ROCKINGHAM — Sergio Pena snagged his third checkered flag — and a $3,500 check — on Saturday to sweep the inaugural season of the Crown 9 Champion Series at Rockingham Speedway.
“Three in a row…man what a year,” Pena said after securing a hard-fought victory on the infield road course. “To go from finding out about this in July … now having won all three of them … It was a heck of a roller coaster, it was a lot of work, but such a fun time.”
There were 14 drivers for the final race, which Pena said was “a good amount for this size track.”
“The biggest challenge is everyone dropping tires off once in a while, creating a dirty mess across the whole road,” Pena said. “There’s only so much you can do…the ground is sandy here…but, you have to drive through it.”
Pena acknowledged the work of the track crew, issuing cautions when the track needed to be cleared and “letting us race through the conditions when it was acceptable to do so.”
“It made it challenging, it made it fun and you had to drive,” Pena continued. “It wasn’t all about who had the best car … a lot of it, too, was just about car control.”
Pena led the first heat race after qualifying but faced a challenge from first-time series racer Derick Gaskins, a drifter who competes with the MB Drift grassroots series.
“It was cool to see … Gaskins out here…sliding sideways, he was at home out here,” Pena said. “We had a good battle…He did a great job staying consistent.”
Gaskins, who finished seventh in MB Drift’s 2024 competitive season at the Rock earlier in the year, managed to get around Pena after a hard bump and led several laps.
Click here to read about the MB Drift season finale.
Gaskins admitted later that his brakes locked up and he tried not to hit Pena.
However, Pena was able to regain the lead around the second turn heading into the final lap.
“That lap car allowed me to get to him and I gave him the bump back and I was able to get by for the win.”
During the final showdown, Pena’s main competitor was once again Mark Dysart.
Click here to read about Race 1.
Click here to read about Race 2.
Dysart stayed on Pena’s bumper throughout the race and managed to get the jump on the rolling restart after Gaskins — who battled Jon Morton for third — had to bow out a second time.
The two veteran drivers were neck and neck heading into Turn 1, but Pena was able to pull ahead coming out of the second turn.
“When you get two cars wide, you slow down so much that eventually you either have to make the pass or give up, let them go, because …the guys behind you are gonna catch you,” Dysart said.
“I gave it a valiant effort,” Dysart continued. “Sergio is a hell of a driver … just can’t quite get that one more spot. Maybe next year.”
Coming in third was local driver and another newcomer to the series, EHS Racing owner Eric Sutton, driving for the Franklin’s Rod Shop team.
Sutton has some experience with four-wheelers, dirt bikes and drag racing, but this was his first time on a road course.
“It’s great, man. I mean there’s not much more opportunity to just go out there and send it without a care in the world and that’s what happened,” said Sutton, thanking the track and team. “We’re just gonna keep on sending it.”
Sutton was driving the new No. 13 car. The original car — driven by Steven Franklin in the first race and Alex Bradley in the second — was repainted and renumbered 07 with Bradley behind the wheel.
Other local drivers included: Eli Russell and Andy Cooke, with the Cooke Boys Septic Services team; and veteran lawnmower racer Rex Crouch.
Russell wasn’t able to drive in the final race after his alternator died near the start line after the driver introductions.
(Note: Full results were not available at the time of publication.)
Pena runs a driving school at the speedway and says he isn’t going anywhere before next season.
The 2025 season is scheduled to have nine races and the dates are already on the track’s schedule: March 22; April 26; May 10; June 7; July 12; Aug. 2; Sept. 6; Oct. 4; and Nov. 1.
There were originally five races slated for this season, but the October race was canceled in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the final was moved due to ongoing construction projects to prep the speedway for the return of NASCAR in April, as well as the Holiday lights show starting later this month. Tickets for the NASCAR event — featuring races in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck series, as well as the ARCA Menards Series East — went on sale Nov. 1.
“I’m definitely going to spend the winter going through this car,” Pena said. “I need to give this thing some TLC, hopefully we can find some areas and make it handle a little bit better and keep on going with our win streak.”
