Story by: John Bowen ~ johnbowen@RACE22.com

Hickory, NC(September 6, 2009) -- It was a racers dream, clear blue skies and a full field of late model stocks lined up at Hickory to participate in the nights twin 50 lap features. To nobody surprise Andy Mercer would put his rocket on the pole and aim for taking home wins number 14 and 15 ... Or would last race close challenger Dexter Canipe Jr contend for the victory again tonight. Maybe surprise visits from Coleman Pressley and Kyle Grissom would put a damper on Mercers 2009 dominance.

As the first race was gearing up the take place the temperature was just right with the sun high in the sky and with Mercer leading Grant Wimbish who has a new crew chief on the box for him tonight as in UARA-STARS Series points leader, Matt McCall. Wimbish is followed by Ashley Huffman, Coleman Pressley, and Dexter Canipe Jr.

The first five laps it looks to be another Mercer show as he takes the early lead over Canipe Jr, Huffman, Lefevers, Pressley and Wimbish. It wouldn't take long for the first caution to fly when Julia Dawson takes her #52 for a loop in turn one at lap 14. Dawson would continue with no damage and it looks as if this is the break that Canipe was needing. The double file restarts would put Mercer and Canipe Jr on the front row with Lefevers and Huffman in row two.

Canipe Jr gets a great start and would take the top spot away from Mercer but not without a fight as the two battle door to door. The field would be slowed once again at lap 16 when Candace Muzny gets loose coming off of turn 4 and by the time she got the car correct Caraway regular Mack Little would be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The two make contact sending Muzny spinning in turn 1 to bring out the 2nd caution of the night.

This time Mercer gets a great start and would put his nose out front as the two cars of Canipe Jr and Mercer battle door to door. By lap 21 Mercer has the lead but not by much over Canipe Jr and 3rd place of Coleman Pressley. Ty Dillon who is making a rare appearance at Hickory tonight would turn sour at lap 25 when he gets spun around in turn two, cars scatter every which direction. Mack Little would take his car to the outside of Dillon but as he slows down Muzny never checks up and plows the door of Little sending him down the racetrack to make contact with Josh Wimbish. Looks to be the end of the race for all 4 cars involved as the red flag comes out for extensive track cleanup.

As the field gets set to get back to racing Mercer would be the leader followed by Canipe Jr, Pressley, and outside pole sitter Grant Wimbish. This go around Canipe Jr would get the great start and pull ahead of Mercer and the two way battle for 3rd between Pressley and Lefevers. This battle allows the cars of Cole Miktuk and Grant Wimbish pull back up to their back bumpers and now we have a 4 way battle for third that's getting dicey. Lefevers will take the spot on lap 40, Miktuk looks to the inside of Lefevers but Wimbish sticks his nose to the inside of Miktuk ruining what little chance he has at powering by Lefevers.

As the 4 cars beat and bang Wimbish has found himself to the inside of Lefevers for the 3rd position and would gain complete control at lap 48 just in time to witness Canipe Jr take the white flag. Canipe Jr would go on to do something that he has never accomplished and that is to win a Late Model stock car race at the famed Hickory Motor Speedway. Followed to the line by Mercer, Wimbish, Lefevers and Miktuk everyone hopes this race is a sign of whats to come for the 2nd event.

As the drivers get buckled in for the 2nd twin 50 for the night you know a lot had to be on their minds. Will Canipe make a clean sweep, will Mercer set sail as he has done in almost every race this season. Will Ashley Huffman's fresher tires play an advantage seeing how he parked his car at lap 35 of the first feature or will the temperature change from hot and sticky to kinda chilly be a key player? We will soon find out as Mercer will once again roll off from the pole position with Huffman, G. Wimbish, Lefevers, Miktuk and first race winner Canipe Jr right behind him. All of the cars from the first race will take the green flag with the exception of Muzny who has opted to load hers up on the trailer for the night.

