From Inside Line Promotions
GREAT FALLS, Mont. (July 14, 2017) – J.J. Hickle used a late-race pass to score his first career Northwest Challenge Series feature victory on Friday at Electric City Speedway.
Hickle got the call to fill in for championship points leader Travis Rilat in Richard Saumure’s No. 39c and he made the most of the opportunity by maneuvering from sixth to claim the win.
Hickle passed polesitter Sean MacDonell for the top spot on Lap 15 only to see a caution erase the move. However, Hickle regrouped and several laps later made the race-winning pass. Bill Boyce, who started seventh, passed MacDonell in the closing laps to earn the runner-up result. MacDonell rounded out the podium with Trever Kirkland placing fourth and Kelly Miller fifth.
MacDonell and Hickle were the heat race winners.
The Northwest Challenge Series, which was created under the banners of the NSA Series, which is based in Montana and has roots in Western Canada, and the Washington-state based Summer Thunder Sprint Series, returns to action on Saturday at BMP Speedway in Billings, Mont. The gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $14 for seniors, military members and students ages 12-years-old to 17-years-old. Admission is free for children ages 11 and younger. Pit passes are $30 per person.
NSA SERIES RACE REPORT: Electric City Speedway in Great Falls, Mont., on July 14, 2017 –
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 39C-J.J. Hickle (6); 2. 1-Bill Boyce (7); 3. 9-Sean MacDonell (1); 4. 37-Trever Kirkland (5); 5. 2JR-Kelly Miller (10); 6. 16-David Miller (8); 7. 14-Rob Orgar (14); 8. 38B-Brian Brown (9); 9. 57C-Chris Schmelzle (4); 10. 31-Shane Moore (13); 11. (DNF) 35M-Cody Masse (3); 12. (DNF) 2-Kyle Evans (11); 13. (DNF) 12A-Casey Adams (2); 14. (DNF) 00-Roger Cummings (12).
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 9-Sean MacDonell (1); 2. 12A-Casey Adams (5); 3. 1-Bill Boyce (3); 4. 16-David Miller (4); 5. 2-Kyle Evans (6); 6. 2JR-Kelly Miller (7); 7. 14-Rob Orgar (2).
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 39C-J.J. Hickle (4); 2. 35M-Cody Masse (2); 3. 37-Trever Kirkland (6); 4. 57C-Chris Schmelzle (7); 5. 38B-Brian Brown (5); 6. 00-Roger Cummings (1); 7. 31-Shane Moore (3).