Franklin County Raceway - kenny minter classic
It was a beautiful night in Callaway Virginia at Franklin County Raceway for the annual visit of the SMART Modified Tour. The Kenny Minter Classic was the main event of the night and consisted of 110 laps of exciting SMART Modified Tour racing. There were three other races on the night consisting of the 602 Modifieds, INEX Legends and Stock 4. American Idol contestant Kam’Ron Smith was on hand for the National Anthem and special guest Satch Worley received an award for his legacy and contribution to modified racing.
The action started out with Luke Baldwin winning the pole position for the SMART Modified Tour race. After the redraw, Landon Huffman was out front with Bryce Bailey beside him for the drop of the green flag. Bailey jumped out front at the start of the race, but it did not take long for Luke Baldwin to make it to the front of the field. He stayed up front until the stage break on lap 30. Joey Braun was able to make it to the front and stayed there until he made a pit stop when the caution came out for a turn one spin involving Carter Mcmurray, Joey Coulter and Slate Myers. When the green flag dropped again, Jake Crum was out front. With his new tires, Braun was too strong for Crum to hold off and Braun was back up front and would stay there until the yellow flag flew again, this time for a big accident when Jonathan Cash spun out coming out of turn four and Daniel Yates got together with Landon Huffman, taking them both out of the race. With fluid on the frontstretch and all around turns one and two, all the speedy dry was used so they resorted to using dirt to get up the remaining fluid. This caused a red flag situation with only eight laps remaining and the cars were impounded in the pits as they ran the Stock 4 race to test out the track. After a great race by the four-cylinder cars, it was time to restart the modified race. When they dropped the green flag, it was with a single file restart and Braun was out front with Ryan Newman in second place and Luke Baldwin third. Braun was not able to hold off a hard charging Newman, and Newman ended up in a shootout with Luke Baldwin. Luke Baldwin was able to get to Newman’s bumper in turn three of the last lap and moved Newman up the track, but in the end, Newman was able to hold him off at the finish line in a photo finish. Blake Barney was third and Danny Bohn fourth. After leading much of the race, Joey Braun had to settle for fifth.
In the Stock 4 race, Wesley Givens ended up with a hard-fought victory, crossing the line in front of Kaleb Hall and Chris Lilly who finished second and third respectively. Next up was the 602 Modifieds. When the green flag dropped, Brooklyn Newman spun out and had to make a quick pit stop. After joining the field with a damaged car, Newman steadily made her way to the front of the field, but her driveshaft gave out just a few laps from the finish. Brian Weber took advantage of the situation and moved up front and held on for the win. The last race of the night was the INEX Legends, which was won by Daniel Silvestri. Montgomery finished second and Phillip Smith third.
Ryan Newman
NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series
The 2024 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series was an exciting season with numerous highlights and achievements across various tracks and divisions.
Connor Hall emerged as the Division I national champion, securing 18 wins out of 26 races and accumulating 592 points. Connor Hall had an outstanding performance in the 2024 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, securing his second consecutive national championship. Hall clinched his second consecutive Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national title by winning 18 out of 26 races. His consistent performance throughout the season was a testament to his skill and determination. Hall's victories spanned across five different tracks, including Langley Speedway, South Boston Speedway, Florence Motor Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, and Southern National Motorsports Park. He earned top-five finishes in 24 of his 26 starts and never finished outside the top 10. In his final NASCAR points-paying race of 2024 at Langley Speedway, Hall faced mechanical issues but still managed to secure enough points to clinch the championship. Despite finishing fifth in that race, his overall performance throughout the season ensured his championship victory. Hall's performance in 2024 solidified his status as a top driver in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and his back-to-back championships highlight his exceptional talent and dedication to the sport.
Burt Myers finished second in the national standings with 6 wins out of 23 races and 522 points, while Jacob Goede secured third place with 8 wins out of 20 races and 520 points.
Several drivers claimed track championships at various NASCAR-sanctioned short tracks across the United States and Canada. Notable champions include Burt Myers who captured his 11th track championship at this historic Bowman Gray Stadium, Brian Campbell claimed his second consecutive title at Berlin Raceway, and Peyton Sellers won his seventh track championship, tying the all-time record previously set by David Blankenship at South Boston Speedway.
Rookie of the Year for 2024 was Kenna Mitchell, who also won championships at All American Speedway, was recognized for her outstanding performance and early career achievements.