East Alabama Motor Speedway Groundhog Classic Goes to Cory Hedgecock

Phenix City,AL -  Cory Hedgecock used a power move around the top side of the East Alabama Motor Speedway from his 7th starting position to pick up the 3rd Annual Groundhog Classic at the Phenix City, AL oval. Hedgecock piloted his #23 Eagle Racing Engines/Cushman sponsored Rocket Race Car to Victory Lane taking the $2,500 payday back to his hometown of Loudon, TN. Hedgecock's win was the first for the 2017 season with the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series during the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series. Hedgecock is the defending NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series National Champion and plans to return and defend his title in 2017.

2016 RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Champion Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL brought home his Edge's Gas Company sponsored machine in the second position in his first event of the 2017 season. 16-year old Ashton Winger finished a strong 3rd after sitting on the outside front row. "Big Sky" Montana Dudley was 4th at the end and Talbott, TN Forrest Trent went under the Sunoco Race Fuels checkered flag to round out the top 5.

Preliminary action got underway with Chevrolet Performance Pole Qualifying which would lock the top 6 overall qualifiers into the 50-lap Groundhog Classic Feature event. 14-year old Sunoco Race Fuels Young Gun, and current 2nd place in RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series points, Colton Horner would put his #56jr Houston Specialty Products/Modern Motorsports on the pole for the feature with a 16.057 second lap making for a front row of Young Gun racers to lead the field to green flag.

Action was slowed for 8 caution periods for mostly minor incidents. Lap 2 was the first caution period for the #5 of Rodgerick Dykes when his car received damage from contact and was unable to continue. Lap 10 and 13 were for single car spins. The field was slowed twice on lap 22 for the 66K of Dylan Knowles who spun off the back straigtaway, and then for the 5 of Ronnie Johnson who spun after contact with the 56jr. Ryan Law spun his machine off the top of turn 3 and 4 on lap 25. Lain Hawk went for a spin in the bottom of turn 2 on lap 32. The caution lights were lit for the final time on lap 34 when Trey Wood's #19 came to a stop at the top of turn 1 with mechanical woes.

The NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series takes a short break before returning to action with rounds 6 and 7 of the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series. The series heads to Chris Martin's Cochran Motor Speedway for a HUGE double header weekend on Friday and Saturday March 10th and 11th. Friday March 10th will pay $2,000 to win, and Saturday March 11th will feature a $5,000 to win, 60 lap main event. For more information about Cochran Motor Speedway visit their official website at www.cochranspeedway.com.  

For more information about the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series, please visit the official website at www.nesmithracing.com.

You can also follow NeSmith Racing on all of your favorite social media outlets as well:
Facebook - NeSmith Racing
Twitter - @NeSmithRacing
Instagram - nesmithracing

Entries: 22
Fast Qualifier: Colton Horner - 16.057
Provisionals: None
Lead Changes: 2
Lap Leaders: Winger - 1-5, Hedgecock - 6-50
Cautions: 8
Margin of Victory: 0.876 seconds
Time of Race: 39 minutes, 33 seconds
NEXT RACE:  March 10th and 11th - Cochran Motor Speedway - $2,000 to win March 10th and $5,000 to win March 11th

Qualifying Results

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the Official Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
Chevrolet Performance is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire of the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series.
Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the Series.
Cruise with the Champions is the Official Vacation and Rookie of the Year Sponsor for the Series.
RockAuto.com is an Associate Sponsor of the Series and Official Sponsor of the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series.
David Smith Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of NeSmith Racing.

Contingency Sponsors Include: Crate Insider.com, AR Bodies, FreeStyle Graphix, and Knowles Racing Parts and Bodies.

2017 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.