HICKORY, N.C. – Taylor Gray made the most of a late-race restart to earn his first CARS Late Model Stock Tour triumph Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Gray, the younger brother of reigning NHRA Pro Stock champion Tanner Gray, had the dominant car for much of the 150-lap contest, but was forced to battle back after losing the race lead during a late-race restart.
Driving the No. 17 late model stock for DGR-Crosley, the younger Gray took the lead from polesitter Bradley McCaskill during a lap-42 restart. Despite multiple caution flags and restarts, Gray managed to hold the lead for the next 60 laps.
A restart on the 103rd circuit opened the door for JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry, who briefly got by Gray. Unfazed, Gray quickly battled back and after a few laps of racing side-by-side Gray resumed his position at the front of the field.
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Berry soon fell into the clutches of Tommy Lemons Jr., who dispatched Berry to take over second on lap 123. On lap 127 the caution flag waved for a spin involving Jonathan Findley, which allowed Lemons to close the gap on Gray.
The first attempt at a restart ended in disaster as several cars at the back of the field got together, leading to a big pileup on the frontstretch. The second attempt was considerably cleaner and Lemons managed to get the jump on Gray, clearing him to take the lead.
Lemons appeared to be inching away from Gray until the caution flag waved again on lap 135 for a spin by Findley. On the ensuing restart Gray got a run on the outside of Lemons to regain the lead, a position he would hold for the remainder of the distance.
“I didn’t get into gear all the way, I kind of hit the chip a little bit and he got a little out there,” Gray said about the final restart. “I just had a great run on the outside. I really didn’t think I was going to get him on the outside, but I did.
“It’s awesome to win in my second CARS Tour race out here. It’s a great feeling.”
Lemons said he was having problems getting his car to go from third to fourth gear, which left him vulnerable on restarts.
“I probably should have restarted on the outside,” Lemons lamented. “I had third gear, but every time I would shift into fourth it would pop out of gear for some reason. I was restarting in fourth gear and I should have rolled the top on that restart. Just didn’t do it. Thought about it, second guessed myself and I finished second because of it.”
Brody Pope, who has less than five late model stock car races on his resume, finished third driving for Lee Faulk Racing and Development. Berry ended up fourth ahead of defending series champion Bobby McCarty in fifth.
The finish:
Taylor Gray, Tommy Lemons Jr., Brody Pope, Josh Berry, Bobby McCarty, Bradley McCaskill, Deac McCaskill, Zack St. Onge, Austin McDaniel, Stacy Puryear, Jonathan Findley, Mini Tyrell, Tanner Gray, Trevor Ward, Brandon Pierce, Ryan Millington, Jacob Heafner, Tyler Matthews, Adam Lemke, Camden Gullie, Leland Honeyman, Justin Carroll, Vince Midas, Layne Riggs, Dylon Wilson, Ronald Hill, Ty Gibbs, Craig Moore, Cameron Bowen.