With a rare night off and my family out of town, I decided to head to my local race track for some mid-week racing. The final race of the Sumer Shootout Series was taking place at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Tuesday night and a healthy crowd was on hand to cheer the competitors on. Heading to the race with my neighbor James, we were looking for a great time, great racing and a break from the mundane. Sitting on the front row hugging the fence to the right of the Start/Finish line we were in store for a night of tough racing and serious drivers.

This writer’s night started when he walked into the Lowe’s Motor Speedway to see a school bus race already underway. The race was come to find out a back to school special. As we walked into the speedway, the buses went three-wide into the third turn heading back onto the straightaway. Three-wide heading into the corner, they did not make it out that way. With one bus on its side and the rest of the field coming to stop at the Start/Finish line, these principals of local schools had their students cheering out loud for bragging rights and their school’s pride.

Come to find out, Lug Nut – the mascot of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway – was behind the wheel of the yellow bus that sent the other one onto its side. With the race red flagged to clean up the incident, Lug Nut got out of his bus and made his way over to the bus sitting ahead of him on the frontstretch.  Confronting the other driver with fists shaking, Lug Nut brought the crowd to their feet.

With kids of all ages cheering him on, Lug Nut exited his competitor’s bus punching and kicking it as he walked away. Just at that instant, the driver of the flipped bus made his way towards Lug Nut to confront him for flipping his bus. With the “School’s Out For Summer” by Alice Cooper playing over the P.A. Lug Nut and the principal went at it with the students and fans egging them on. The incident concluded when Lug Nut was summoned to Bruton Smith’s office after being chastised by Steve Post in the press box for being a poor role model for the kids in the stands – all in good fun.

When the checkered flag fell after a four-wide standing start, it was Principal Chuck Borders of Pitt School Road Elementary school that took home the trophy and the bragging rights for all of his students.

The rest of the night saw great action from bandoleros and legends cars as each class fought for the championship on the final night of action. The racing was intense and with the tight corners the bumping and banging was prevalent throughout the night.

Daniel Hemric took control of the Legends Car Pro division race, earning his fourth-straight victory and securing his first series title. Celebrating in style, Hemric one upped NASCAR Sprint Cup star Carl Edwards by doing a back-flip and landing on the stage. “Let’s see Carl Edwards do that!” Steve Post said over the loud speakers.

Jeffrey Bolen earned the Semi-Pro Legends Car division championship by edging out Andrew Carlsen by 39 points. Kenzie Ruston was able to lead the last four laps of the event to earn her first feature victory in the series.

In the Legends Car Masters division Clay Hair won his sixth race of the season and earned his fourth series title. Scott Hensley was crowned the Legends Car Young Lions champion for the first time following a 20-lap final won by Travis Braden.

The Bandolero Bandits put on quite the show for the fans in the stands as these 8-, 9-, 10- and 11-year olds beat and banged for their friends and family in the stands. Dalton Sargeant took home his second win of the year as Clayton Weatherman scored his first championship trophy.

In all, the evening out at the track was a great break from the daily routine and a great way to support our local racing. Showing just how popular and fun these races are, a double-the-purse, non-points event has been added to the schedule. The Summer Shootout Series will return to the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Tuesday night August 18th for the final event of the year. There are great events like this taking place all across this great nation, so get out to your local track and show you are a true Hardcore Race Fan.

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