By Alex Nieten
Kyle Hammer put the hammer down on Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as the ninth World Short Track Championship came to life.
The Clinton, IL-native entered the Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified Championship Feature hungry for his first win of the year. A front row starting spot put that opportunity within his grasp, and Hammer capitalized.
A strong first lap allowed Hammer to get the lead early before things got a little dicey in traffic late, but ultimately he held on and led every lap on his way to The Dirt Track at Charlotte Victory Lane.
“I felt like we were pretty good there,” Hammer said. “Until one time in Turn 4, I thought I was knocking the wall down, lost the air off the nose behind one of the lapped cars and went sliding across the track. But I felt like we were good. I don’t know how far we were ahead. I think we have a good car and something to work on.”
Joe Grabianowski Photo
Hammer became the seventh different winner of the DIRTcar UMP Modified Thursday Championship main event. He’s the first from the “Land of Lincoln” to top the event.
Pole-sitter Gary Dillon got the initial jump out of Turn 4 when the green flag waved on the 15-lapper, but Hammer ripped the top side of Turns 1 and 2 to lead down the back straightaway. Michael Leach slipped by Dillon in Turns 3 and 4 to snag the runner-up spot.
Hammer wasted no time growing his advantage north of a second in the opening circuits, but it wouldn’t be an easy cruise to Victory Lane as lapped traffic became a factor late. With four laps remaining, Leach cut Hammer’s lead down under seven tenths of a second as Hammer fought dirty air.
Right when the margin between first and second tightened, Hammer managed to clear a couple lapped cars just in time and was able to drive away to victory and start his World Short Track Championship on a high note. Michael Leach and Will Krup completed the podium after Krup fended off a late surge from Cole Falloway.
A little further back, three-time Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified Championship Feature winner, Kyle Strickler, put on a show. The “High Side Tickler” charged all the way from the tail of the field (20th) to a top five without the help of a caution.
UP NEXT: The Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modifieds are back in action at Charlotte on Friday, Nov. 1 with Heat Races before Last Chance Showdowns and their $4,000-to-win finale on Saturday. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, don’t miss a lap on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
Championship Feature (15 Laps): 1. 45-Kyle Hammer[2]; 2. 00-Michael Leach[3]; 3. K9-Will Krup[4]; 4. 66-Cole Falloway[5]; 5. 8-Kyle Strickler[20]; 6. 12R-Ty Rhoades[8]; 7. 18-Charlie Mefford[11]; 8. 8A-Austin Holcombe[6]; 9. 5-Jonathan Taylor[14]; 10. 82-Gary Dillon[1]; 11. 88-Matt Crafton[18]; 12. 35-Carder Miller[19]; 13. 21-Taylor Cook[13]; 14. 7-Evan Taylor[10]; 15. 44-Dave Hess Jr[7]; 16. 84-Ryan Toole[17]; 17. 25-Greg Belyea[12]; 18. 6-Ryan Ayers[9]; 19. (DNS) 5T-Drake Troutman; 20. (DNS) 31G-Stephen Pedulla
