CONCORD, N.C. — Austin Holcombe has made World Short Track Championship history in the Hoosier Racing Tire Mid-East Crate Modified division with his third win in the last four years Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Holcombe, 29, of Elm City, NC, tied fellow North Carolinian Jeff Parsons for the most wins in the division at the World Short Track Championship. Parsons took the checkered flag in the Crate Modified main event in 2017, 2019 and 2020, and Holcombe has now tied him with wins in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
“This Crate car — it sits here all year; we run a few races a year with this Crate car and it’s just always good to us,” Holcombe said. “It’s nice to come to Charlotte and it’s nice to win.”
Similar to his previous wins, Holcombe grabbed the lead early and led the entire distance, unchallenged by his competitors, and Saturday night was another installment of his dominance.
From the pole, Holcombe secured the lead on the opening lap and crossed the finish line 1.2 seconds over runner-up Stephen Pedulla.
“It’s all about Qualifying good; you’ve got to start up front, and you need a lot of luck,” Holcombe said. “It worked out for us. We drew the [#1 redraw pill], and anytime you can start out front against any of these guys and you haven’t got to try and pass the cars, it’s just a win in the books right there.”
Pedulla, of Kannapolis, NC, recorded his best career finish in the main event with a runner-up, while 2018 Crate Modified main event winner Jesse Rockett drove from eighth on the starting grid up to finish third.
The finish:
Feature (15 Laps): 1. 8A-Austin Holcombe[1]; 2. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[4]; 3. 7-Jesse Rockett[8]; 4. 14-Jeff Robinson[6]; 5. 32K-Garrett Killman[3]; 6. 6-Ryan Ayers[11]; 7. 5-Ethan Wilson[5]; 8. 2K2-Taylor Kuehl[21]; 9. 44P-Jeff Parsons[12]; 10. 1-Grayson Keaton[10]; 11. 15-Morgan Widener[17]; 12. 45-Cambridge Gann[7]; 13. 92-Tyler Love[25]; 14. 04-Cole Wagoner[16]; 15. 7G-Gary Jarrett[14]; 16. 29-Brandon Bentley[19]; 17. 16W-Dustin Watkins[24]; 18. 03-Oliver Gentry[20]; 19. 73-Chris Nickerson[22]; 20. 88-Jay Seward[9]; 21. 50-Ronnie Covey[26]; 22. 71K-Dennis Kirk[28]; 23. 05-Travis Covey[27]; 24. 2J-Jake Barneycastle[15]; 25. 50B-Justin Blevins[23]; 26. 121-Chase Cardwell[13]; 27. 21A-Adam Favors[2]; 28. 25-Robert Poole[18]