In the opening laps Mercer takes control just as he did the first race and looks to be in domination mood. Before lap 5 Akinori Ogata would spin in turn 4 and this is where things start to shake up. The officials are hesitant to throw the yellow flag as Ogata would get his car re-fired and appear to be taking off but a miscommunication on the Mercer team would have him checking up for a caution on the back stretch as he gets freight trained by the top 5 cars.

This would put two very hungry racers battling door to door for the lead with Grant Wimbish on the inside and Ashley Huffman on the outside the two battle for a few laps before Wimbish takes control at lap 5 and looks to be in route to a performance well known by his acting crew chief and that is checking out. Lefevers has gotten up the door of Huffman and the two battle through lap ten. Everything would get shaken up as the slow car of Ogata would play a huge factor of what line would be the best one at this point.

All eyes are on one car and that is the 6th place starting Canipe Jr who has now taken the 2nd place position by lap 20 and while his toughest competition of Mercer is stuck in traffic and having a close battle with Josh Wimbish it looks as if Canipe Jr has cast his rod and is beginning to reel in Grant. Caution would fly at lap 23 when Lefevers night looks to have headed south when his car stalls out in turn 4 and assistance from the wrecker is needed to make it back to his pits. The crew goes to work under the hood and change a tire before sending him back out.

Wimbish will lead Canipe Jr down to the flag where Canipe Jr would show again how great he has been at restarts as he takes the lead. Mercer has his hands full of Grant Wimbish as he battles for 2nd. Mercer takes control while the other Wimbish brother has made his way up to 4th after passing Huffman. Grant is back door to door with Mercer at lap 30 but this time has a partner to help push him by as his brother Josh is tucked in tight to Grants bumper. Caution again on lap 34 as Kyle Moon makes contact with James Goff sending him spinning in turn 3 collecting Meredith and Dawson. Canipe Jr. continues to lead with Mercer and the Wimbish Brothers hot on his heels.

Canipe has been nothing shy of incredible on restarts tonight and this time was no different other then Mercer was using everything he has to hang on the high side with Canipe Jr. Mercer would gain complete and final control of the race on lap 37 but not without several challenges from Canipe Jr. On lap 40 Josh Wimbish has muscled by his brother and is pulling away as he has his eyes set on Canipe and Mercer but would run out of time as Mercer captured his 14th win of the season at Hickory followed by Canipe, Josh Wimbish, and Grant Wimbish.

Yes, Victory lane has been an all too familiar place this season for Andy Mercer, but one thing is for sure the wins are becoming tougher and tougher as the season wraps up as it seems the competition is catching up with him. With his 14th win of the season, Mercer clinches the 2009 Hickory Motor Speedway track championship and likely puts himself in control of the race for the North Carolina State Championship in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Results from Race #1:
1 - Dexter Canipe Jr. #88
2 - Andy Mercer #10
3 - Grant Wimbish #57
4 - Jesse LeFevers #43
5 - Cole Miktuk #6
6 - Coleman Pressley #59
7 - Kyle Grissom #32
8 - Kyle Moon #19
9 - Neil Meredith #36
10 - Marc Davis #15
11 - Michael Buckner #95
12 - Julia Dawson #52
13 - Akinori Ogata #83
14 - James Goff #33
15 - Ashley Huffman #7
16 - Ty Dillon #2
17 - Mack Little #16
18 - Josh Wimbish #51
19 - Candace Muzny #92
20 - Josh Burchette #38

Results from Race #2:
1 - Andy Mercer #10
2 - Dexter Canipe #88
3 - Josh Wimbish #51
4 - Grant Wimbish #57
5 - Coleman Pressley #59
6 - Ashley Huffman #7
7 - Jesse LeFevers #43
8 - Kyle Grissom #32
9 - Cole Miktuk #6
10 - Marc Davis #15
11 - Akinori Ogata #83
12 - Kyle Moon #19
13 - Mack Little #16
14 - Neil Meredith #36
15 - Michael Buckner #95
16 - James Goff #33
17 - Julia Dawson #52
18 - Ty Dillon #2
19 - Josh Burchette #38