Friendship Motor Speedway - Bandolero Races - August 18th, 2007

By Jason Buckley

RACING AT FRIENDSHIP A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE HICKS

The car count for the Bandoleros at Friendship Motor Speedway hasn’t been the best for the past three weeks.  With less than five cars showing up to race, there hasn’t been much to talk about. 

Do not tell that to the Hicks family though. 

Saturday at the facility, Tony Hicks got to enjoy something few parents do – watch his children race together on a track at the same time where he once was victorious himself.

Benji Hicks has been racing Bandoleros in the Young Guns division this season at Friendship, but joining him Saturday was his sister Katie.  Entering the Bandolero Bandits division for her first race, Katie joined the combined Bandolero division event with her brother as the only two on the track.  While Benji took the overall win and the Young Guns divisional victory, Katie got track time and the Bandits division victory.

The Hicks family in victory lane. (LN Photo)

“Since it is my first race, I am glad I finished and didn’t tear up anything,” said Katie.  “It is pretty good.”

Benji Hicks (left) took off and left his sister Katie (right) in the dust. (LN Photo)

During the 10-lap feature event, Katie saw her brother take off and run fast.  He did back off on a few occasions to let her catch up, but eventually lapped her on the track.

“I was supposed to stay with my sister,” said Benji.  “She is just way too slow for me.  I walked off and left her, but when I move up next year to the Legends next year I hope she progresses well and wins some races.

“It helped me and it helped her.  It was her first time ever in the car.  We were going to go to Concord and have her get in the Beginner Bandits like I did at the beginning of this year, but we didn’t get a chance to.  It is probably a good thing because she was real scared when she first got in the car and when she lost her brakes.  I am glad she gained her confidence back to get back into the car, and I am glad she had fun.”

For Tony Hicks, watching his two children on the track racing together made him nervous but proud.

Benji (top) and Katie (bottom) each got to take the checkered flag around the track on a victory lap.

“I love to watch them race,” said Tony.  “I raced dirt for 17 years.  Matter of fact I owned Friendship Speedway for two years back when it was dirt.  I had 69 career victories, and there is nothing like watching these kids run. 

“The anticipation of not really knowing what she (Katie) was going to do made me nervous.  She has run around there in the parking lot at the shop.  I was really scared.  She never held it wide open all the way, but her brother has put enough pressure on her that I am sure we will see her up to speed soon.”

While Tony wanted Benji to help his sister out a little more on the track, he was fine with them not running side by side due to the “unknown”.

“I was trying to get him run a little slower and help her gradually get her speed up and run with him,” said Tony.  “I didn’t want them to run side-by-side because of the unknown factor of what she might do.  On the Go-Kart track she will take him out.  Of course they are running considerably slower on the Go-Kart tracks.  Maybe she will learn from him and get a little faster as time goes on.”

Results

1)Benji Hicks (YG Winner)

2)Katie Hicks (Bandits Winner)