Volunteer Speedway Story and Results/ 5/26

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By Robert Walden

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (May 26) — The largest weekly crowd of the season packed the grandstands Saturday at Volunteer Speedway for Ramey Ford Night at the Races. Vic “The Thrill” Hill of Morristown, a four-time (1997, ’98, 2000 and ’05) track champion, set fast-time of 12.950-seconds (111.010 mph) to earn the pole position for the $2,000-to-win “Gateway Ford” Super Late Model feature. Jumping into the lead at the drop of the green, Hill never looked back en route to a very impressive flag-to-flag victory, his first this year.

After one lap was completed Hill led Mike Smith, Kerry Jones, Shane Roberts and Rodney Kiker. Working the bottom between turns three and four, Jones passed Smith for second-place on the fifth lap. In the early going Hill was setting a blistering pace out front, pulling out to right at a full-straightaway advantage over the tight-running trio of Jones, Smith and Roberts halfway into the 35-lap race distance.

With the leaders working lapped traffic, Hill picked his holes and kept applying the heat on his fellow competitors. Smith used slower cars to his advantage and made a move to overtake Jones for the runner-up spot on lap 20, and only one circuit later the event’s first caution waved when the fifth-running Jeff Maupin looped his mount in the fourth turn. Maupin, who was riding a three-race winning streak had to start the feature from the sixth position due to a track rule which states any driver, in any division who wins three races in a row, can start no better than sixth.

On the restart Hill had Smith and Jones riding in his shadow, with Roberts and Shanon Buckingham in tow. Just as he did at the start of the race, Hill quickly distanced himself from his closest challengers. Jones stayed glued to Smith’s rear bumper for a few laps before Smith managed to put some breathing room between himself and Jones.

But out front it was all Hill on cruise control, clicking off lap-after-lap headed towards the checkered flag and a $2,000 payday. Hill, driving the Landair Transport Inc./Pilot Travel Centers/Marsh Propane/Qualcomm/Jerry’s Auto Salvage/Beamer’s Flooring Outlet/The Hightower Advertising Agency/Dan Estes Construction/Peterson Fluid Systems/Klushman Racing Components/Comp Cams/JE Pistons/Brodix/Lunati Cranks/Hoosier Tire South/CV Racing Products/Joe Gibbs Performance Synthetic Racing Oil/RaceQuest Motorsports/Edelbrock/West Haven Speed Equipment/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Fastlane Signs & Graphics/GRT Race Cars/No. 1 Monte Carlo, easily rolled to victory over Smith, Jones, Roberts and Buckingham.

Completing the top-10 finishers were Bryan Hendrix, Randy Davidson, Maupin, Brandon James and veteran Louis Hickey.

“We had a really good car tonight,” said Hill with a smile on his face following the race. “To be quite honest, I was kind of surprised at just how well we ran. I really believe the car drove the best it has all season long — I mean, I could drive it anywhere I needed on the track and we just didn’t miss a beat. Coming into this race, I really didn’t know what to expect. To look at the car parked here in victory lane, it’s all because of the hard work back at the shop this past week. Joe Garrison at GRT Race Cars in Arkansas had to hustle and send us some stuff to use to repair the car.

“With Joe Loven (track owner) paying $2,000 to win in Super Late Models now, tonight’s a good start on getting back some money from all it’s cost us this past week to fix our race car. We tore up over $5,000 worth of equipment last week at a touring series race up in Virginia when I ran over some debris on the track from another car and it absolutely tore everything out from underneath the car. The bell-housing and transmission just exploded when I ran over the debris, I’ve never in all my days of racing had something like that happen. There was stuff scattered all over the track that we had come out from the bottom-side of the car. Me and all the guys back at the shop who help work on the car during the week, we really had to thrash to get everything fixed to be able to make it here tonight. I need to thank Stevie Collins, Joey Orr, Bud Orr, Marty Evans and my wife Christa for all their help.”

The seven Super Late Model competitors who finished on the lead-lap in last week’s feature event drew for starting positions on the front straightaway prior to the special “Lawson Chevrolet” Ultimate Survivor Challenge. The 35-lap race was run in three segments — with competition cautions waving at the end of lap 12 and lap 24, thus setting up an 11-lap sprint to the checkers and a $1,000 payout to the winner.

