Jamaica, VA – Benji Hicks from Mt. Airy, NC claimed the biggest win of his career, leading flag to flag and picking up the $5000 FASTRAK World Challenge presented by WhosYourDriver.org payday. Hicks would have to hold off a late charge in traffic by Tyler Bare of Rockbridge Baths, VA to go on to take the victory.
“All the glory goes to God, it means so much to our team to get a win in this special pink and black throwback scheme on the car. Mom is a two-time breast cancer survivor, and this is the last scheme dad ran in 2015,” commented Hicks in WhosYourDriver.org victory lane.
Brett Hamm, Logan Roberson, Benji Hicks and Matt Long picked up heat race wins. Corey Almond would pick up the B-Main win. Brett Umerger would set overall fast time in qualifying with a lap of 19.061 seconds.
Brett Hamm and Benji Hicks would lead the 30-car field to green with Hicks rocketing to the lead with an aggressive outside pass out of turn 2. Once out front, Hicks began to put distance between himself and the battle for second. It didn’t take long before the four and five wide action picked up throughout the field. The events first of eight yellow flags would come out on lap 9 when Derrick Shaw and Ryan Adams got together on the front stretch ending Shaw’s night with front end damage.
Hick’s would hold off charges throughout the race by Hamm, Tyler Bare, Logan Roberson and Matt Long all snapping at the back of his Longhorn chassis. After a lap 11 caution Hamm would jump the cushion in turn 2, on the restart, allowing Bare to get inside for second. Hamm would retake the position on the next circuit. Hicks and Hamm both would have a close call when Tony Frazier spun in front of the leaders trying to stay on the lead lap.
Once back under green it didn’t take long for Hicks, Hamm, Bare, Logan Roberson and Matt Long to get into lapped traffic. Bare would get by Hamm for second and would set out to catch Hicks. By lap 28 Bare was on Hicks bumper as they worked traffic. Just as Bare got under Hicks to challenge for the lead caution fell for the final time with a car coming to a stop in turn 4.
On the final restart Bare tried to get under Hicks in turn 1 only to have Hicks power off turn 2 to keep his lead. Hicks would go on to grab the $5000 victory with Bare, Hamm, Roberson and Long rounding out the top five. The win was Hicks third 2018 win on the FASTRAK Racing Series powered by Chevrolet Performance tour, 6th overall FASTRAK touring win and the biggest win in his pro late Model career to date. The special moment before post-race victory interviews was the whole crew kneeling down on the driver side of the cockpit #21 and Tony Hicks car owner, crew chief and most of all Father to Benji Hicks Racing leading them in a word of inspiration and prayer, you could hear them proudly testify before the post-race formalities’, “Glory goes to God, Amen”.
The speedway host the $20,000 to win FASTRAK World Championship presented by James River Equipment tonight, October 6, 2018. Spectator gates open at 4pm with on track action beginning at 5:30pm with practice.
Admission for Saturday’s FASTRAK World Championship are adults $35, senior and military $25, students (11-17) $15 and children 10 and under free. Bring your Friday night ticket stub and receive $5 off your Saturday general admission ticket. Discount is not good for pit passes.
Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway is a ½ mile dirt oval track is located on U.S. Route 17, eight miles north of Saluda, VA and 25 miles south of Tappahannock, VA in Jamaica, VA. The speedway is just a short drive from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Southern Maryland and the Hampton Roads area.
