NORMAN PARK, Ga. (May 8) — The victory lane was a raucous and wild celebration, the excitement levels were extremely high, the grandstands were chock full and enjoying the moment, and a driver standing atop his car wildly waving a VP Racing Fuels checkered flag was leading the entire celebration with his own brand of postrace energy after claiming a $10,000 victory in the second edition of the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series-sanctioned Gene Maine Memorial Saturday night at 3/8-mile Needmore Speedway.
Welcome to Wil Herrington’s world.
And yes, he definitely owned it after leading from start to finish to win the prestigious event over Kyle Bronson, Mark Whitener, Russell Brown Jr. and Michael Page, collecting his second $10,000 score on the newly-established E-Z-GO $100,000+ Challenge, which is a collection of 10 events that each pay at least $10,000 to the winner. He also claimed a victory on that “series within a series,” which carries a separate points fund from the regular touring series, on March 20 at Modoc (S.C.) Speedway.
The Hawkinsville, Ga., driver is very popular with fans both in the region and at the Kelly and Mandy Walker-owned facility, and the youthful competitor wasn’t going to waste the celebration opportunity. He capped off the frontstretch party with a tender, appreciative moment, momentarily stepping to the grandstand fence to hand his bright purple Hoosier Racing Tires winner’s headband through the fence to a young, adoring fan who was standing mostly alone and away from the crowd. The happy youngster smiled big through the process as fans who saw the generous act cheered even more for the beloved son of former driver Glen Herrington.
“That young boy really didn’t say anything to me, but he was smiling pretty big when I handed the headband to him,” Herrington said. “Maybe he can go home tonight with a memory from the racetrack like I did so many times when I was a little kid and drivers would give me something, or even just speak to me. I remember being that age, and wanting to be around all these race car drivers. When we were all lined up and going across the scales earlier tonight in the pit area, there were four kids standing there waving at every car that passed ‘em. I was that kid a few years ago who was waving at everybody. I hope during my career that I don’t ever forget that.”
Herrington is a hot commodity in Crate Late Model racing these days, and he held off two of the division’s finest—Bronson and Whitener—to accomplish his team’s latest victory. Bronson was aboard a No. 18 machine normally driven by Michael Lloyd, and Whitener behind the wheel of his own Barry Wright-built car.
Two major crashes during the early stages, one involving at least a dozen cars exiting the fourth turn, slimmed down a 31-car starting field. Once the dust settled and the race hit its rhythm, Herrington was able to maintain the advantage over Cody Overton, who was rarely more than three or four car lengths from the race leader’s rear bumper until suffering a flat tire with 17 laps remaining. He held the second spot until his troubles struck, ending a solid run for the Evans, Ga., driver, who returned briefly to the event but spun in turn two and was listed as the 19th-place finisher.
It wasn’t long ago that Herrington would have been thrilled to be in the same race with Bronson and Whitener, let alone leading them to the stripe in a $10,000-to-win show. After Overton’s exit, both of them were attached to Herrington’s rear bumper on a couple of midrace restarts, but each time the youngster was able to fend off their efforts. Those were big moments not lost on the second-generation driver.
“When you can have a chance to outrun them two, it’s a really big deal for your team,” Herrington said. “Kyle [Bronson] is a full-time regular on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, and I personally believe Mark [Whitener] is probably the best in this area of the country. He can probably make a bathtub go fast, and as far as raw talent at being a race car driver, there’s not many better. I’ve raced these crate cars against ‘em, and we were down there at East Bay Raceway Park during Florida Speedweeks this year and running those Lucas Oil races in our Super Late Model stuff, so I know firsthand how good all those drivers really are. Just to be able to race against those guys is a dream come true for me.”
While Herrington never relinquished the point on a track that steadily narrowed during the 60-lap distance, he knew his car wasn’t perfect. Perhaps a bit too loose on an abrasive track surface known at times to gobble rubber. Tire wear was indeed a factor, and that also worried him as the race neared its conclusion.
“We probably could have been a little better, I think,” Herrington admitted. “We weren’t quite tightened up enough, and with the aerodynamics and tire management concerns we had tonight…I was really worried about the tires. When you’re leading, you don’t really know how hard you need to run, and you know you have to be cautious on tires. We were about to have a flat tire in the late stages, and it maybe had 10 laps left in it when the checkered flag waved.”