If any driver dropped out of the race or finished a lap down they would be eliminated from the weekly Ultimate Survivor Challenge. And if no competitor should either fall out or be a lap down when the checkered flag waved, then the last-place finisher would be eliminated.

Mike Smith drew the pole position with Jeff Maupin drawing the second starting spot. But Maupin grabbed the lead at the drop of the green and set sail, easily winning over Michael Jackson who held off Smith at the finish for the runner-up position. Randy Davidson, Bryan Hendrix and Shanon Buckingham crossed the stripe to finish fourth through sixth, respectively. Legendary 73-year-old racer Herman Goddard dropped out of the race on the fifth circuit with mechanical problems, thus he was eliminated from the competition.

After four weekly Ultimate Survivor Challenge rounds, those remaining cars who have finished on the lead lap and however many more are needed to fill a 12-car field (based from weekly points earned from the regular $2,000-to-win Super Late Model feature), will shoot it out for a $10,000 prize and the title of “Ultimate Survivor.”

Dale Ball established quick-time at 13.693-seconds to nail down the pole position for the “Ramey Ford” Crate Late Model feature, but due to a steering (rack) problem detected following his qualifying run he elected to start from the rear of the field to not risk causing a wreck and tearing up other cars. With Ball moving to the back (where he would only run a few laps before pulling into the pits), Brad Kenyon joined Bobby Mays of Jonesborough on the front row for the 25-lap event.

Mays jumped into the early lead over Jensen Ford and Kenyon, before the pace was slowed by caution on the fourth lap when Gerald Smith spun in turn four. Back under green Mays was showing his strength, pulling out to slightly over a half-straightaway lead over Ford and Kenyon only 10 laps into the feature.

During long green-flag runs Mays easily rolled out to a comfortable margin over Ford and Kenyon, his closest pursuers. A late-race caution on lap 21 when Josh Henry and Joe Good got together between turns one and two tightened the field for a four-lap dash to the checkers. But Mays would not be denied a trip to victory lane as he won over Ford and Kenyon, both who rebounded strongly after being caught up in a multi-car crash last week with their race cars suffering extensive damage. Rounding out the top-five finishers were Rusty Fox and Logan Hickey.

Ricky Moore, Kelly Glass (advanced from his 15th-starting position), Larry Rowe, Tony Trent and Todd Brooks completed the top-10 at the checkers.

“Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to win several races and also divisional championships, but this victory tonight is very gratifying,” said Mays after climbing from his car in victory lane. “It’s kind of like a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Several people have stuck behind me and believed in me by offering their support, and for that I’m really grateful. I just can’t thank them enough.

“Tony Ford at TNT Race Cars built me a great car, and then for his son Jensen (Ford) to finish second behind me tonight I think that’s pretty awesome. Through the first four points races we’ve run really well, getting this win tonight and we also have one runner-up finish and a third-place outing, to go along with a sixth-place run. You’ve got to put yourself in position to win, and I feel every week we’re doing that.”

Rick Fillers earned his first-ever “Rusty Wallace Toyota” Hobby Stock pole award, worth an extra $100 for the effort. But it was 17-year-old Jesse Helton of Bulls Gap flexing his muscle en route to his third overall feature win as he held off a hard-charging Mike Mays. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Chuck Johnson, Jamie Whitt and Phillip Nichols. With Helton’s victory he extends his divisional points lead to 10 over Nichols.

It’s said the number “13” is unlucky, and indeed it proved to be unlucky for race leader Joey Allen and second-running Scotty Thornton on lap 13 of the “Century 21 Masengill-McCrary Realtors” Mini Stock feature. They both dropped out of the race with mechanical problems, thus opening the door for Kevin Atwell of Rural Retreat, Va., to capture his fourth win of the season. Finishing behind Atwell was Randy Lane who narrowly edged out Brent Hensley, with Toby Jones and John Broce Jr. rounding out the top-five.

