8/16/2024
Crate Racin' USA
Qualifier Features Are in the Books at Whynot
(Meridian, MS - August 16th) - Night one of the 12th Annual Southern Street Stock Nationals at Whynot Motorsports Park is in the books. Chad Thrash, Carl Kilgore, Mickey Trosclair, Logan Bright, Corey Neil Jr., and Travis Marsh each captured checkered flags and secured spots in the 2024 main event. With 111 Street Stocks in attendance, the opening night featured hot laps, qualifying, and six 20-lap qualifying features.
The evening began with qualifying, where Chad Thrash of Meridian, MS, posted a time of 15.393 to be the fastest overall in Group A. Brandon Hill of Amory, MS, clocked a 15.621 to be the quickest in Group B and earned the pole position for Qualifier Feature Number Four. Thrash led the first qualifying feature to the green flag and earned a $300 bonus from Richie's Plumbing & Statement Race Car for the Fastest Time Award.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Fastest Qualifiers
Group A - 1C Chad Thrash-Meridian, MS 15.393
Group B - 22H Brandon Hill-Amory, MS 15.621
Thrash led Qualifier Number One to the green flag with Bobby Vandygriff alongside him for twenty laps, with only the top two securing spots in the 2024 Southern Street Stock Nationals main event on Saturday night. It didn’t take long for the field to use up the entire Whynot racing surface, occasionally running four-wide in the opening laps. However, this intense racing didn’t last long, as the first yellow flag flew on lap 2 when Josh Moreland spun out. Casey Towell of Gaffney, SC, also exited the speedway during the opening caution.
After the restart, the transfer spot became the focal point, with Oakley Johns and Spencer Hughes fiercely battling for the final lock-in position for the main event. Thrash briefly fell to the tail of the field before another yellow flag flew due to a multi-car incident involving Richie Tassin, Cody Chism, and Cole Stringer in turns one and two.
The field went back to green on lap 9, and Hughes moved to the outside, passing Johns for second place and setting his sights on leader Chad Thrash. Despite Hughes' challenge, the three-time Southern Street Stock Nationals champion Thrash was unstoppable, leading all 20 laps of the opening qualifier and securing spots in the main event on Saturday night for both himself and runner-up Spencer Hughes.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 1
1.1C-Chad Thrash-Meridian, MS
2.11H-Spencer Hughes-Meridian, MS
3.9-Oakley Johns-Hohenwald, TN
4.8V-Bubba Vandygriff-Mt. Pleasant, TN
5.19T-Richie Tassin-Jefferson, LA
6.22-Josh Hartman-Paducah, KY
7.G4-Shelby Sheedy-French Camp, MS
8.57R-Michael Rawls-Winnsboro, LA
9.14-Megan Erwin-Attica, IN
10.8-Wyatt Parker-Jay, FL
11.26-Mat Hartman-Paducah, KY
12.2J-Jason Dukes-Halls, TN
13.57-Arlis Holemon-Tuscaloosa, AL
14.99-Josh Moreland-Benton, KY
15.75-Brian Carswell-Valdese, NC
16.18-Cole Stringer-Foxworth, MS
17.D1-Cody Chism-Amory, MS
18.35-Darrell Hartman-Kevil, KY
19.17T-Casey Towell-Gaffney, SC
Qualifier Feature Number Two rolled to the grid with Carl Kilgore and Jaxon Moore on the front row. Kilgore took the lead on the opening lap, and the battle for the transfer spot quickly heated up between newly announced National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Johnny Stokes and Jaxon Moore. However, the caution flag flew early when Anthony Thoman was involved in a spin.
