4/7/2024
American All-Star Series
Dillon Brown Dominates First Trip To Sugar Creek Raceway
Twenty-six of America's Best Pro Late Models signed in for battle at the 2024 edition of the Rising of the Creek at Sugar Creek Raceway in the beautiful Blue Ridge, GA. Drivers from GA, KY, TN, SC, and NC made up the field spread almost evenly amongst those states.
MyRacePass Hot Laps kicked off the night with Gaffeny, SC's Jacob Brown pacing the field with a 15.694. Older brother Dillon went second to little brother with a time of 15.696 and AJ Hicks was the highest full time racer in hot laps turning a time of 15.745. The local star Junior Whitener would turn the fourth best time of hot laps at a 15.764 while Matt Dooley went fifth with a 15.775.
BHR Fabrication Qualifying saw some shakeup at the top as Dillon Brown started his dominance for the night with a time of 15.525. AJ Hicks rolled to the second quickest time with a 15.603 and Baillie Lowe made big gains from hot laps taking the third quick time at 15.620. Tucker Anderson, who may make a run for the championship went fourth quick at a 15.683 and Rookie All-Star Ryan Smith was fourth quick at a 15.749.
ATC Bolts and Fasteners Dash went to Dillon Brown over AJ Hicks and Baillie Lowe. The heats would see four cars transfer. Skylar Marlar would take the win in the Hendrick City Chevrolet Heat 1 with Zach Sise second and a hard charging Joshua Chesney in third while Trevor Sise would pick up the final transfer spot. Outside Groove Heat 2 was won by Matt Dooley over Drew Deaver, Rodney Weeks, and touring All-Star Daniel Dial. PPM Racing Products Heat 3 went to Junior Whitener over Tyler Smith, Keaton Smith, and normal super late competitor Shawn Chastain. The Dirt Rich TV B-Main would see Jordan Hedger take the win over Sylvan Schuette, Logan Walls, and Matt Shannon. The two provisionals on the night would go to Jeff Jackson and Calvin Carlton.
With the feature field set and the four wide salute done the action was ready to start. Some action started before the green flag as racers burned their tires down and several racers sustained damage, but not substantial enough to end their night early. The Rising of the Creek started with AJ Hicks giving it all he had battling with Brown down the front stretch. Brown was able to overtake him back the back stretch and then was ready to run away and hide from the field for the rest of the night. A long green flag run saw Brown lap seven or eight cars before the first caution flew around lap thirty as a couple cars tangled in three and four. On the restart it went right back with Brown out front and everyone else chasing. Another caution flew as an incident happened in turns one and two. Brown once again reassumed the lead on the restart, but AJ Hicks and Tucker Anderson used the lowest line possible including the infield to battle for second. Meanwhile Bailie Lowe and Ryan Smith had an equally exciting battle for fourth and fifth. When the checker flag flew Dillon Brown would end the night in first picking up his first series win in over a year. AJ Hicks would hold Tucker off to take second and Anderson would take third. Baillie Lowe brought the 727 home in fourth with the Rookie Ryan Smith taking fifth. Matt Dooley would finish the night sixth with Skylar Marlar taking seventh. Zach Sise, Hyperco Hard Charger Trevor Sise, and Junior Whitener would round out the top ten.
The AAS would like to thank Todd, Rick, and all the staff at Sugar Creek Raceway for being great host for our 2024 season opener!
We'd also like to thank all the partners who help us for the 2024 season: PPM Racing Products, American Racer: "The Official Tire of the AAS," Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Chevrolet Performance: Vehicles, Parts, Racing, Daytona 1: "The Official Lubricant of the AAS," O'Reilly Auto Parts: "The Official Auto Parts Store of the AAS," Mahle Motorsport, Wieland: "The Official Aluminum of the AAS," Pro Fabrication: "The Official Header of the AAS," Save-A-Lot: "The Official Grocery Store of the AAS," Gasko Gaskets, BHR Fabrication, Double Nickle Race Cars, KRC Power Steering, Outside Groove, Smash-It, VP Racing Fuels: "The Official Fuel of the AAS," ATC Bolts and Fasteners, Rocky Top Family Medicine, Beckley Motor Speedway, Burgess Motorsport Consulting, ML Performance Midwest, Dirt Rich TV, Fast Fab, Hyperco, Massey Powersports, MD3, Popbit, Peeping Dragon Photography, Dirt Track Racers Recovery for Christ, Terror Race Cars, QA1, Warrior Race Cars, WV Fireworks Outlet, and XS Power Batteries.
Article Credit: Joseph Rush