Pizza Plus Night at the Races is scheduled on Friday, June 1 at Volunteer Speedway, featuring racing action in “Gateway Ford” Super Late Model ($2,000-to-win), “Lawson Chevrolet” Ultimate Survivor Challenge, “Ramey Ford” Crate Late Model, “Rusty Wallace Toyota” Hobby Stock and “Century 21 Masengill-McCrary Realtors” Mini Stock. And making their first-ever appearance at the track on Saturday, June 2 will be the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Flat Track series which features all the top names in United States motorcycle racing. Over 50 competitors representing some 14 states are expected to take to the high-banks in what is expected to be one of the most exciting events in the history of “The Gap.”

“GATEWAY FORD” SUPER LATE MODEL (35 laps)

1. Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN
2. Mike Smith #4-Rogersville, TN
3. Kerry Jones #6-Bristol, TN
4. Shane Roberts #32w-Bluff City, TN
5. Shanon Buckingham #22-Morristown, TN
6. Bryan Hendrix #5-Knoxville, TN
7. Randy Davidson #28-Morristown, TN
8. Jeff Maupin #0-Greeneville, TN
9. Brandon James #j1-Newport, TN
10. Louis Hickey #74-Whitesburg, TN
11. Dwight Sams #54-Marshall, NC
12. Dennis Alverson #71-Kingsport, TN
13. Barry Arnold #15-Max Meadows, VA
14. Herman Goddard #22-Knoxville, TN
15. Rodney Kiker #25-Greeneville, TN
16. Michael Jackson #Q-Greeneville, TN
17. DeWayne Pesterfield #22-Lenoir City, TN
18. Dale Ball #7-Johnson City, TN

“LAWSON CHEVROLET – ULTIMATE SURVIVOR CHALLENGE (35 laps)

1) Jeff Maupin #0; 2) Michael Jackson #Q; 3) Mike Smith #4; 4) Randy Davidson #28; 5) Bryan Hendrix #5; 6) Shanon Buckingham #22 – Eliminated: Herman Goddard #22g

“RAMEY FORD” CRATE LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1) Bobby Mays #19; 2) Jensen Ford #83; 3) Brad Kenyon #98; 4) Rusty Fox #25; 5) Logan Hickey #16; 6) Ricky Moore #75; 7) Kelly Glass #01; 8) Larry Rowe #R0; 9) Tony Trent #18; 10) Todd Brooks #T1; 11) Warren McMahan #33; 12) Chris Manning #03; 13) Joe “Dirt” Good #911; 14) Van Lester #50; 15) James Cole #5c; 16) Josh Henry #B00; 17) Travis Trent #5; 18) Gerald Smith #12; 19) Dale Ball #2; 20) Jerry Broyles #72; 21) Shanon Buckingham #44 – Did Not Start: Anthony Arnwine #11; Hugh “Wishbone” Scalf #56

“RUSTY WALLACE TOYOTA” HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)

1) Jesse Helton #28; 2) Mike Mays #30; 3) Chuck Johnson #17; 4) Jamie Whitt #1; 5) Phillip Nichols #33; 6) Dale Reed #52; 7) Patrick Flannery #38; 8) Robbie Jones #29; 9) Roger Hunter #7-11; 10) Lester Massey #11; 11) Jon Cook #0z; 12) Robbie Woods #16; 13) Bobby Reed #54; 14) Rick Fillers #21; 15) Jesse Wilder #79; 16) Shorty Ledford #41; 17) Ray Jarnigan #31; 18) Ralph Mills #1; 19) Charles Allen #4; 20) Everett Cobb #13; 21) Terry Cobb #14; 22) Tyler Smith #32

“CENTURY 21 MASENGILL-MCCRARY REALTORS” MINI STOCK (20 laps)

1) Kevin Atwell #95; 2) Randy Lane #5; 3) Brent Hensley #70; 4) Toby Jones #66; 5) John Broce Jr. #44; 6) Kenny Absher #11; 7) Brandon Petit #05b; 8) Shawn Henry #B00; 9) Joey Allen #A00; 10) Scotty Thornton #T15; 11) Jeffery Nease #73 – Did Not Pass Post Race Inspection (Light At Scales): Logan Jaynes #100 – DNS: Brandon Johnson #B01

Volunteer Speedway: (423) 235-5020
Track Office (Weekdays Only): (423) 378-5942
Robert Walden-Public Relations Director: (423) 928-9644 [email protected]
Jimmy Meade-Marketing & Sales: (423) 817-0925 [email protected]
 
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