Riley Hickman
photo by Chad Wells (wellsracingphotography.com)
Ooltewah's Riley Hickman put the icing on the cake, Friday night winning his second Southern All-Star Championship, by virtue of winning the final race of the season, the Cleveland Speedway: the 26th annual Joe Lee Johnson Gobbler.
The black # R1 "Hickman Manufacturing, American Billet, Mayo Racing Components, Tucker Mobile Home Service, VP Racing Fuels, All Star Graphics, RH Designs" sponsored Vic Hill powered CVR Super Late Model racecar has been in victory lane five times out of its last six races and has produced 16 overall wins in 2014.
With a large turnout the 50 lap, $5,000 to Win race rolled off the starting line just before midnight that saw Hickman behind the front row from qualifying. Fast qualifier, of 25 entrants, Mike Marlar from Winfield, Tn. fell out with mechanical issues after early contact during the feature race.
Making his first ever debut at Cleveland Speedway, Kent Robinson of Indiana placed a solid second at the finish behind Hickman after starting from the outside front row. David Payne of North Carolina posted his career best finish in a Gobbler event in third, with former Track Champion Jason Welshan of Maryville and Aaron Ridley of Chatsworth, Ga., rounding out the Top-5.
Hickman and most of the racers who competed Friday night will move 20 minutes south down I-75 to Chattanooga's Boyd's Speedway to compete in the weekends second big season finale the unsanctioned "Turkey Gobble 50"on Saturday night.