Josh Berry Doubles up on Cosmo Motors Season Opening Night - Sweeps Twin 40s on Opening Night

(Hickory, NC – March 19, 2018)  Engines roared back to life on Saturday at Hickory Motor Speedway for the Cosmo Motors Season Opener. Fans were treated to a nice field of cars, a full slate of racing action and a beautiful night for racing

Leading off would be the first of two 40 lap features on the night for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models. 2017 Hickory Motor Speedway champion, Ryan Millington, in the #17 would set the fast time in qualifying with Ty Gibbs in the #18 to his outside. Josh Berry in the #88 and Charlie Watson in the #9 would make up row two. Millington and Gibbs would have a spirited battle for the top spot at the drop of the green flag with Millington finally taking the top spot. Gibbs wouldn’t get much of an opportunity to settle in before Berry would start pressuring him for second. Berry would take the spot and set his eyes on the leader Millington. Around lap 15 the pair would battle side by side for the top spot with Berry moving ahead to pace the field. Millington would settle in to second with past Track Champion Austin McDaniel in the #12 moving up to pressure Gibbs for third. Gibbs and McDaniel would be the pair to watch for the next 20 laps as they each wanted the final front stretch podium finishing position. McDaniel would finally get by Gibbs as the laps counted down. Berry would hold on for the win and put the JR Motorsports Chevrolet back in Victory Lane with Millington coming home in 2nd. McDaniel would take the 3rd position with Gibbs in 4th and the #95 of Jacob Heafner in 5th.

Next up would see the Cosmo Motors Street Stocks roll off onto the grid for their 30 lap battle. Jeff Sparks in the #7 would top the qualifying charts with the #4 of Todd Bradburry starting just to his outside. Sparks would grab the early lead with Bradburry close in tow. Bradburry would bide his time and eventually make his move for the top spot getting around Sparks for the lead. Bradburry would hold on for the win with Sparks taking 2nd. The #64 of Marshall Sutton, racing in his 51st season, would close in late in the race and grab the 3rd position. After several years in the US Air Force, Troy DeMarmels would return and take over the reins of the potent #18, finishing a solid 4th. Multi-time Track Champion Kevin Eby in the #3 would round out the top 5.

The One Design Super Trucks would hit the track next for their 35 lap race. Joey Shuryan in the #30 would set the hot lap in qualifying and take the pole position with Allen Huffman in the #51 to his outside. Shuryan and Huffman would take up where the left off last year with a furious battle for the top spot. Shuryan would eventually settle in to the lead but Huffman would be hot in his tracks with Charlie Neill in the #26, Sheflon Clay in the #15, Dakota Slagle in the #13, and the #39 of Josh Stark giving hard pursuit as well. Huffman would eventually get by Shuryan but would still face repeated challenges from Shuryan, Clay, Neill, and Slagle. Huffman would hold on to grab the victory with Slagle grabbing 2nd. Neill would settle for 3rd with Clay, 4th, and Stark, 5th, rounding out the top 5.

Round #1 of the Paramount Kia ‘Big 10’ Racing Challenge would roll off next for the Paramount Auto Group Limited Late Models and their 50 lap feature. The #7 of Tyler Gregory would take the top spot in qualifying with Monty Cox in the #21 starting to his outside. The front pair would put on an exciting side by side battle until Cox would finally jump to the early lead. Gregory would keep Cox within striking distance and finally make his way around to the top spot. The race would be stopped several times for cautions, bunching the field and making for exciting racing each and every time. The #34 of Pat Rachels would pressure Cox and get around him for the second spot. Gregory would hold on for the win with Rachels finishing 2nd. Brandon Lemke in the #22 would get by Cox late in the race and have his best Hickory Motor Speedway finish finishing in 3rd. Cox would bring his ride home in 4th with the #12 of Mason Ludwig finishing 5th.

The Renegades would roar to life next for a 20 lap slugfest. David Hasson in the #83 would score the pole position with the #1 of Justin Austin to his outside. Hasson would take the early lead but Austin, would be on a mission, and soon drive by. Austin, who lost his father, long-time Hickory Motor Speedway competitor Greg Austin, just before the season, would take home the win and celebrate an emotional Victory Lane celebration with family, friends, and most of his competitors. The #8 of Kenneth Roberts would finish 2nd with Hasson taking 3rd, Robbie Hollifield in the #51 coming home 4th, and the #7 of Robbie Larkin rounding out the top 5 in 5th.

Hitting the track next would be the Carolina Custom Golf Carts 4-Cylinders and a 25 Lap feature. Brian Mundy in the #6 would set fast time and start from the top spot with Dennis Ward in the #25 just to his outside. Mundy would grab the early lead with Ward, Allison Houston in the #29, and Cody Combs in the #9 giving chase. Mundy would have mechanical issues on a restart and lose the lead to Ward. Ward and Combs would have a hard fought battle for the top spot but Ward, a former 4-Cylinder Hickory Motor Speedway $ Cylinder Track Champion would grab the victory with Donn Wardo in the #59 finishing 2nd. Combs would finish 3rd, Mundy would take 4th, and Robert Trivette in the #11 would come home in 5th.

The NASCAR Whelen All American Series Late Models would close out their evening with the second 40 lap feature of thr night for the premiere division. With an 8 car invert from the finishing order of race #1, Sam Mayer in the #9 would start from the top spot. With Mayer choosing the preferred outside position for the start, Justin Johnson in the #44 would start inside row 1. Charlie Watson in the #9 and Jacob Heafner in the #95 would make up row 2. Mayer would battle with Johnson for several laps but would eventually move ahead to the top spot. Johnson would soon face a challenge from team Josh Berry in the #88 who was charging hard through the pack from the 8th starting position. Mayer would keep the point for quite a few laps but would ultimately see a challenge from his JR Motorsports teammate Berry. Berry would complete the pass and drive on for the win sweeping the Twin 40 lap features on the night. Mayer would finish 2nd, grabbing his best Hickory Motor Speedway finish. Austin McDaniel in the #12 would work his way up to grab another 3rd place finish on the night. Ryan Millington in the #17 would finish 4th while Johnson would hold on for a top 5 finish with 5th.

Ending an eventful evening would be the always exciting Smash & Crash Series. The fun filled division would see several spins and crashes, multiple occasions of drivers showing their reverse driving abilities, and a quick red flag that placed a target on the race leader at the time. As the checkered flag would fly a good time was had by all, with many repairs needed before the next installment.

Next week will see the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series back in action at America’s Most Famous Short Track. Racing action will include 80 laps for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Models, 35 laps for the Paramount Auto Group Limited Late Models, 35 laps for the One Design Super Trucks, 30 laps for the Cosmo Motors Street Stocks, 25 laps for the Hickory Vintage Racers, and 20 laps for the Renegades.

Gates will open at 5pm, Qualifying at 5pm, Autograph Session at 6pm, and Racing at 7pm. Tickets are only $12.50 for Adults, $10.50 for Teens/Seniors, and Children 12 & under FREE!

In two weeks the PASS Series returns with the Easter Bunny 150 for the Super Late Models. The Southern Modified Racing Series will also be in action for 75 laps.