Matt Craig is among the first drivers to file their entry for the ASA STARS National Tour “Tar Heel 250′ at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Craig, who won the most recent ASA Southern Super Series event at Montgomery Motor Speedway on April 13, will come to Hickory 8th in the ASA STARS Championship Points standings, after finishing 14th in the Clyde Hart Memorial 200 at New Smyrna Speedway, and 5th at Five Flags Speedway in the Sunshine State 200.
The win in the ASA Southern Super Series “Rumble by the River 125” at Montgomery was the first victory in a super late model for Craig since winning the All-American 200 at Nashville in 2021, a drought of over 2-1/2 years. The team came into the 2024 season with momentum after a respectable but winless 2023, and the Montgomery win has helped with confidence and morale.
“It was a good feeling to get back into victory lane at Montgomery,” said Craig. “We led a lot of laps and started up front a bunch last year and we just couldn’t bring it home. Now we know we can put it all together and that really helps momentum going forward.”
He (should) feel good about Hickory, also. Despite posting a disappointing 15th place finish in the Tar Heel 250 last spring, Craig was fastest in qualifying – winning the GoFas Pole Award and a $1,000 bonus.
“Hickory is exciting for us on so many levels,” added Craig. “For one it’s close for the friends and family and we all get to sleep in our own beds that week. Also, we have had success at Hickory. Last year we had a great car, but a flat tire cost us two laps and we were never able to recover from that. I feel like we had a car capable of winning. We want to go back this year and keep that trophy in North Carolina.”
Craig led the third most laps on the ASA STARS National Tour in 2023, despite not running all the races. He was second in the ASA Southern Super Series points in a battle that went down to the final race. He ended the year with a solid fifth-place run in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway (FL).
The Tar Heel 250 is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, May 22-23 at Hickory Motor Speedway. The event will serve as race #3 of the ASA Stars National Tour season. The Tar Heel 250 will be co-sanctioned by the ASA Southern Super Series.
The midweek return of the ASA STARS National Tour will take place just prior to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s huge Memorial Day Weekend NASCAR events.
