Hodgson Lands Top-10 In K&N Pro Series East Debut
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Cody Hodgson of Escalon, Calif., finished 10th in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Saturday, April 2. Hodgson also qualified the No. 03 Ocala Gran Prix Dodge in the Top-10 in his series debut with Dave Davis Motorsports, posting the ninth-fastest speed on the 32-car starting grid. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate rallied for the impressive finish after twice pitting to fix damage suffered in accidents involving other cars. In a race featuring 19 rookies in the field, only four of them finished ahead of Hodgson.
WHO: Cody Hodgson, Escalon, Calif.
TEAM: Dave Davis Motorsports No. 03 Ocala Gran Prix Dodge
WHAT: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150
WHERE: Greenville Pickens Speedway, Greenville, S.C. (.500-mile oval)
STARTED: 9th
FINISHED: 10th
LAPS LED: 0 times for 0 laps
NEXT RACE: April 16, South Boston 150, South Boston Speedway, South Boston, Va., (.400-mile oval)
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CODY, TALK ABOUT YOUR RACE TONIGHT.
That first 50 laps, it was really about feeling everything out, feeling out what the car was going to do and the guys I was racing with that I’ve never raced with before. Once I got in my groove, it was a lot of fun.
Despite the fact that we had to pit twice and come back up through the field, I was really happy with my performance, and the team was happy with my performance. It makes you confident knowing that you can have a good day after all we went through.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BOTH QUALIFY AND FINISH IN THE TOP-10 IN YOUR FIRST K&N PRO SERIES EAST RACE?
I’m more than happy to just finish in the Top-10 in my first race, especially with everything that happened in the middle of the race. With having to pit a couple of times and all the damage we hand and then having to restart in the back, I wasn’t even sure if I’d get anywhere near the Top-10.
The guys did awesome job in the pits to get us a good car. Had we we been better early on and qualified a little better, we had a Top-5 car, no problem, which is awesome.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE HEADING INTO SOUTH BOSTON IN TWO WEEKS?
I know know what I need to do now, what I can get out of the car in qualifying, especially. Qualifying is really, really important in these races. But at the same time, if I don’t get the qualifying I want, I know that I can just settle in early, stay out of wrecks and be able to move to the front.
I kept the car clean, never gave up and still came out of there with a Top-10 finish. So, I’m really excited about keeping things going.