Budds Creek, MD – Kenny Moreland of Waldorf, Maryland, took control of Friday’s “Bobbi Jo Andrews Memorial” Limited Late Model feature at the Southern Maryland Nationals, scoring a commanding victory in the 25-lap event. Driving his Rocket No. 24 car, Moreland led from the pole and never looked back, securing a $2,000 payday. The win marked Moreland’s third feature victory of the season at Potomac Speedway.
Moreland earned his pole position by delivering a strong qualifying performance, which gave him the edge on a track he described as being in top condition. “We qualified decent tonight, and when we have a 16-second track, I knew we would be pretty good,” Moreland said in victory lane, crediting his car’s 525 Crate engine for the win. “We’ve had a good season this year, and it’s a great way to kick off the weekend, especially with this being Dale Hollidge’s last race.”
Despite Moreland’s dominant showing, Kyle Hardy delivered a solid performance to finish second. Potomac Speedway’s 2024 track champion, Kyle Lear, rallied to take third, followed by Justin Williams, who started 10th, and Jeremy Pilkerton rounding out the top five.
The event attracted a strong field of 32 cars, with heat race victories going to Moreland, Hardy, Keith Jackson, and Derick Quade. George Dixon Jr. secured the B-main win.
Hatcher and Bowles Capture Support Class Wins
In the strictly stock feature, Justin Hatcher took the spotlight with a thrilling win in the 15-lap race. Hatcher, who grabbed the lead from Kelly Crouse on the eighth lap, held off a determined field to take the victory. Crouse finished second, while Greg Mattingly, Ricky Sexton, and John Hardesty rounded out the top five in the closely contested race.
In the U Car feature, Brooke Bowles led from the start and cruised to victory in the 15-lap event. The win marked her second of the season. Track champion Faith Lacey crossed the line in second place, followed by Shawn Payne, Joey Suite, and Larry Lamb, completing the top five.
Friday Night Race Results:
Limited Late Models (25 laps):
- Kenny Moreland
- Kyle Hardy
- Kyle Lear
- Justin Williams
- Jeremy Pilkerton
- Dale Hollidge
- Keith Jackson
- Brandon Long
- Derick Quade
- Austin Lathroum
(Additional finishers: Trevor Collins, Jonathan Raley, Devin Frey, Chuck Cox, Cody Lear, DJ Garrett, Wayne Bryant, Dale Murphy, Kyle Moser, Eric Groah, Sam Archer, Ray Ciccarelli, Andy Fries, George Dixon Jr.)
DNQ: John Moser, Lee Zeger, Dylan Brown, Deuce Wright, Barry Lear Sr., Chris Fretwell, Jeff King, Jason Penn
U Cars (15 laps):
- Brooke Bowles
- Faith Lacey
- Shawn Payne
- Joey Suite
- Larry Lamb
(Additional finishers: Brittany Sirakowski, George Burch, Danny Cronin, Garrett Cobb, Riley Gray, Kevin Lacey, John Burch)
Strictly Stocks (15 laps):
- Justin Hatcher
- Kelly Crouse
- Greg Mattingly
- Ricky Sexton
- John Hardesty
(Additional finishers: Sarah Culver, Larry Fuchs, Patrick Kelly, Johnny Hardesty, James Stone Jr., Dave Rutherford, Stephen Suite, Jayden Hatcher, Nabil Guffey, Shawn Howsare)
As the weekend progresses, racing action will continue at Potomac Speedway, with drivers aiming to close out their season on a high note. The Southern Maryland Nationals will see even more competition in various classes, with fans eagerly anticipating more intense racing battles.
