06/14/2026
Swift Creek Contracting 35 Recap
Heat, Horsepower, and Great Racing at South Boston Speedway
The Southern Ground Pounders rolled into historic South Boston Speedway for Race No. 4 of the 2026 season, and Mother Nature made sure everyone knew she was in charge. Temperatures soared throughout the day, with trackside conditions pushing well beyond the century mark. It was the kind of day that tested equipment, drivers, and crews long before the green flag ever flew.
The 35-lap feature was proudly sponsored by Swift Creek Contracting, and we extend a huge thank you to them for coming on board and supporting the series. Their sponsorship helped make the event possible and sent competitors home with some cold hard cash at the end of the night—the only thing cold at the racetrack all day.
Ten cars would make the feature after two rounds of practice. Pill draw set the starting lineup, placing Dylan Jenks in the Larry Davenport-owned Sportsman machine on the pole, with Chris Hicks' Modified to his outside on the front row.
Before the race even began, the heat and wear of the day started taking their toll. Mack Tatum and racing legend James Turner both elected to drop to the rear after mechanical concerns surfaced during practice. Frank Hicks' night would end before it truly began, as a rear-end issue under the pace laps forced the Sportsman competitor to pull pit side before the green flag ever waved.
When the field rolled into Turn 1 for the start, Chris Hicks wasted no time asserting himself. The Modified driver powered off Turn 2 with the overall lead while Dylan Jenks settled into command of the Sportsman division. Behind him, Barry Dalton, Josh Roberts, and Bobby Griffin formed an intense four-car battle that would remain one of the night's defining storylines.
Meanwhile, Shayne Lockhart's Modified was on the move.
Lockhart used the outside groove to work his way past the Sportsman leaders and quickly set his sights on Hicks. The two Modifieds established themselves at the front while the battle behind had Jenks, Dalton, Roberts, and Griffin all under a blanket letting the laps click off in the oppressive heat.
Hicks would set the pace for the Modified leaders as the four-car train behind continued to battle. Jenks maintained control of the Sportsman division while Dalton rode comfortably in third among the Modifieds. Roberts and Griffin remained glued to the rear bumper of the cars ahead, waiting patiently for an opportunity as the laps clicked away.
The turning point in the Modified battle came when Hicks slipped exiting Turn 2, opening the door just enough for Lockhart to capitalize. Lockhart seized the opportunity, powered into the lead, and never looked back. Hicks remained close enough to apply pressure, but Lockhart never bobbled and cruised to another Modified victory.
Behind them, Jenks continued to set the pace for the pack.
With 12 laps remaining, Jenks washed up and left a hole for Dalton to capitalize on. Dalton drove through the opening and brought Roberts and Griffin with him. Jenks would hang tough on the outside for a lap before falling back to third.
Once in clean air, Dalton and Roberts would stretch the gap out over Griffin and Jenks. Dalton appeared headed for a solid third-place Modified finish while Roberts began to pull away in the Sportsman division. Griffin settled into second while Jenks regrouped and continued to turn competitive laps.
Bob Wallace battled handling issues throughout the feature but kept the leaders within sight and brought home a fourth-place finish in the Sportsman division.
Further back, Mack Tatum's day ended early after a rear-end failure that mirrored issues experienced during practice. Recognizing the warning signs before greater damage occurred, Tatum wisely parked the car and preserved equipment for another day.
As the field took the white flag, disaster nearly struck on the backstretch, Dalton suffered a catastrophic rear-end failure that snapped the panhard bar and instantly sent the car sideways. Dalton showcased tremendous talent and experience by gathering the car up and guiding it safely to the bottom of the racetrack. Roberts showed equal awareness by avoiding the incident. It was heads-up driving by both competitors that prevented what could have been a catastrophic accident.
With the checkered flag in the air, Josh Roberts claimed the Sportsman victory. Bobby Griffin finished second, Dylan Jenks came home third. Wallace crossed the line fourth in Sportsman.
And then there was James Turner.
At 82 years old, racing in temperatures well over 100 degrees, Turner once again reminded everyone why he is considered one of the sport's true legends. After starting at the rear, he logged every lap and brought his machine home fifth in class, proving experience and determination remain powerful assets behind the wheel.
When the dust settled, South Boston Speedway had once again delivered exactly what fans have come to expect: close racing, hard-fought battles, and drivers pushing through some of the toughest conditions of the season.
A huge thank you once again to Swift Creek Contracting for sponsoring the event and supporting the Southern Ground Pounders.
The season moves quickly, and so do the Southern Ground Pounders. After surviving one of the hottest races of the year, the series returns to action this Saturday night at Dominion Raceway. If South Boston was any indication, fans are in for another great night of vintage short-track racing. 🏁
