9/13/2025
Tri-County Speedway
Stephen Priestley, CPA, PLLC 325
I realize that we speak of how good racing is every Saturday night, but the events on Saturday night September 6th were superb.
Things got off to a slow start with the Carolina Vintage Series. Only one car showed up for the event and it was Josh Weston in the #95 Mustang. He traveled from Hermitage, TN. and was allowed to run 5 laps alone to start off the nights schedule.
Racing heated up quickly in the Late Model race. Max Reaves, #18, won the pole earlier in the night with a lap time of 15.580, 92.426 mph. Caution #1 was on lap 15. This was the result of Austin Somero, #99, spinning in turn 3. Lap 20 saw caution #2 when Jonah Cullen, #97, and Don Carlton, #14, were involved in an incident in turn 4. Carlton had an engine expire on lap 59 for yellow #3. It turned into a red flag situation to clean up the fluids from Carlton’s engine. The race had an ending for the ages. Landon Huffman, #75, took the white flag as the leader. Graham Hollar, #25, dove underneath Huffman in turn 4 sending both cars up the track. Thomas Beane, #01, took advantage of the situation and drove low underneath Hollar and Huffman. Beane claimed the win. Hollar came home second and Huffman came in third. All three put on a very exciting finish.
The Limited Late Model race was third on the docket. Owen Wilson qualified p1 with a lap time of 15.983, 90.095 mph. The top 4 were inverted for the start of the race. This placed Austin Harris, #59, on the pole. All 3 cautions displayed in the race were on lap 44. The first one was for the car of Don Carlton, #14, looping in turn 2 on one side of the track while Dalton Ledbetter, #32, and Chase Pollard spinning in turn 4 on the other side of the track. It was starting to spit rain just a bit which could have contributed to the yellow but no one could know for sure. The third caution of lap 44 was when Walter Jenkins, #1J, hit the outside wall in turn 3. Harris claimed the win of the night with Zack Franks, #1, following in second. Wilson finished third, but was later disqualified in post-race tech letting Hudson Sharp claim the #3 finishing spot.
The Outlaw Division had their time on the track as race #4. Zack Franks, #81, qualified first, with a lap time of 15.627, 92.148 mph. The top 3 were inverted which placed Tyler Church, #1X, on the pole. He never let go of the lead in the caution free race and outraced Martin Nesbitt, #92, who finished second. Franks came home third.
The Renegade Division rolled off as the fifth race of the night. Klint Townsend ran the fast lap in qualifying with a lap time of 19.006, 75.765 mph. The top 5 were inverted. Billy Ramey, #34r, saw the green flag first but he lost his driveshaft on lap 8. He spread gear lubricant on the track which had to be cleaned up. This was the only caution of the night. The finish was almost as thrilling as the Late Model race. Townsend was battling with Jackson Sparks, #7, coming down to the checkered flag. Townsend got turned sideways and was pushed across the start finish line in that manner to claim the win. Sparks took second and Gary Ledbetter, #28, was third.
Race six was the Carolina Mini Stocks. Isaac Harris, #59, was fastest in qualifying with a speed of 17.756, 81.099 mph. The top 3 were inverted which allowed Brad Mickalowski, #60, to start first. The race was caution free and Harris came back to win the event. Mickalowski crossed the line second. He was followed by Jamison Whittington, #61, in third.
Race #7 was also caution free. It was the Street Stock Division. Nathan Franks, #1, raced to a speed of 17.046, 84.477 mph. The top three were subject to an invert which allowed Terrence Tucker, #42, to start first. Franks overcame the invert to claim the win. He was followed by Jeff Melton, #60, in second and Gary Ledbetter, #8, in third.
Race 8 was the Crown Vic series. Jesse Clark, #1, won the pole award with a lap time of 20.391, 70.619 mph. The top 4 were chosen to invert which placed James Powell, #5, on the pole. Three cautions slowed the race. The first one was on lap 9 when Kyle Dubeau, #12, and Austin Simmons, #7, got together in turn 2. The next yellow was on lap 12. Hunter Hatton, #4, spun in turn 2. The final caution was on lap 16 when Anthony Brown, #4R, hit the front stretch wall. Powell claimed the win in the Crown Vic race. Jacob Hickman, #22, followed in second and Shane Lisk, #13, was third.
The Front Wheel Drive Division was the last race of the night. Justin Marler won the pole with a lap time of 19.498, 73.835 mph. An invert of the top 3 allowed Jackson Triplett, #21, to start first. Mahlon Borkholder, #19, brought out the only caution when he hit the third turn wall. Marler recovered from the invert for the win. Randy Hupp, #54H, was second and Triplett rounded out the top 3.
Excitement was definitely the word to use for the racing at Tri County Speedway tonight! We hope to see all you race fans again on September 20th!
Article Credit: Debbie Setzer
Submitted By: Chris Lesondak
