Hilltop Speedway / AWESOME STUFF !

This is the photo that officially got me hooked on dirt Late Model photography, when I saw this in print there was no turning back. Taken at Cherokee NC Speedway during a former STARS race, I was using a second hand Sears 35mm with a manual focus, 1:1.8 = 55mm lens. Although not a bad camera it is poorly suited for this type of photography and pales in comparison with my Nikon D1X currently in use. With that being said 10 years later and I have yet to capture another shot that compares with this one. So goes my 15 minutes of fame. Today I manage and produce all the content for www.hilltopspeedway.net, write weekly results and advertising for Hilltop Speedway, manage my own business - "Midnight Deere Delivery", and still take a few photos when the opportunity presents itself. The downside to all this is I no longer visit dozens of race tracks every year and my personal website - www.raceohio.com has also suffered. I wouldn't change a thing right now because I take pride that this website is like no other, continues to improve as I figure things out, and content builds as I record Hilltops formative years. My photos can be found on the web at Race Ohio, Hilltop Full Results, and various personal and news websites. I'll begin posting links to photo pages below Thanks ! Ken Cunningham
Hilltop Photos - Hilltop results with photos Race Ohio . Com The Beginning Second Season Open the GATES ! Jim Balentine Photos from the IRS show IRS Late Model Action

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received word that HeatherZilla has risen from the depths of the Mohican River and again and has appeared at Hilltop. At this time, everyone is asked to proceed immediately to the nearest shelter.......this is not a drill." I heard thunder as loud as could be, only later realizing that it was the monsters' footsteps as I raced away from the pitshack, running for our lives along with ten thousand others. I chanced to look over my shoulder at the threat we were running from....and as it turns out, we were trying to escape Death's harbinger itself. I could hear cries of pain as a Yamada-sans mini stock was trampled by the mad she - monster. I ran back to try to help him, but he pointed at Heather Zilla and screamed "Get OUT of here!" The beast lumbered ever nearer.......and as I ran at a right angle to the beast's path to try to escape, I found safety in the scorers tower. I looked up and down for Yamada-san but I could not find him. It was later that I found out that Yamada-san.................did not survive. I spent the next two days in shock, staring at the ceiling in a makeshift hospital. They tell me that I was catatonic.As it stands now, I have lost my heart for business. I just want to go back to America and forget......but how can I? My friend Yamada was the lucky one. I am the one having to pick up the pieces. It is impossible to forget the terror of that Saturday night. She stalks the land in my dreams, she kills and terrorizes the race fans. Even the nightmares are too much for me too handle. Why, What caused the mighty Heather Zilla to rampage. Who, does anybody have the answers. I seem to racall something from the distant past, something that was said. Could it be, yes I remember now what set this horrible rampage in motion. The evil announcers Bob and Andy summoned this evil she beast from the grave fathoms below the murky waters of Perrysville with but one mission to accomplish. REIGN TERROR ON HILLTOP SPEEDWAY DURING THIS TRECHEROUS NIGHT KNOWN AS HALLOWEEN

This is the photo that officially got me hooked on dirt Late Model photography, when I saw this in print there was no turning back. Taken at Cherokee NC Speedway during a former STARS race, I was using a second hand Sears 35mm with a manual focus, 1:1.8 = 55mm lens. Although not a bad camera it is poorly suited for this type of photography and pales in comparison with my Nikon D1X currently in use. With that being said 10 years later and I have yet to capture another shot that compares with this one. So goes my 15 minutes of fame.
Today I manage and produce all the content for www.hilltopspeedway.net, write weekly results and advertising for Hilltop Speedway, manage my own business - "Midnight Deere Delivery", and still take a few photos when the opportunity presents itself. The downside to all this is I no longer visit dozens of race tracks every year and my personal website - www.raceohio.com has also suffered.
I wouldn't change a thing right now because I take pride that this website is like no other, continues to improve as I figure things out, and content builds as I record Hilltops formative years.
My photos can be found on the web at Race Ohio, Hilltop Full Results, and various personal and news websites. I'll begin posting links to photo pages below

Thanks !
Ken Cunningham

Hilltop Photos - Hilltop results with photos
Race Ohio . Com
The Beginning
Second Season
Open the GATES !
Jim Balentine Photos from the IRS show

IRS Late Model Action

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just received word that HeatherZilla has risen from the depths of the Mohican River and again and has appeared at Hilltop. At this time, everyone is asked to proceed immediately to the nearest shelter.......this is not a drill." I heard thunder as loud as could be, only later realizing that it was the monsters' footsteps as I raced away from the pitshack, running for our lives along with ten thousand others.
I chanced to look over my shoulder at the threat we were running from....and as it turns out, we were trying to escape Death's harbinger itself. I could hear cries of pain as a Yamada-sans mini stock was trampled by the mad she - monster. I ran back to try to help him, but he pointed at Heather Zilla and screamed "Get OUT of here!"

The beast lumbered ever nearer.......and as I ran at a right angle to the beast's path to try to escape, I found safety in the scorers tower. I looked up and down for Yamada-san but I could not find him. It was later that I found out that Yamada-san.................did not survive.

I spent the next two days in shock, staring at the ceiling in a makeshift hospital. They tell me that I was catatonic.As it stands now, I have lost my heart for business. I just want to go back to America and forget......but how can I? My friend Yamada was the lucky one. I am the one having to pick up the pieces.

It is impossible to forget the terror of that Saturday night. She stalks the land in my dreams, she kills and terrorizes the race fans. Even the nightmares are too much for me too handle. Why, What caused the mighty Heather Zilla to rampage. Who, does anybody have the answers. I seem to racall something from the distant past, something that was said. Could it be, yes I remember now what set this horrible rampage in motion. The evil announcers Bob and Andy summoned this evil she beast from the grave fathoms below the murky waters of Perrysville with but one mission to accomplish.

REIGN TERROR ON HILLTOP SPEEDWAY DURING THIS TRECHEROUS NIGHT KNOWN AS HALLOWEEN