HICKORY, N.C. -- Winning a big race at Hickory Motor Speedway was a milestone Tyler Matthews had long been eager to cross off his bucket list.
Coming up short in a drag race against Bobby McCarty in 2021 was the closest Matthews had come to that goal prior to Saturday’s Jack Ingram Memorial, but the Richlands, North Carolina native felt confident about his chances in the crown jewel event after claiming three victories at Hickory earlier this year.
In a race that did not see one caution flag, Matthews methodically chased down pole-sitter Kade Brown and pulled away from the field to score what he considered to be the most prestigious win of his Late Model Stock career to date.
“It’s pretty cool to win one of these deals,” Matthews said. “We’ve run decent [at Hickory] in past before doing these weekly shows. Kade is always fast, and it’s fun to battle him week after week. We’ve got the speed, but to dominate in [the Jack Ingram Memorial 100] is pretty darn cool.”
RELATED: Career NASCAR stats for Tyler MatthewsAfter previously spending time in both the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series during the late 2010s, Matthews considers himself fortunate to call Hickory home.
Matthews admitted Late Model Stock races have provided him some of the toughest competition he has ever faced as a driver, with Hickory helping him emphasize the importance of saving tires on abrasive surfaces.
Those lessons were crucial toward Matthews’ strategy in the Jack Ingram Memorial. Once he felt enough of his tires had been saved, Matthews drove past Brown at the halfway point and went uncontested for the rest of the 111-lap feature.
The closest competition Matthews received in the second half came from another Late Model Stock veteran and former Xfinity Series competitor in Ronnie Bassett Jr., whose past accomplishments at Hickory include wins in the Dwight Huffman Memorial and Bobby Isaac Memorial.
Bassett was confident his car was strong enough to add a Jack Ingram Memorial victory to his Late Model Stock resume, but he ran out of time to catch Matthews with the race ultimate going green the entire distance.
“We were hoping for a caution toward the end of the race but didn’t get one,” Bassett said. “We had to go a little sooner after dropping back quite a bit, but that was the wrong decision with no cautions. The car was great, and this was a nice momentum-booster after struggling lately.”
RELATED: Follow Hickory Motor Speedway on FloRacingLike Bassett, Matthews believes his victory Saturday will provide him a jolt as he tackles the rest of Hickory’s 2023 season.
Already boasting a 34-point lead in the track’s weekly standings entering the race, Matthews took immense pride in being able to win one of Hickory’s most cherished events, which he credits to all of the hard work that goes into making him competitive at such a tough facility.
“This is awesome,” Matthews said. “[Ingram] was so big for short tracks, especially at Hickory. To come out here, run a clean race and win the Memorial says a lot about this team and the cars we’re brining. All in all, a fun weekend.”
Now that he has a crown jewel victory at Hickory, Matthews is shifting his focus over to next milestone on his list: becoming a Hickory track champion.
Brown ended up fending off Michael Bumgarner to come home in third, with 2011 Bobby Isaac Memorial winner Austin McDaniel completing the top five.