The field went back to green, but another caution quickly followed due to a pile-up in turns one and two, involving Trevor Woodard, Robo Hutchinson, John Bryant, and Adam Elliott, with just four laps complete. A three-wide battle developed between Stocks, Sheasby, and Garver for the third spot, and they raced that way for several laps as Kilgore checked out in the lead and didn’t look back. Bryce Sheasby emerged victorious in the battle for the final transfer spot, securing his place in the Saturday night main event alongside Kilgore. Kilgore ultimately scored the victory in Qualifier Feature Number Two, leading all 20 laps.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 2
1.6-Carl Kilgore IV-Greenville, MS
2.13S-Bryce Sheasby-Hattiesburg, MS
3.2-Jaxon Moore-Grenada, MS
4.27G-Jason Garver-Starke, FL
5.21-Ivedent Lloyd-Ocala, FL
6.05-Caiden Jackson-Norco, LA
7.1S-Johnny Stokes-Columbus, MS
8.64-John Bryant
9.1PB-Payton Brown-Calhoun, LA
10.15L-Donovan Long-Morristown, TN
11.15-Trevor Woodard-Mt. Pleasant, TN
12.97-Parker Price-Columbus, MS
13.83-Randy Lovell-Kountze, TX
14.3-Wyatt Hill-Finley, TN
15.311-Robo Hutchinson-Panama City, FL
16.11E-Adam Elliott-Cunningham, KY
17.10T-Anthony Thoman-Florence, MS
18.52-Adam Burch-Whitesville, KY
19.C55-Shannon Price-Natchez, MS
With four cars already locked in from Qualifiers One and Two, the next pair of locked-in drivers would emerge from Feature Number Three. Last year's Southern Street Stock Nationals winner, Hayden Moran, led the field to green with Mickey Trosclair alongside him. Moran led the opening two laps, but Trosclair took over the lead after an early race caution and never looked back, leading the final 18 laps.
The battle for the final transfer spot was intense between Moran and Shay Knight. Knight found a strong line on the bottom of the track and followed Trosclair into the Southern Street Stock Nationals main event, finishing second. As a result, Mickey Trosclair became the first driver to win his feature from the second starting spot, sending Hayden Moran, the 2023 event winner, to a B-Main on Friday night.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 3
1.521-Mickey Trosclair-Luling, LA
2. 3-Shay Knight-Columbus, MS
3.45M-Hayden Moran-Richland, MS
4.25-Parker Cloud-Elizabeth, LA
5.24T-Mark Thorne-Gallion, AL
6.99X-Dallon Murty-Chelsea, IA
7.5-Blake Comer-Smithville, MS
8.111-Chris Walker-Panama City, FL
9.2T-Ryan Touchberry-Sumter, SC
10.1M-Bo Minor-Ralph, AL
11.74-Chase Pennington-West Point, MS
12.18R-Luke Rutter-Hanson, KY
13.30-Patrick Gray-Mt. Pleasant, TN
14.18M-Austin Moye-Jay, FL
15.77T-Mutt Trotter-Slayden, TN
16.22J-Jason Laborde-St. Rose, LA
17.20R-Tom Rioux-Pace, FL
18.62-Rex Rutter-Madisonville, KY
Halfway through the Qualifier features, Feature Number Four hit the track with Group B's fastest qualifier, Brandon Hill, on the front row and Logan Bright alongside him. An opening lap yellow flag flew when John Herron spun out and Tommy Lowery came to a stop. The field fanned out four-wide into turn one, and Bryan Foreman got sideways, bringing out another quick caution. After a third attempt, the field finally saw the green flag, with Hill and Bright engaging in a side-by-side battle for the top spot.
Hill and Bright were soon joined by Jamey Boland, creating a three-car battle for two transfer spots, with "The Iceman" TJ Herndon also in pursuit. Boland moved to the top side of the track and, at just 20 years old, managed to pass Hill, the pole-sitter, for the final transfer spot before the halfway point. Bright and Boland gradually pulled away from Hill, securing their spots in the main event on Saturday night. Bright ultimately won Qualifier Number Four from the outside of the front row.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 4
1.82B-Logan Bright-Coker, AL
2.232-Jamey Boland-Cuba, AL
3.22H-Brandon Hill-Amory, MS
4.12-Brian Rickman-Columbus, MS
5.18B-Brandon McDowell-Boonville, IN
6.1H-TJ Herndon-Atwood, TN
7.1D-Noah Daspit-Kiln, MS
8.53S-Jonathan Scott-Denham Springs, LA
9.04C-Bubba Christian-Deland, FL
10.142-Kody Miller-Amite, LA
11.N1-Dale Nelson-Milan, TN
12.3D-Hunter Duncan-Columbia, TN
13.SOSX-William Nastasi-Picayune, MS
14.10-Hunter Runions-Duck River, TN
15.75H-Stephen Hohlbaugh-Riverview, FL
16.10H-John Herron-Saucier, MS
17.24F-Bryan Foreman-Florence, MS
18. 27-Tommy Lowery-Pensacola, FL
DNS 68R-Toby Reeves-Crestview, FL
The next-to-last qualifier feature rolled off with Neil Baggett and Dalton Peavy on the front row. Baggett led the opening nine laps of the fifth qualifier feature, but a large pile-up in turns one and two on lap 6, involving Reece Laborde, Justin Scarberry, Brandon Satterfield, Michael Santangelo, and Josh Lucas, brought out the red flag.
