HICKORY, N.C. — Drivers and fans at Hickory Motor Speedway had to wait an additional 24 hours to see who would take home a combined total of $80,000 in race winnings for the zMAX CARS Tour’s prestigious Throwback Classic.
Inclement weather halted the on-track action Saturday evening after 44 laps were completed in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour feature.
Initially set for resumption at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon, rain returned shortly before the green flag, pushing the conclusion of the Throwback Classic into the evening.
Mini Tyrrell emerged victorious in a hectic Late Model Stock race to claim $50,000, all while Spencer Davis edged Luke Baldwin in a photo finish for $30,000 in the Pro Late Model division.
For Mini Tyrrell, competing at Anderson Motor Speedway and Florence Motor Speedway was contingent on how the Throwback Classic at Hickory Motor Speedway unfolded.
Good fortune was on Tyrrell’s side once the CARS LMSC Tour feature commenced late Sunday evening. After a late restart crash eliminated other top contenders, all Tyrrell needed was to fend off fellow Late Model Stock veteran Jared Fryar for the biggest victory of his career.
Tyrrell did just that, who was thrilled and relieved to celebrate such a marquee accomplishment with his team.
“This is everything to me,” Tyrrell said. “We’ve had so much speed, but this shows how much [crew chief] Brandon Butler and all the guys at the shop are working their tails off. I’m thrilled to death and I’m so speechless. I’m not going to roll off of this high for a long time.”
Although Tyrrell does not turn 21 until next month, he is very much a veteran of the LMSC Tour with 83 starts dating back to South Boston Speedway in 2018.
Many of Tyrrell’s crew members have been with him since he first started racing nearly a decade ago. That chemistry has been essential towards Tyrrell’s program becoming one of the more consistent in the LMSC Tour, all of which gave him plenty of confidence as he prepared to chase a $50,000 paycheck.
Tyrrell’s car proved to be one of the quickest in the 29-car field, but he tailed leader Tristan McKee for most of the evening while trying to gain track position.
With 10 laps remaining, contact between McKee and Landen Lewis triggered a huge crash on the frontstretch, knocking both out and allowing Tyrrell to inherit the lead.
Constant pressure from Jared Fryar over two ensuing restarts kept Tyrrell vigilant, but he showcased veteran poise and managed to maintain the lead. As each lap clicked off, the idea of bagging $50,000 gradually set in for Tyrell, who thought about everything he and his team had gone through to reach this point.
“I never thought I’d be standing here [in Cook Out Victory Lane],” Tyrrell said. “I’m incredibly blessed. I’ve worked so hard in trying to be a better person and with trying to be a better race car driver. I’ve surrounded myself with the right people and all I’ve been doing is be like a sponge to every piece of information I can get. I feel like I’m dreaming. It’s pretty surreal.”
The sting of narrowly missing out on a CARS PLM Tour championship by 10 points in 2024 was one of many things on Spencer Davis’ mind when he pulled into Hickory Motor Speedway for the Throwback Classic.
Davis showcased the efficiency that put him in championship contention by dominating the second half of the PLM Tour feature, but he faced a challenge from Luke Baldwin as the laps dwindled. The two exchanged contact several times in the waning moments, culminating in a finish that came down to the final corner.
A bump and run by Davis on Baldwin was enough to prevail by only a few inches, a moment that further reinforced the cohesion Davis possesses not only with Ben Kennedy Racing, but also veteran crew chiefs Tony Eury Sr. and Jr.
“This means so much after sitting here for a couple of days,” Davis said. “I’ve been through the whole reins all the way up to [the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series]. We’ve rejuvenated [Ben Kennedy Racing’s] program and this is win number five for them. These guys have so much faith in me. It just clicks and allows me to do what I can do.”
Davis needed to play defense to fend off Baldwin’s valiant charge but had no regrets towards his race-winning maneuver despite Baldwin’s frustration. He said both cars avoiding major damage and being able to cross the start-finish line straight is a desirable outcome with $30,000 on the line.
“You got to do what you got to do,” Davis said. “I probably ruffled [Baldwin’s] feathers, but I watched him try to do the same thing to Paul Hartwig Jr. in the SMART Modified Tour race. Luke’s a well-respected racer and I would hope if the shoe was on the other foot and I was catching him, he would take those gloves off and throw all he can at me.”
The finish:
Mini Tyrrell, Jared Fryar, Conner Jones, Landon Huffman, Doug Barnes Jr., Kade Brown, Caden Kvapil, Lanie Buice, Deac McCaskill, Graham Hollar, Chase Burrow, Landon S. Huffman, Ronnie Bassett Jr., Connor Hall, Donovan Strauss, Michael Bumgarner, Brody Monahan, Sam Butler, Mason Diaz, Landen Lewis, Trevor Ward, Tristan McKee, Kaden Honeycutt, Carson Loftin, Chad McCumbee, Treyton Lapcevich, Layne Riggs, Jake Bollman, Jordan McGregor, Mason Bailey.
