1/15/2018
Five Flags Speedway
Lowery leads field of 33 Sweat Hoggs to win the 2018 Grand Prix
The 2018 version of the Sweat Hogg Grand Prix had a tremendous amount of buzz going, and certainly Sunday’s race did not disappoint. With previous years dominant driver Ricky Johnson started 3rd in this year’s 33 car event, many thought it may be over even before it started. Outside polesitter Rob McClendon had other ideas however, taking the lead at the start and establishing himself as the driver to beat. But Johnson answered the call, taking over the lead during the middle stages of race, sailing thru the field as many thought he was on his way to yet another SHGP victory.
But mechanical woes ended up ruining the day for Johnson, while McClendon fought 
challenges of his own between lapped traffic and an untimely flat tire, and ended up on the trailer around the halfway mark. Timothy Witherington was ready, willing and able to take the point and now he looked to be the man after the Sweat Hogg trophy. After building a 2 lap lead over most of the competitors, he too would succumb to flat tire. He entered the pits with a 2 lap lead, and returned from the pits 2 laps down. At this point anybody left felt like they had a chance, but Tommy Lowery had is A game turned up and ended up cruising home for the Victory.
Witherington made a gallant effort to return to the front, but came up just short with a 2nd Place finish followed by Tony Pierson in third, Michael Edmandson coming home fourth and Five Flags regular Caleb Burkett rounding out the top 5.