Michael Bumgarner has now swept all three Late Model Stock features to open the season at Hickory Motor Speedway, and 11 in a row dating back to last year, but this one looked a little bit different than the rest.
Instead of driving the family’s No. 97 colors, a midweek partnership rechristened their program as the Rick Ware Racing No. 51, but the results were all the same at the Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars on Saturday night.
However, the results were not as straightforward either as three things needed to happen to continue the streak.
Winning two consecutive races meant Bumgarner needed to start at the rear, ninth
Matt Piercy Racing teammates Helio Meza and Aiden King wrecked racing for the lead
Bumgarner needed to clear rival Thomas Beane on the ensuing restart
Each of those things happened and the streak continues, albeit in pink and white instead of baby blue and white.
“Man, I don’t think it gets scripted any better than that, to have this deal get announced and to come out here and win the way we did, that’s awesome,” Bumgarner told Short Track Scene after the race. I was a little worried after qualifying but we fired off at the start of the race, and I’m like ‘same old car, same old car,’ same old speed we’ve always had and it was bad to the bone at the end.”
Bumgarner had a lot of pride in showing something to the critics in driving from ninth to the win.
“If there are still naysayers out there, let em talk,” Bumgarner said. “It’s their right. They can do whatever they want but at the end of the day, they know what it is.”
Meza led the first 55 laps, with teammate King in tow, until the battle for the lead reached its turning point, with an incident that eliminated both Matt Piercy Racing contenders.
And then, Bumgarner needed to fend off Beane, who still felt irked by what happened two weeks ago. Beane kept Bumgarner close but after a four lap battle, had to settle for second.
“I just wasn’t very good,” Beane said. “When you get wrecked, and you got to work on it until 1 o clock, you don’t have everything. I should have drove him like he did me but it’s one of those deals and it’s not who I am. He’s got a hell of a race car and I wish my car never bobbled the way his never does but we got lucky to finish second there and thanks to my guys for working hard. We’ll keep working hard and come back and win a race.”
Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He also has extensive experience covering NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt Sprint Cars.
