76 YEARS & COUNTING
Hickory Motor Speedway celebrates 76th birthday; Taylorsville native gets first modified series win
Annabeth Crum (12) waits for the go-ahead for her practice laps before the races at Hickory Motor Speedway on June 27.
Pit crew members push Dean Lambros out of the pit ahead of his practice laps at Hickory Motor Speedway on June 27.
AUTO RACING
Hickory Motor Speedway celebrated its 76th birthday Saturday and Taylorsville native Annabeth Crum won her first Carolina Crate Modified Series race on her hometown track.
The idea behind the night was a birthday-themed bash for Hickory race fans.
The evening featured fire trucks for the kids, Lugnut from Charlotte Motor Speedway, and giveaways, including 500 cupcakes to ensure everyone could enjoy the birthday fun.
A track like no other
Assistant Manager Gina Schild-Knowles has been around racing her whole life, but this is her first year working for Hickory Motor Speedway. For her, it was a no-brainer to come to Hickory because of the history of the track.
"It's Hickory," she said. "It needed a little bit of TLC, and that's kind of what I do, but it's a privilege, for sure, to be here because it is a track like no other, and I've been at a lot of tracks."
She said it's a combination of the history of the track and some of its unique dynamics that make Hickory special.
"This track has produced really big names," she said. "This track is different. It's very competitive, so it makes the racer get up on the wheel and drive, so it develops race car drivers. ...
"It's a combination. It's shorter, smaller, tighter racing and the surface is rough, so you bounce around so you have to be more aggressive. ... It makes a racer really compete in the race. ... As a promoter, I prefer a track like this because it's a better show."
She said she hopes to bring some new events to the track as well as stir up renewed interest in the weekly series which features local drivers.
"I would like a couple of bigger races from NASCAR here," Knowles said. "I'd also like just to have to where the pits are full like this regularly. ... I'd like the grandstands to be full again and have big events. And we get them for the big events, but I'd like the focus to be on the local racers."
One big family
In addition to the track and its history at Hickory, Knowles said she loves the family atmosphere and the longstanding friendships, rivalries and racing legacies.
"You'll have three generations of racers here," Knowles said. "Track champion Michael Bumgarner, he's third generation. His grandpa raced here and was track champion multiple times, and then his dad and now him. That's pretty amazing, if you think about it. There's quite a few like that."
Mark Johnson is another one of those generational racers. He has been driving at Hickory for three decades, and before that, his father, uncle and grandfather were all drivers at Hickory.
"The biggest thing for me is family," Johnson said. "A lot of families brought kids here. The kids grew up here, they raced here. Even though we may not be on the same team, the other teams, we consider them family. We talk to them; we help them and help each other."
He said it has been that way ever since his grandfather was racing back when Ned Jarrett ran the track. Dale Jarrett also drove for his grandfather years later. Those are just two of the big names who have come out of Hickory.
"Hickory has put out a lot of great race car drivers over the years," said Johnson. "It has put a lot of people in racing, not just drivers. There are a lot of people who work in NASCAR that come from Hickory. A lot of officials, crew members, team owners and everything were part of this at one time."
Annabeth Crum's first win
Crum has had three top-five finishes in the Carolina Crate Modified Series this season, but last weekend at Hickory was her first checkered flag. After the race, she said getting that first win at Hickory was particularly meaningful.
"I don't have words, sorry, I'm going to need a second," she told the crowd after the race. "You have days, and they are rare in racing, when everything goes just exactly right, first in practice, qualified pole, drew the pole, and so it was on me then to bring it home. ...
"There is no better place for me to get my first modified win than at Hickory Motor Speedway, if you know, you know."
Crum posted the top qualifying time to start at the pole. She then held off Dale Ogburn, who had won three of the previous five races this season, for 62 laps to claim the win. Ogburn started in fourth and quickly moved up to second but couldn't chase Crum down for the top spot.
Catawba County native Mason Walters moved up from an eighth-place start to get his win in the first 40-lap Limited Late Models feature. After an eight-car invert, he moved up to second in the second feature, but Dexter Canipe III held on for the win.
Cameron Clifford also won a 75-lap Pro Late Models feature and Ricky Locklair Jr. won a pair of 25-lap Super Stocks features.
Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net.
