For four years (2020-2023), AJ Hicks was the champion of his home track, Willard Speedway. That success translated to three titles (2021-2023) in the Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet American All-Star Weekly Series Presented by PPM Racing Products. Obviously, Hicks mastered Willard, but what could he do elsewhere, some quipped?
“I kept hearing that we weren’t good enough to [run the touring series],” said Hicks, of Grayson, Kentucky. “Me and a buddy of mine got tired of hearing it, so let’s try it, let’s see how good we are.”
The Start of the Season for AJ Hicks
AJ Hicks started off the year by venturing to a new track — Sugar Creek Raceway— for the first time. He finished second to Dillon Brown, a driver who’s no stranger to winning big shows in the American All-Stars. As the season progressed, Hicks quickly found himself in the points lead as a touring series rookie.
While the wins didn’t come as frequently as at Willard, Hicks consistently finished up front. That is, until the fall months hit.
The Turning Point
His first and only series win came at Lake Cumberland Speedway in September, a $10,000 victory. That triumph turned his season around — but not in a good way.
After the series tested his winning engine, Hicks forgot to change the timing of the power plant back to what he had it. With less umph, Hicks finished eighth in October at the next race at Mountain Motor Speedway.
The Second-to-Last Race
Later that month, during the practice night before race day at Natural Bridge Speedway, he blew up his engine. Hicks’ brother drove through the night from Kentucky to Virginia to take a borrowed engine from a buddy to Hicks. They installed it and Hicks raced. On the fifth lap, though, Hicks’ night came to an end.
“Sometimes, it rubbers up [at Natural Bridge],” Hicks said. “It wasn’t going to rubber up that night, but I had it in my mind that it was going to — I needed to get every position I could get. I was racing Benji Hicks and he left a little bit of lane up against the wall, and I tried to thread the needle. I barely rubbed it and it cut the right-front tire down.
“I’m usually never aggressive early, but I was aggressive early that night. I was trying to get a little more [points] lead going into the last race.”
The Conclusion to the Rookie Season for AJ Hicks
At the season finale at Beckley Motor Speedway, the transmission ear on the ball spline broke, and the driveline came out, and with it his championship hopes were dashed.
AJ Hicks finished second in points, not too shabby for a first-time tour racer, and won the rookie of the year honors. The experience gave Hicks a new appreciation for running a traveling series.
“It’s so hard, and none of us do it for a living,” said Hicks. “It’s just me and another boy who helps me and works through the day like me. Every evening during the tour, we were either working on tires, working on the car, getting stuff ready for the next race. It was killing me trying to work 40 hours and I have two young boys and a wife, and try to give them time. It was a lot.”
It made not seem it, but that American All-Star Series Presented by PPM Racing Products runner-up trophy certainly deserves a prime spot on Hicks’ mantel. It may have been his biggest accomplishment yet.
Outside Groove Note of Transparency: Outside Groove is a sponsor of the American All-Star Series. The American All-Star Series paid for the production of this article. The content is not subject to the approval of the American All-Star Series.
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
