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Hickman Charges to Steel Head Late Model Championship at Volunteer Speedway

Riley Hickman entered the annual "King of the Gap" Steel Head Late Model Championship at Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, Tennessee) on Friday night.
The $4,000-to-win program, presented by fellow racer and famed engine builder, Vic Hill, drew a field of thirty-one entrants to the 4/10 mile speedplant. Riley posted the third fastest lap during time trials, locking him into the inside of row two for the 45 lap finale. (DT52Photos.com)

Polesitter Jason Trammell assumed the point at the drop of the green flag with Cory Hedgecock, Jason Cardwell, and Hickman trailing behind him. Trammell set a blistering pace out front, as he and Hedgecock had caught the tail of the field by lap ten, only to see the race's first caution wave on lap fourteen.

Back under green the second caution of the event waved just two circuits later to slow the pace once again.

On the restart, disaster struck for the lead duo when a mechanical failure on Trammell's machine punctured the fuel cell. With Hedgecock right on his bumper, he drove through the spilled fuel and slammed hard into the outside wall in turns three and four.

Following the red flag, it was Hickman out front, followed by Ronnie Johnson and Cardwell.

Hickman and Johnson stretched out nearly a full-straightaway lead over Cardwell in the closing laps, with Hickman sailing to the victory. Johnson and Cardwell finished first and second respectively, while Stanley Donahoond and Jason Welshan complete the top five.

Complete results from the program are available at www.VolunteerSpeedway.com

Saturday night saw the team returning to Boyd's Speedway (Ringgold, Georgia) for a Weekly Limited Late Model program. Twenty competitors registered for the event, and a second place finish in his heat race locked Riley into the fourth starting spot for the feature.

In the main event, Hickman advanced to a runner-up finish behind race winner, Mike Tinker. Tod Hernandez, Jeff Smith, and Rex Richey rounded out the top five finishers.

Full results from the event are available at www.BoydsSpeedway.net

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