That didn't seem to slow them down any as he would set the fast time this week with a blazing fast 15.180 second lap ahead of Ashley Huffman who turned a 15.280, so we could already see what was in store for this cool summer night.

Mercer would lead the field down to the green with Huffman alongside and 3rd would be Jesse "James" Lefevers who looks to be beginning to turn his luck around. Cole Miktuk and David Wilson would round out the top five starting positions.

As the green dropped it looked as if Huffman and his DHR race team had showed up with guns drawn and ready to shoot as they battled door to door with the dominant, Mercer for the first eight laps until Mercer began to flex his muscle and pulled away from Huffman, Lefevers and Wilson.

As the Halfway point approaches Mercer and his Pistone LTO car was getting back in the groove of total Hickory Domination, which he had become accustom to before last weeks issues gave him his first DNF of the season. Dexter Canipe, Jr. was starting to come through the field from his seventh place starting spot trying to shake the bad luck monkey off their back after destroying their primary car two weeks before the Dwight Huffman Memorial race and again wrecking their brand new car in the biggest race of the season just seven days ago.

The caution would fly on lap 34 when LeFevers strong run comes to a halt with a right rear tire going flat causing him to lose control and spin going into turn one. This looks to be the break Huffman needed as now he will have one more shot at rattling Mercer's cage. Wilson, Miktuk and James Goff would also take advantage of this caution to get caught back up with the leader and try and steal the show.

As lap 40 approached James Goff falls off pace very quickly to what looks to have been a flat tire or broken suspension part and this opens the door for Canipe Jr. to move into the 5th place and start putting the heat on Wilson and Miktuk as Mercer has checked out on the field with Huffman in toe just a couple car lengths behind.

As Huffman was giving it his all to stay with the "New

King" of "America's Most Famous Short Track", but the true battle was for third as Dexter Jr would poke his nose to the inside of the already side-by-side battle between Wilson and Miktuk making it three-wide numerous times before taking advantage of a incredible run. He would take over third out dueling the two rookie drivers, who both had run in the top five all race long.

As the field is coming to the checkered flag the battle for fifth heats up as Candace Muzny has gotten to the inside of Miktuk and looks to be beating doors as the two come out of turn four. Muzny makes contact with Miktuk and loses control of her car ruining what could have been her first top five finish of the season at Hickory Motor Speedway.

For Mercer this was his 11th win of the 2009 season and while many have questioned the level of competition, his performance last week before cutting down a tire and this weeks return trip to victory lane are sure to hush his critics.

Official Results
1) 10 Andy Mercer
2) 7 Ashley Huffman
3) 88 Dexter Canipe Jr.
4) 25 David Wilson
5) 6 Cole Miktuk
6) 41 Grant McGinnis
7) 19 Kyle Moon
8) 57 Grant Wimbish
9) 43 Jesse Lefevers
10) 04 Clinton Baker
11) 92 Candace Muzny
12) 95 Michael Buckner
13) 33 James Goff