BRISTOL, Tenn. — T.J. Herndon and Ricky Ingalls scored big victories on Friday night’s undercard during the Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Herndon of Atwood, Tenn., swept the week in street stock, winning all four of his feature races, including last night’s 30-lapper.
Herndon held off Morristown, Tennessee-native Austin Adkins, who finished second, and Georgia racer Andy Stewart, who rebounded from a crash last night and overcame a back of the field starting spot to score a third-place finish. Dale Nelson finished fourth and Mario Gresham was fifth.
Megan Erwin, who made history Wednesday night by becoming the first female to win a race at BMS, finished sixth.
Herndon led all 30 laps to take the $5,000 winner’s prize.
“I’ve got an incredible team,” Herndon said. “Couldn’t ask to be no better. I don’t know what else to say. My car was phenomenal, we didn’t make a change from the time we unloaded it out of the trailer to tonight.”
Herndon said winning at Bristol, where so much racing history has been made, is the biggest of his career.
“I’ve had some good ones but this one pretty much tops it, especially with the weekend we’ve had,” Herndon said. “My crew works their hearts out. I couldn’t do it without them. My goal this weekend was to make it on top of that building (BMS Victory Lane) one time so I’m just speechless.”
Herndon won four Dirt Nationals trophies for the week, but tonight’s victory earned him a signature BMS gladiator sword, which he says he will proudly display at his home.
“It’s fixing to go on my mantle,” Herndon said with a smile. “Sometimes I put my trophies in the living room just to irritate my wife, so the sword is going to go up there when I get home.”
Ingalls, from Longview, Texas, scored an emotional factory stock victory, holding off fellow Texans Phil Dixon and Brandon Williams at the checkered flag.
“It’s the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever done in racing,” Ingalls said. “This is the greatest place I’ve ever been, when you roll down that hill inside this track you are in awe. I love it. I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to do this.”