After a season-long back and forth battle amongst the top 5 drivers in the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division, one driver finally emerged on top. 15-year old Meridian, MS driver Spencer Hughes piloted his BJ’s Tire and Service Center sponsored Chevrolet Camaro to victory lane 16 times during the 27 week season that will officially close on September 25th, 2016. The young driver and his family operated team have battled many of the best Street Stock competitors in the country week in and week out in collecting those 16 victories. The victories accounting for his title do not take into consideration the non-points special event wins that the team grabbed as well so far during the 2016 season.
Hughes’ feat is one that will make history as he will be the youngest NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Champion to date, and also the youngest champion in the history of any NeSmith/Crate Racin’ USA sanctioned series. The mild-mannered Hughes put in the work and effort to produce a championship winning performance as he and his family team, comprised of his twin-sister Ellie, dad Johnny, and mom Jennifer built and maintained their “Hughes Your Daddy” race car in their own race shop. Along with some setup tips and work done to the Hughes machine during the early part of the season by some other racing fab shops, and the ultra-talented young driver behind the wheel, it was a winning combination that proved to be in contention anytime the team unloaded.
While Hughes was a relative newcomer to the Street Stock racing scene, he is no stranger to competition, hard work, and winning races. He was a multi-time champion in the go-kart ranks before making the move to the full size stock cars. His hands on approach to building and maintaining his race car, and his “day job” at Boland Performance/Trak Star Race Cars in Cuba, AL offers him the hands on experience to aid in his ability to setup a winning chassis. Hughes feat places him in a group of elite drivers that have claimed the NeSmith Street Stock National Championship. Hughes’ future is bright, and with the hard work, dedication, and talent the sky is the limit to where the young man could take his racing career.
Hughes, along with the top 10 drivers in all of the Crate Racin’ USA divisions, will be honored at the Annual Awards Banquet at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder Road Museum in Dawsonville, GA in January. The NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division congratulates Spencer and his team on a phenomenal 2016 season.
For more information about the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division, visit the series’ official website at www.NeSmithRacing.com.
