5/19/2025
Crate Racin' USA
Nicely Dominates 3rd Annual Jerry Gilkey Memorial at Western Kentucky Speedway
(Nebo, Kentucky - May 19, 2025) — Tyler Nicely put on a flawless performance Saturday night, leading every lap of the 50-lap feature to win the 3rd Annual Jerry Gilkey Memorial at Western Kentucky Speedway. After relentless rainfall washed out Friday’s action, the much-anticipated event was condensed into a one-day showdown. Despite facing over 3.5 inches of rain leading up to race day, the 3/8-mile bullring in Nebo welcomed an impressive field of 101 entries — including 45 CRUSA Street Stocks — and delivered a spectacular night of racing.
Nicely, of Owensboro, KY, started from the pole and never looked back, securing the $7,000 top prize in front of a packed crowd. Brandon McDowell surged from sixth to claim second, while outside pole-sitter Jeff Parsons rounded out the podium in third. Dirt Late Model ace Kyle Strickler finished fourth, and Wyatt Hill earned Hard Charger honors, powering from 16th to a Top 5 finish.
“It’s just a good piece, also good people behind me,” said Nicely in Victory Lane. “I couldn’t do it without all them. Hats off to Cole [Huggins] and them on the racetrack—for everything they were dealt this week, the track was awesome.”
Official Jerry Gilkey Memorial Feature Results (50 Laps):
1-Tyler Nicely
2-Brandon McDowell
3-Jeff Parsons
4-Kyle Strickler
5-Wyatt Hill
6-Hayden Chavers
7-Megan Erwin
8-Jr Baize
9-Mike Neighbors
10-Keenan Vandygriff
11-Chandler Neighbors
12-Zac Harris
13-Grady Christian
14-Terry Young
15-Kyle McMahon
16-BoBo McGhee
17-Jansen Morris
18-Trevor Woodard
19-Matt Markham
20-Rod Tucker
21-Tim Wilson Jr
22-Derrick Tillman
23-Trent Young
24-Johnny Stokes
B Feature Winners:
B Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 8-Keenan Vandygriff[2]
B Feature 2 (12 Laps): 1. 772-Chandler Neighbors[4]
Heat Race Winners:
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 5-Tyler Nicely[1]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. B33-Kyle Strickler[2]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 77-Mike Neighbors[2]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 14-Megan Erwin[2]
Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 18M-Brandon McDowell[2]
Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 44-Jeff Parsons[1]
Fastest Qualifiers:
Qualifying Group 1: 5-Tyler Nicely, 00:18.912
Qualifying Group 2: 45-Kyle McMahon, 00:18.783
Western Kentucky Speedway is located at 1245 Happy Lane, Madisonville, KY. For more information, visit racewks.com or call (812) 893-5949.
For more details on the Crate Racin’ USA Street Stock Division, visit crateracinusa.com.
Photo Credit: Guardrail Greg Carman
Article Credit: Cody Earley
