Friendship Motor Speedway isn’t located in downtown Elkin, North Carolina but it very well could’ve been Saturday night. “Downtown” Michael Brown owned the night at the 4/10-mile clay oval, sweeping both 20-lap features for the FASTRAK Racing Series.
Brown completed a perfect night at Friendship Motor Speedway by winning both of his heat races, starting on the pole for both races and leading all 40 laps contested.
“It feels awesome. I’ve just got to thank the Lord for making all of this possible,” Brown said in victory lane. “I just have a lot of awesome people behind me and that’s what it takes. I can’t thank C&R Handiworks, Charles Ellis and Linda Ellis enough for an awesome race car. This thing was just flawless tonight and I’m just blessed to be able to drive it.”
Although he parked the No. 32 Pro Late Model in victory lane twice, his path to get there was much contrast in the way he got there.
In the first half of the doubleheader, Brown needed to fend off heavy pressure from Carson Ferguson throughout the 20-lap race. After an extended red flag period for a pileup in turn four involving Benji Hicks, Matthew Nance and many others, the two drivers resumed their battle for the lead.
Ultimately, it came down to a one-lap shootout on a restart with one lap remaining. Brown was able to pull away from Ferguson to score his first career FASTRAK Racing Series victory.
Ferguson finished second, while Justin Hudspeth, Nick Schlager and Michael Bland completed the top five.
Over two hours later, the journey to victory lane was much easier for Brown. In a much smoother affair than the first race, Michael Brown pulled away from outside polesitter Dillon Brown early in the race and crossed under the checkered flag nearly five seconds ahead of the field.
“I was just trying to bide my time and not make any mistakes,” Michael Brown said of the second race. “The ones that finished behind me, Dillon is one of the best crate racers in the country. It means a lot to them.”
Dillon Brown finished a distant second, while Justin Hudspeth earned his second third-place finish of the night. Carson Ferguson and Corey Almond completed the top five.
Friday night’s doubleheader was the first of two scheduled doubleheaders for the FASTRAK Racing Series at Friendship Motor Speedway this weekend. FASTRAK will return to Elkin, North Carolina Sunday night for a pair of $2,500-to-win races.
The four races – two on Friday and two on Sunday – will make up this year’s FASTRAK Triple Crown.
