TIMMONSVILLE, S.C. – Matt Cox emerged as the big winner during the opening day of NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series action at Florence Motor Speedway Saturday afternoon.
Cox started from the pole and led early in the 75-lap late model stock car feature that headlined the day of racing, but he found himself battling two-time Hickory Motor Speedway late model stock car champion Ryan Millington throughout the race.
Millington was able to take the race lead from Cox following a restart on lap 25, but Cox never let Millington too far out of his sights.
After getting alongside Millington several times and failing to complete the pass for the lead, Cox finally made the move stick with 12 laps left after the two made contact multiple times as they battled side-by-side.
Cox would lead the remainder of the race, eventually beating Ryan Glenski by .820 seconds to take the win on opening day at Florence Motor Speedway.
“Ryan, he’s one of the the best there is late model stocks right now. He’s a threat everywhere he goes,” Cox said of Millington. “I thought we had a little better car there and he took our line away at the top. I just didn’t have no grip down on the bottom. Made a couple runs on him there and just had to do what we had to do to win the thing.”
Millington faded to third at the checkered flag, followed by Janson Marchbanks and Jamie Weatherford.
Other winners on the opening day included Lucas Williams (super trucks), Davey Hatchell (chargers) and Kevin Jackson (mini stocks).
Saturday’s race was broadcast live by SPEED SPORT TV affiliate Florence Motor Speedway TV.
The finish:
Matt Cox, Ryan Glenski, Ryan Millington, Janson Marchbanks, Jamie Weatherford, Austin Somero, Averitt Lucas, Chris Throckmorton, Casey Kelley, R.A. Brown, Jeremy McDowell, Bob Saville, Anthony Adams, Bobby Morris, Jeff Melton, Zack Miracle, Neil Meredith, David Roberts.