DirtonDirt Dispatches
Dispatches: Hicks shows speed at the Gauntlet
Benji Hicks's mangled bodywork. (Bumper Jack's Race Talk/Facebook)
Among the latest notes and quotes from Dirt Late Model action, including the Gauntlet at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., and other regional weekend events:
Benji stands out
In a field stacked with superstar national names, Benji Hicks of Mount Airy, N.C., made noise for the regional racers during Wednesday night’s Round 2 of the Gauntlet at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
The 30-year-old finished second in the unsanctioned 40-lap feature won by Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., continuing a solid start to the 2026 season for the builder of the Double Nickel Chassis. He’s yet to reach victory lane but he’s certainly knocking on the door with two runner-up placings among his four top-five and seven top-10 runs in nine feature starts.
While Hicks, who started fourth after a heat win, appeared in second on a lap-three restart after Tuesday winner Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., slapped the turn-one wall and never relinquished the spot, he crossed the finish line with the right-rear decking and quarter-panel of his No. 55 thoroughly mangled from earlier incidents. That included a lap-36 run-in with Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., whose attempt to slide past Hicks for second ended with the 50-year-old veteran smashing the turn-two wall.
“I thought we was gonna have a good, clean race, and 44 comes in there and parks it on my nose,” Hicks said of Madden’s bid for second. “And you know, I guess it was one of those split-second decisions, and I’m sure he’s gonna say I made the wrong one. I’m gonna say he made the wrong one, so it is what it is. We’ll live to fight another day.”
Madden, whose Infinity Chassis house car was towed off after the wreck, had no comment on the circumstances of the tangle when contacted by DirtonDirt. He did note that the damage to his car was for the most part “just cosmetic” and he would be back at Volunteer for Friday and Saturday’s $20,000- and $30,000-to-win events to close the Gauntlet.
Hicks, meanwhile, will have to “put a deck in this thing again” after needing to make repairs following his 12th-place finish in Tuesday’s feature, but he’ll do so with his spirits riding high thanks to his strong run.
“I was just trying to keep the car underneath me,” said Hicks, who never seriously challenged Overton en route to finishing 2.668 seconds behind the $10,000 victor. “They told us on the Raceceiver (one-way radio) rather than going double-file on that last restart there (following Madden’s crash) they was gonna do single-file because it was starting to take rubber … and I thought all of us was kind of running the same speed. I mean, when it takes you 10 laps to get by a lapped car, that’s a telltale sign (of the surface locking down).”
Hicks, whose other second-place finish this season came in March 28’s Coltman Farms Carolina Clash-sanctioned Doug Walls Memorial at Friendship Motor Speedway in Elkin, N.C., gave some thanks during the post-race ceremonies to people who played key roles in his success.
“I gotta give a shout out to (fellow racer) Alex Vance and his crew for jumping in and helping us here (get ready) for the feature,” Hicks said. “And a big shout out to P1 Suspension, Precision Suspension with Sammy and Pete — man, we got on their stuff at the end of the year last year and it’s really been a, been a game-changer for us. And a huge shout out to (veteran engine builder) Randy Clary — we got on his carburetors and Brandon (Overton) is on one of them too, so they run flawless and definitely help keep 900 horsepower hooked up.”
Hicks was also complementary of Volunteer promoter Vic Hill putting on the Gauntlet.
“Hopefully all these fans (watching) on TV (the live stream broadcast) and the ones here are supporting Vic Hill,” Hicks said. “I think it’s a great deal what he’s doing here and I think it’s gonna be an awesome, awesome deal for the future.” — Staff and track reports
Oregon driver returns
In his 20s, Jeremy Shank was among the fastest Late Model racers at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., evolving from a champion of the track’s super sport division into Super Late Models and capturing a pair of titles on what’s today the Coors Light I-5 Silver Bullet Series.
The 47-year-old Shank been out of the driver's seat most of the past 15 seasons, raising a family and operating Albany, Ore.-based Left Coast Motorsports, but he’s planning a return in 2026.
Shank has reached an agreement to pilot the B.J. Donofrio-owned Skyline Ford Swartz Chassis No. 99 at Willamette and perhaps I-5 tour events.
"I’ve got to shake off some rust and get used to being back out there with some tough competition, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do,” Shank said. "Willamette Speedway has always been known for the highest level of competition, especially in the Late Models where you’ve got the best of the best in our region.”
Shank, whose I-5 championships came in 2009 and ’11, has made occasional starts over the years, winning Willamette’s $5,000 Clair Cup in the Late Model division in 2016 and last winning a Late Model feature in 2021.
He’s set to start the season at the NASCAR-sanctioned track with Saturday’s Dirty Diamond 60 for the Albany Toyota-sponsored Late Model division, a race in honor of the track’s 60th season. The track has posted a $7,000 championship with potential earnings of $50,000 for regional and national NASCAR titles. — Track reports
Streaming schedule
Among upcoming Dirt Late Model special and sanctioned events available via live streaming:
Friday, April 17
• The Gauntlet third prelim at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. (The Thrill TV)
• Northern Allstars Late Model Series at Paragon (Ind.) Speedway (Hunt the Front TV)
• Nutrien Ag Revival Super Dirt Series at Kennedale (Texas) Speedway Park (RaceON)
Saturday, April 18
• The Gauntlet finale at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. (The Thrill TV)
• Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series at Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway (Hunt the Front TV)
• Northern Allstars Late Model Series at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway (Hunt the Front TV)
• Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio (FloRacing)
• Unsanctioned Super Late Models at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway (FloRacing)
• RUSH Crate Late Model Series at Pittsburgh’s Pa. Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa. (Dirt TV)
• Rogers-Dabbs Crate Racin’ USA 604 Series at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga. (Crate Racin’ USA TV)
• Save A Lot American Crate All-Star Series at 191 Speedway in Campton, Ky. (Dirt Rich TV)
• Nutrien Ag Revival Super Dirt Series at Kennedale (Texas) Speedway Park (RaceON)
• Best Plumber 604 Crate Racing Series at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway (Dirt Rich TV)
