With the NASCAR National Series serving a two-week break for the Olympics, local short track racing will take center stage in the United States Motorsport world. This past weekend’s zMAX CARS Tour Series events at Hickory Motor Speedway were wild, and at the end of it all, Ronnie Bassett Jr. and Jimmy Renfrew Jr. took their respective first career wins in the Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model divisions.
Bassett’s win came in wild fashion as Ryan Millington and Connor Hall went over the line with one another while battling for the lead in the closing laps of the race. As Hall got around Millington with contact for the lead with one lap to go, Millington was determined to get revenge. And he did. He turned Hall on the final lap for the win, but CARS Tour officials stripped the win from Millington, and awarded it to Bassett, who had been scored the runner-up finisher.
After the call, a fist fight broke out on pit road.
? Another unbelievable @CARSTour finish at @hickoryspeedway! #carstour pic.twitter.com/9S5OVsYKbN
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) July 28, 2024
While the finish of the Late Model Stock race was crazy, there were even more fireworks that flew during the race (and after it as well) as Andrew Grady and Landon Huffman had an on-track altercation with 65 laps remaining in the event.
It looked like Grady was squeezed into the outside wall by the No. 51 car, which caused Grady to abruptly slow in front of Huffman. Huffman made contact, which sent Grady spinning to the inside of the track, where he backed hard into the outside wall.
Grady would climb from his car and throw his HANS device at Huffman’s car as he drove by.
?? @LandonHuffman receives a free HANS device at @hickoryspeedway @CARSTour pic.twitter.com/FU0sEvw7TZ
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) July 28, 2024
After getting changed out of his firesuit, Grady was seething angry about the incident, and he made it known that he was pissed at Huffman.
“In the words of Denny Hamlin: Landon Huffman, you’re a hack, it’s no wonder you lost your ride with the No. 22, you’re absolute– you’re a trash panda, bud.”@FlashOutGrady sends a clear message to @LandonHuffman after crashing out early at Hickory.
?: @soundlink_trent pic.twitter.com/4NYbUdK4Jb
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) July 28, 2024
“In the words of Denny Hamlin, Landon Huffman, you’re a hack. It’s no wonder you lost your ride with the [No.] 22 [team]. You’re an absolute trash can, bud,” Grady exclaimed to Frontstretch.com. “I don’t know, what are we doing? We’re 60 laps in, we’re running for 12th. I’m already loose. For God’s sake man, I know we’re racing, I know we’ve got to go, I get it. But when you’ve got me sideways, crack the throttle. That’s a brand new race car, and now that race car is killed. But it’s okay because before he leaves, he’ll know I’m pissed.”
When asked if he would be talking to Huffman before leaving the track, Grady fired back with, “Oh yeah, he and I are going to have a conversation before we leave this racetrack because that was bullshit. This is why the CARS Tour has become a problem. Instead of setting guys up like we used to do back in the day if you can’t pass ’em, wreck ’em. I just don’t understand — were we good? No. Were we decent? Yes. Dude, if you’re that much better than me, turn underneath me and drive by me. Don’t destroy my race car. Too much time, too much effort goes into this for dumb shit like that to happen.”
As the race concluded, Huffman notes that Grady tossed dirt and grass in his No. 37 car as he was rolling back down pit road.
“Dude throws dirt and grass in my window when I come down pit road but sure as hell never came and said a word,” Huffman posted.
After the race was over, Grady’s team members were locked into a brawl with Treyten Lapcevich’s team, in a seemingly unrelated incident. According to Treyten Lapcevich, Jacvk McNelly — the founder of CARS Tour — was escorting Grady back to his team hauler due to the post-race dirt toss incident. Lapcevich says Grady push McNelly, which caused McNelly to hit the ground. At that moment, the Lapcevich No. 72 team jumped into the fray to break up the situation.
“Since there hasn’t really been good coverage of the whole story. Jack McNelly was trying to escort Grady back to his trailer after throwing dirt at Landon’s car. Andrew pushed Jack to the ground and he hit his head hard, which caused our crew to step in and break it up,” Lapcevich posted on X.
Since there hasn’t really been good coverage of the whole story. Jack McNelly was trying to escort Grady back to his trailer after throwing dirt at Landons car. Andrew pushed Jack to the ground and he hit his head hard, which caused our crew to step in and break it up.
— Treyten Lapcevich (@TreytenL) July 29, 2024
Here is a video of the post-race brawl:
Andrew Grady and his crew were involved in a brawl at Hickory:
(video via @soundlink_trent) pic.twitter.com/YMnKfeFhbk
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) July 28, 2024
Following a testy exchange there, Grady’s crew confronted Huffman about their mid-race incident. After the shouting match, Huffman weighed in on the crash between the two drivers.
“[Andrew Grady] wants to call me a hack, that’s fine – I got a couple championships and about 40 late model stock wins that he can suck on” -Landon Huffman after the race at Hickory:
? @soundlink_trent pic.twitter.com/DoM1EhcPCr
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) July 28, 2024
“I mean the dude tried to wreck for 30 laps, held everybody up, raced everybody like shit, and then literally just stopped in front of me on the backstretch. I’m not here to wreck people,” Huffman explained. “He’s going to call me a hack? I’ve watched that dude race for 15 years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him win one race. I’ve seen him crash more race cars than races he’s finished. And they spend a hell of a lot of money — probably more than anybody out here. So, if he wants to call me a hack, that’s fine, I’ve got a couple of championships and about 40 Late Model Stock wins he can suck on.”
When asked if he would have a conversation with Grady, Huffman said there was no point to a conversation.
“Fuck no, no, sorry for my language, but no. It’s not worth it,” Huffman said. “[You] think you can have a conversation with that guy? No. I don’t even think his parents could have a conversation with him, they tried for 20 years.”
Sheesh, with action like this in Hickory, we have plenty going on in the racing world to hold our attention while NASCAR serves its two week break.
Correction notice: Andrew Grady’s team was involved in an altercation on pit road with Treyten Lapcevich’s team after Saturday’s race at Hickory, not Huffman’s. Grady’s team then had words with Huffman after that scuffle. Originally the story stated that Huffman’s team was involved in the post-race scuffle, they were not.
2 Responses
You realize your article needs to be ammended. None of what occured on pit road was Landon or his team.
Absolutely, story had been ammended by the time your comment posted, and a notice of correction was added to the bottom of the story.