NASHVILLE — The property at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway was jam packed with race cars on Friday for the first of three nights for the 40th Curb Records / Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers All American 400 weekend.
Taking center stage were the quarter-mile divisions for Championship night.
First on track was the first of two CP RaceWear Bandolero feature events. Normally, the track runs just one feature but a second was added due to the large car count. In the A feature, James Faulkner took over the lead on lap five from Colt Johnson. Faulkner would lead the rest of the way to claim the feature win over Johnson, Landon Thrasher, Gavon Veach, and Chloe Mazzagatti. Thrasher claimed the 2024 track championship.
In the second Bando feature, Blake Michael, of Evansville, WI took the lead from the green flag to lead wire-to-wire and take the feature event. Collin Dickey, Michael Mazzagatti, Grant Hooker, and Steven Scalzo completed the top five.
The third feature of the night was the Pest Doctor Front Runner 20-lap event. Daniel Harper took the top spot at the start with Josh Harrell in tow. Harrell raced by him for the lead on lap seven and would cross the checkered with a convincing win. Unfortunately for Harrell, the win was disallowed due to a tread rule violation, thus giving the victory to Daniel Harper. Ray Gann, Tony Gann, Paul Cummings, Sr., and Connor Jones completed the top five. Ray Gann claimed the track championship.
In the 20-lap US Air Force Legends Pro / Masters divisions, 20 drivers took the green in the 20-lap feature. The action up front was stellar, with multiple leaders and lead changes. Oliver Cordell, Dylan Fetcho, and Jenson Jorgenson all spent time up front with each driver dicing it up. Eventually, Jorgenson took advantage of the final pass for the lead on lap 18 and raced to victory in a star-studded Legend field. Fetcho took second, while Cordell was third, Casey Atwood fourth, and Hunter Wright was fifth.
The Pure Stock feature did not disappoint, if you like rough and tumble action with plenty of trading paint. Mixing it up were Phillip McCord, John Bradley, Terry Jackson, and Jerry Hendrixson, Jr. As one driver would take the lead, the guy in second would use the chrome horn to move him right back out of the spot. Eventually, Hendrixson solidified the lead with four to go and claimed the checkered flag. Bradley, McCord, Clinton Ivey, and Terry Jackson finished off the top five. Bradley claimed the point title in a close battle to the end.
US Air Force Semi Pro Legend point leader and division favorite, Michael Crafton, took the lead from the green in the 20-lap feature event. While there was plenty of action behind him, Crafton ran flawlessly at the front of the field to claim yet another feature win and the track championship. Garrett Dies, Dylan Faulkner, Chase Johnson, and Levei Hargraves completed the top five.
With the large field of Legend cars, the Young Lion class got the opportunity to run by themselves. Class point leader, Max Olmsted, II took the lead from the start to go onto the victory as well as the point championship. Ayden Oliver, Landon Cordell, T.J. Moon, and Van Drugmand finished off the top five.
Rounding out the night’s action was the always exciting Paschall Heating & Air Limited Late Model division. Division point leader, Johnathan Dishman took the lead from the start with Jeff Belt and Peyton Hamlett in tow. Unfortunately for Belt and Hamlett, contact took place entering turn one, which ended with both having to restart from the tail. Back to green, the two started racing through the field quickly, trying to rally as Dishman and Hamlett took only four laps to race back into the top five. While the first half of the race was solid and competitive, it got a little rough in the mid-stage.
After a late race restart, Hamlett got in a groove, despite hood damage that hindered his view, and was able to pass and pull away from Dishman. Hamlett went on to the victory, while Dishman claimed the championship.
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