CONCORD, N.C. – More than 300 drivers wrapped up a busy weekend during the Drydene World Short Track Championship on Saturday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
In addition to Kyle Strickler (DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modifieds) and John Ruggiero Jr. (FOX Racing Shox Pro Late Models), seven other drivers laid claim to World Short Track Championship crowns.
Calob McLaughlin held off all challengers to win the Drydene Racing Formulas Street Stock Feature. McLaughlin charged to the lead from fourth in a time-limited feature, which completed only 15 of the 20 scheduled laps due to a streak of sheet metal-bending incidents.
Fourteen-year-old Colton Trouille raced his heart out in the Chevrolet Performance 602 Late Model feature Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, making it through the checkers and all the way to victory lane for the first time, only to have his Drydene World Short Track Championship trophy taken away from him and handed to second-place finisher Bryan Mullis after post-race technical inspection.
The Hoosier Racing Tire Pro Modifieds raced so hard they were plagued by cautions, ultimately resulting in an 11-lap feature, less than half of the originally scheduled 25 lapper.
While avid dirt racing fans often say that a good qualifying driver does not a winner make, Saturday’s story told otherwise as the fast-timers in two flights of qualifying finished first and second — and by no means due to single file racing. Jeff Parsons ultimately scored his third Pro Modified World Short Track Championship victory, with Trey Stamper and Robert Poole in second and third.
As the full moon rose over The Dirt Track at Charlotte, the COMP Cams Monster Mini-Stocks lived up to their Halloween themed moniker, putting on a 25-lap feature event that thrilled fans and crews alike.
Nick Wallace took the lead in lap four and held onto it through the checkered flag. After an exuberant victory lane celebration the top three cars headed back to the pits for technical inspection, where an illegal floorpan was discovered on the No. 0 car, disqualifying Wallace. This unexpected turn of events handed the feature win to Brayden Pruitt, making her the first back-to-back champion of the prestigious event.
Divided into three features for the second night in a row, the VP Racing Fuels Hornets picked up where they left off on Friday by testing the limits of their four-cylinder chariots every lap around the four-tenths-mile Dirt Track at Charlotte.
John Windham was close to a World Short Track Championship win. Last year seemed like it would finally be his year as he had a car capable of winning each night. But each night, misfortune continued to plague his winning quest. Windham finally broke that curse Friday night with a dominant win and then backed it up Saturday night to claim back-to-back victories.
Joey Kelly, a defending World Short Track Championship winner didn’t even know if he would be competing this year. His father was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease this and Kelly decided to cut back on racing and sold all of this race cars to spend more time with his dad. When his father told him to go racing, Kelly couldn’t say no. About a week before the Drydene World Short Track Championship, Kelly bought a car and prepared it to compete. When he arrived at the Charlotte track, he picked up where he left off last year. Kelly led every lap Friday night to pick up his second consecutive World Short Track win and then did the same on Saturday night.
Tears, heartbreak and joy were the remnants of the third and final VP Racing Fuels Hornet feature of the night. Chase Hopper left with the trophy – his first Drydene World Short Track Championship win. The heartbreak came for Alan Carter, who led the first eight laps, and Eddie McGraw, both of whom had issues.