about new weather conditions as it was a Sunny beautiful and perfect day at “America’s Most Famous Short Track”. The Late Model Stock Cars rolled off for their 50-lap feature as fifteen of the best Late Model Stock Cars that Hickory Motor Speedway had to offer lined-up and readied for battle on the 3/8 mile track.

In qualifying, Kyle Moon picked up the pole award, his first of the season and the young driver was poised to pick up his first win after finishing second in the season opening race. In the season opener, he was driving a car prepared by Jamie Yelton’s Fat Head Racing team, one of the most successful Driver Development programs in Late Model Stock Car racing. Driving for FHR looked to be one way for the young driver to get the monkey off his back as he had went winless thus far in his Late Model Stock Car career dating back to 2007.

He wasn’t able to put the FHR car in victory lane, but he was able to gain a little confidence, something he had been lacking after he had mechanical failure after mechanical failure last season while possibly having the best car in the field. This week, Moon was back behind the wheel of his family owned, LTO chassis and he was ready to take on a strong field of cars at the “Birthplace of NASCAR Stars”.

Qualifying on the pole was a strong statement, but his run at the front of the field didn’t last long as on lap three, Grant Wimbish, one of the winners of the twin races on opening night jumped out to the early lead. Wimbish looked to be strong, but Moon kept his car in full view for Wimbish, not giving him an inch to get away and thirty-three laps later, Moon put his mount back out front.

In the races final 14-laps, Moon flexed his muscle and pulled out to a strong lead as he broke his winless streak and came home with his first career Late Model Stock Car victory. Wimbish brought home a second place finish and another “feel good” story was third place finisher, Sammy Jasper, who was making his first career Late Model Stock Car start at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Jasper, who raced a handful of races in Limiteds last year at Hickory and Tri-County Motor Speedway for Fat Head Racing, was making his first start in the Marlowe Racing Chassis Driver Development Program. Jasper had steaily improved last season and even came home with a top five finish at Myrtle Beach Speedway last November in the SouthEast Limited Late Model Series finale. This season he comes out of the gate with a strong finish in third with the guidance of Late Model Stock Car legend, Dexter Canipe, Sr. Nick Waycaster and Austin McDaniel rounded out the top five in the 50-lap race.

Late Model Results:
1 #19 Kyle Moon
2 #57 Grant Wimbish
3 #28 Sammy Jasper
4 #2 Nick Waycaster
5 #12 Austin McDaniel
6 #43 Jesse LeFevers
7 #5 Dexter Canipe Jr.
8 #88 Josh Wright
9 #3 Tayla Orleans
10 #2 Jorge Arteaga
11 #77 Jeremy Sorel
12 #26 Nelson Canache
13 #15 Shawn Sharkey
14 #1 Jessica Brunnelli
15 #94 Brad Cox