Racing resumed with Baggett still in the lead, but Neil Jr. managed to slip by Baggett after making contact with Tyler Nicely. Once Neil Jr. captured the lead, he did not look back, leading the final 11 laps. Nicely’s car shut off coming out of turn two, and Joshua L. Arabie got caught up, running into the rear of Nicely's machine.
After the yellow flag, racing resumed with Clayton Kilgore, who started in the 11th position, rallying nine spots to challenge Michael Santangelo and Joshua Arabie for the final transfer spot. Kilgore secured the spot, putting himself in the main event along with Corey Neil Jr., who won Qualifier Feature Five.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 5
1.9M-Corey Neil Jr.-Bridge City, TX
2.12C-Clayton Kilgore-Greenville, MS
3.77-Michael Santangelo-Harahan, LA
4.1-Joshua L. Arabie-Thiboduax, LA
5.915-Dalton Peavy-Mooresboro, NC
6.68-Cody Allen-North Fort Myers, FL
7.B33-Keenan Vandygriff-Mt. Pleasant, TN
8.45-Neil Baggett-Columbus, MS
9.5N-Tyler Nicely-Owensboro, KY
10.24-Justin Scarberry-Riverview, FL
11.B4-Brandon Satterfield-Spartanburg, SC
12.22C-Terry Caples Jr-Sumter, SC
13.20-Stacy Herron
14.81-Jared Jones-Swainsboro, GA
15.151-Gary Sutton-Pace, FL
16.603-ReeceE Laborde-St. Rose, LA
DNS 25M Justin Mcree-Tuscaloosa, AL
DNS 12L Josh Lucas-Winfield, AL
Last but not least, with only two automatic lock-in spots remaining, Qualifier Feature Six took to the speedway as the final qualifier of the night. Rod Tucker and Andrew Stone were on the front row for the final 20-lap qualifier. Tucker led the field to green, but a red flag flew on lap one when Joseph Diekimper and Jared Wagster were involved in a collision, with Diekimper's car ending up overturned in turn one.
Tucker led the field back to green, holding a provisional spot due to being the overall fastest in practice on Thursday night. However, the battle behind him was intense, with Tony Cruise, Travis Marsh, and Andrew Stone fighting for the final transfer spot. Clayton Miller from Elkton, KY quietly advanced through the field, placing himself in the top four when another caution flew on lap 12 for issues involving Joseph Diekimper once again.
On the restart with eight laps to go, Tucker, the pole-sitter, restarted with a broken left front tire. Tucker brought out the next caution in turns three and four as he spun completely around in front of the field. This incident allowed Marsh and Miller to secure the top two spots on the final restart of the night. They locked in their positions and advanced to the Southern Street Stock Nationals main event on Saturday night as the final two automatic qualifiers.
Southern Street Stock Nationals - Qualifier Feature 6
- X2C-Travis Marsh-McHenry, MS
- 19M-Clayton Miller-Elkton, KY
- 7-Tony Cruse-Paducah, KY
- 44-Luke Bennett-Ethel, LA
- 2S-Andrew Stone-Savannah, GA
- J3-Joe Hamm-Dover, TN
- 04-Austin Brown-Union, SC
- 11-Brent Smith-Rutherford, TN
- 007-John Harper Livingston-Pinewood, SC
- 327-Caden Price-Elk Mound, WI
- 72-Matthew Lothrop-Winfield, AL
- 17K-Chris Keiffer-West Monroe, LA
- 12T-Rod Tucker-Greenville, SC
- 148-Joseph Diekimper-Bloomingdale, GA
- 03-Matt Whitener-Canton, NC
- 32B-Jared Wagster-Newbern, TN
DNS 69B-Curtis Brown-St. Rose, LA
DNS 33-Jimmy Dunaway-Panama City, FL
Racing is scheduled to resume today with the Factory Stock/Pure Stock divisions joining the action for qualifying and heats, while the Street Stocks prepare for their crucial B-Mains. If you can't make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on Crate Racin' USA TV with Chris Creighton and Ross Tingle on the call.
Ticket Prices:
Pit Pass
2 Day - Adults $70 / 6-12 $35
1 Day Pit Pass - Adults $35 / 6-12 $20
General Admission
2 Day - Adults $40 / 6-12 $20
1 Day Pass - Adults $20 / 6-12 $10
Photo Credit: Paul Clayton (Facebook Page)
Article Credit: Cody Earley