(NEWPORT, TENNESSEE) – It’s been an impressive season for Carson Brown (New London, NC) on the ASA STARS National Tour. The second-year driver has transformed from a regular contender into a championship-caliber driver, given his track record thus far in 2026.
Before Brown even rolled into Newport, Tennessee for the HickoryHillTN.com 325 presented by Appalachian Sucker Punch, he had already pocketed three wins and a string of healthy finishes along the way.
Not even a back-and-forth battle with fellow North Carolina driver Matt Craig (Kannapolis, NC) could slow down Brown from picking up his fourth win of the season.
Brown made the final pass for the win on lap 324 to win the 325-lap race. Craig had led lap 323 on the race’s final restart, but he could not clear Brown for the win.
It was a career-best finish for Craig, who won the Hamke Racecars Pole award earlier in the night. Craig became the sixth different driver in six races to set fast time in 2026.
From there, Craig led a race-high 188 laps to post the highest lap leader total of his career. Despite Craig not having yet won an ASA STARS National Tour event, he is still high on the all-time lap leader list, having led seven times in prior events.
Kasey Kleyn (Quincy, Washington) charged from 10th to post a third-place finish, a career-best for him and his first top five finish on the 2026 season.
George Phillips (Charlotte, NC) was fourth, and Dylan Bates (Fair Grove, MO) was fifth.
Sixth through 10 were Casey Roderick, Kyle Steckly, Derek Thorn, Colby Howard, and Keelan Harvick in his first ASA STARS National Tour event.
The STARS of the ASA STARS National Series will be back in action on Wednesday, August 26th for the Michigan 300 at Owosso Speedway in Ovid, Michigan.
ASA STARS National Tour
The ASA STARS National Tour is one of the premier Super Late Model touring series in the United States, showcasing elite drivers and teams at some of the most iconic short tracks in the country. Owned and operated by MDM Promotions, the series continues the long-standing tradition of ASA-sanctioned racing while delivering a national platform for top-level competition. The ASA STARS National Tour is committed to competitive excellence, strong partnerships, and preserving the heritage of short track racing while building for the future.