The win occurred in a memorial event for “Gentleman” Gene Maine, who lost his life in a highway accident. Maine was a popular competitor who claimed the 1997 championship on the late Ray Miller’s National Late Model Series, setting a record for number of victories during his title-winning campaign.
While Herrington was too young to race very much against Maine during the veteran competitor’s best days, he was tagging along with his father and has a few memories of the famed driver of the familiar No. 201 machine.
“I didn’t have a chance to race with him a lot, but one night at Cochran when I was running Late Models, I remember Gene [Maine] won the race that night,” Herrington said. “It’s definitely a special deal to win a race like this one that was held in his memory. I remember he came over to shake my hand that night, and I thought that was the coolest thing. He was talking to people and I was listening to every word, and just to stand there and hear all those stories about the old times in racing was a huge deal for me.”
Herrington completed the required distance in a car that carried sponsorship from Harvey Trucking, 5M Construction, Y Delta Inc, Boswell Oil, New Point Lighting & Design, Last Air & Electrical, VP Lubricants and Topnotch Kustom Koncepts.
The touring series’ next event will be May 14-15 at Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La., where the Battle at Boothill will pay $10,000 to the winner and be the traveling circuit’s first-ever appearance at the facility. The event is the fourth of the season for the regular tour, and also the fourth of the year for the E-Z-GO Challenge Series.
The economical Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 Circle Track Engine is utilized by competitors in the various divisions presented by Crate Racin’ USA. It’s in stock and available for free, next-day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, S.C.
Each engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order, call 1-877-497-3624.
For more information and rules, visit the organization’s website at www.crateracinusa.com, or follow our extensive social media programs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Newsome Raceway Parts, a division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, S.C., is the title sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. E-Z-GO Golf Carts is the title sponsor of the newly-established E-Z-GO $100,000+ Challenge.
Chevrolet Performance is an official sponsor of the organization, along with Advanced Laser & Machine, Cruise with the Champions, Hoosier Racing Tire, KRC Power Steering, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, My Race Pass, VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants and Willy’s Carburetors.
Official chassis sponsors include Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis and CVR Race Cars.
Gene Maine Memorial: 1. Wil Herrington, 2. Kyle Bronson, 3. Mark Whitener, 4. Russell Brown Jr., 5. Michael Page, 6. Trynt Lloyd, 7. Henry Carter, 8. Joseph Brown, 9. Jason Welshan, 10. Jason Fitzgerald, 11. Lucas Ruark, 12. Trey Mills, 13. Jake Knowles, 14. Tanner Collins, 15. Jim Rogers, 16. Jeremy Shaw, 17. Shan Smith, 18. Kyle Bridges, 19. Cody Overton, 20. Chad Tuten, 21. Jake Rainey, 22. Ryan Van Sickle, 23. John Baker, 24. T.J. Brittain, 25. Michael Lloyd, 26. Pearson Lee Williams, 27. Bubba Whitener, 28. Ches Chester, 29. Terry Bronson, 30. Bud Chancey, 31. Ryan Crane.
Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series (current points): 1. Jason Welshan, 264 points; 2. Jake Knowles, 262; 3. Tanner Collins, 242; 4. T.J. Brittain, 220; 5. Jimmy Thomas, 206; 6. Jake Rainey, 200; 7. Colton Leyendecker, 192; 8. Austin Hubbard, 190; 9. Mike Combs, 174; 10. Cody Overton, 158.
E-Z-GO Challenge Series (current points): 1. Mark Whitener, 278 points; 2. Jason Welshan, 266; 3. Cody Overton, 226; 4. Jake Knowles, 212; 5. Pearson Lee Williams, 210; 6. Trynt Lloyd, 206; 7. Wil Herrington, 200; 8. Kyle Bronson, 196; 9. Jake Rainey, 182; 10. Dylan Knowles, 152.
Total entries: 57
Boyd-Bilt Fabrication Fast Qualifier: Herrington, 15.228 seconds
KRC Power Steering Heat Winners: Brown Jr., Herrington, Shaw, Overton, K. Bronson, Page
KRC Power Steering B-Main Winners: Baker, Rogers, Welshan
Lap leaders: Herrington 1-60
Cautions: 5
Margin of victory: 0.885 seconds