It’s always a big deal to win races at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville but it was even more meaningful for Michael House to win the 2021 opener on Saturday night.
The 2018 Pro Late Model track champion raced with a special hood that featured the names of car owners Jonathan and Jenn Brown, who were killed in a car accident in October. House first ran the hood on Nov. 1 in the Pro Late Model portion of the All-American 400 weekend.
“It’s a deal where Jonathan and Jenn lost their daughter last year,” House said in victory lane as heard on the Speed51.com broadcast. “We’ve been excited to run it, not only at the All-American right after she passed, but to carry it for the whole year in remembrance of her. So far, she’s been really good luck for us on the hood. We finished second at the All American, had a good car and come out with the win to start this year.”
Following a caution on Lap 50, House took the lead from USAC ace Kody Swanson and led the rest of the way.
“It’s probably the best car I’ve had here that I can ever remember. I have to give all the thanks to Jonathan Brown for good equipment. I know we have to work on it but having a good car owner willing to spend the money to make it go faster goes a long way.
“I really can’t thank all the guys at Rackley WAR enough. Willie (Allen) has an unbelievable shock package. I can’t stress enough how good it really is.”
Jake Garcia finished second after making a last-minute decision to enter the 30-car field.
“We started 10th and put ourselves in a hole in qualifying, but we worked our way up,” said Garcia. “Got a few at the beginning and tried to save our tires for the end.”
Swanson, who is attempting to make a run at a NASCAR career following a decade of dominance in USAC Sprint Cars and Champ Cars, fell out of the race on Lap 91 with an expired clutch in his Platinum Motorsports No. 26.
“The clutch started slipping, going out, whatever it is,” Swanson said. “A bit of uncharted territory for me, but part of racing. It started at the beginning. I felt bad, guys were getting called back for bad starts and it wasn’t their fault. I was trying to go with them and just couldn’t. Once we got going, we were pretty sporty.”
The next race at Fairgrounds Speedway is the May 8 Music City 200 with the ARCA Menards East Series. The card also include a Super Late Model race co-sanctioned by the Southern Super Series, CARS Tour, CRA Super Series and a Pro Late Model race that pays points to both the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour and the monthly Pro Late Model division.
RESULTS
- Michael House
- Jake Garcia
- Jackson Boone
- Christopher Tullis
- Cole Williams
- Dylan Jones
- Garrett Dies
- Hunter Wright
- Chase Johnson
- Bryson Shaffer
- Tandy Marlin
- Zach Johnson
- Bennie Hamlett
- Mason Mingus
- Kody Swanson
- Jim Wall
- Jordon Riddick
- Jolynn Wilkinson
- Dylan Fetcho
- Kyle Neveau
- William Hale
- Davey Coble
- Austin Wilson
- Daniel Bolden
- Austin Brawley
- Michael Bolden
- Tracy Green
- Billy Sisco
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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.