CONCORD, N.C. — The first 18 Crate Racin’ USA Fox Factory Pro Late Models have clinched a position in Saturday’s World Short Track Championship Feature through six Heats of racing action.
Heat 1
John Ruggerio led the field to the green flag and outdrove John Steele into the first turn on the first lap. The 2020 World Short Track Championship winner claimed the Heat win as he made the distance between himself and the field.
The battle for the other two transfer spots spread as Steele, from Clover, SC, lost momentum and opened the door for Ethan Wilson and Hunter Kohn to battle him for a spot in Saturday’s Feature.
Wilson, of Fayetteville, NC, finished second as Kohn, of Mooresville, NC, took third place and the final transfer of the Heat.
Heat 2
Clay Hill, FL native Bubba Roling led the field to the green flag with Centerville, PA driver Max Blair to his outside.
Entering Turn 1, Roling and Blair made significant contact through the turn that resulted in Blair’s left rear tire going flat and ending his Heat race early.
Roling – who was clear in the lead with no issues – drove on to win the Heat race. Brooks, GA driver Matt Dooley finished second, and Mooresboro, NC driver Blake Pryor took third place.
Heat 3
Austin Yarbrough had to earn the Heat 3 win with experienced Charlotte winners on his tail.
Last year’s Invitational winner Dillon Brown had to move his way around traffic to chase the Little River, SC driver. Beckham Malone, the 2023 602 Late Models winner, had to battle Thursday’s podium finisher Brock Pinkerous for the final transfer position.
Yarbrough held on for the Heat win, with Brown, a native of Gaffney, SC, finished second. Malone, of Rock Hill, SC, got the third-place result.
Heat 4
A lights-out performance from Gaffney, SC native Layton Sullivan added confidence for Saturday’s Feature with a Heat 4 race victory.
York, SC driver Jeremy Steele had to battle his way into the transfer by moving to third on the fourth lap, then gained one final position to finish in second.
Benji Hicks, of Mount Airy, NC, had to claw his way into contention with four laps remaining by taking two positions in one lap to score the last transfer position.
Heat 5
Defending Pro Late Model champion Trent Ivey put on a clinic in the fifth Heat race of the program, leading all eight laps of the Heat with no issues.
Behind Ivey, Lenoir City, TN driver Matt Henderson and Mill Spring, NC driver John Price battled in the podium positions to better their starting positions for the Feature.
Henderson got the best of Price to take second place while Price took third place to lock a spot into Saturday’s Championship.
Heat 6
Colby Quick picked up the final Heat race win of the Pro Late Models to give himself an opportunity for a big night on Saturday.
While “The Quick Kid” quickly pulled out to a one-second lead over the field of cars, Tyrone, GA driver Jody Knowles and Georgetown, DE driver Joey Warren were left to chase each other within the top three.
The Salisbury, NC driver of Quick crossed the checkered flag first, with Knowles and Warren finishing second and third respectively to close the book on Heat racing from The Dirt Track at Charlotte.