July 12, 2013 - After two attempts at racing last week were postponed by heavy rains, Mother Nature served up perfect weather for the Mid-Season Championship at Tazewell Speedway. Before the first feature trophies were presented to the points leader in each division: Jason Trammell in Tazewell Late Models, Keith Chapman in Sportsman, Robbie Buchanan in Modified Street, Jason Saylor in Pure Street, Chuck McMahan in 4 Cylinder and Shane Lockhart in Classics Car.

Tazewell Late Models were on showcase with $1500 on the line to win. Twenty-two entries were on hand with fan favorite Steve Smith of Powell setting fast time with a lap of 11.693 seconds. With the invert draw Greg Estes of Jonesville, VA would inherit the pole position sharing the front row with Josh Collins of Powell, an up and coming East Tennessee leadfoot searching for his first win at The Taz. As the field took the intial green and stormed into turn four Smith would get sideways with several cars colliding behind him. Smith would be able to continue and the field would gather for another attempt of a clean start. Estes, looking for his second win in a row, would take the early lead followed closely by Collins, Smith, Cory Hedgecock and Mack McCarter. On lap three McCarter, driving a car owned by Matt Henderson, shot past Hedgecock and Smith to take over the third spot. By lap ten Estes would start dealing with lap traffic with Collins glued to his back bumper. On lap twenty-one as Estes was trying to put Chase King a lap down Collins would pull alongside Estes down the back stretch. Estes would hang on to the lead until lap twenty-eight when Collins would use the high groove to slip past Estes. Caution would fly on lap thirty and on the restart McCarter would take second away from Estes. Up front it was Josh Collins claiming his first Tazewell Speedway victory in the Vic Hill Racing Engines powered Warrior Race Car sponsored by SpaTacular Salon, Tyler Jenkins Racing, JCM Components and A+ Electric.

Tazewell Late Models
1. 63 Josh Collins
2. 17 Mack McCarter
3. B00 Josh Henry
4. 3 Steve Smith
5. 31 Greg Estes
6. 66 Mark Leach
7. 11 Anthony Arnwine
8. 44 Chase King
9. 56J Jody Horton
10. 22 Matthew Holt
11. 28 Jerry Williams Jr.
12. 23 Cory Hedgecock
13. 73 Trevor Sise
14. 17 Brian Shockley
15. 25 Scott Gardner
16. 75 Chris Long
17. 9 Heath Hindman
18. 111 J. Allan
19. 18 Michael Rutherford
20. 70 Brent Hensley
DNS 2X Anthony White

Back on July 3rd as most folks were preparing fireworks and backyard parties Sportsman driver Heath Alvey was in Vanderbilt Hospital fighting for his life with medical issuses. Thankfully he fully recovered and was all smiles on Friday night. Steve Carr would set fast time and start third in the feature after the invert draw. Jordon Horton would draw the pole sharing the front row with Alvey. Horton would take the lead at the drop of the green and would lead the field around to the fourth turn where he would slip high allowing Alvey to move past. By lap ten Alvey would pull away from the rest of the field to record his third win of the season in the Diversified Enclosures and Screens, Tinsley Bible Drug Company, Sammy's Auto Parts, Elite Dental sponsored Warrior Race Car.

Sportsman
1. 7 Heath Alvey
2. 77 Steve Carr
3. 56H Jordon Horton
4. 97 Keith Chapman
5. XXX Josh Chesney
6. 46 Derrick Shockley
7. 71W Wendell Williams
8. 26 Brandon Gardner
9. 18 Rick Welch
DNS 88 Billy Gordon
DNS 35 Matt Tharp
DNS 24 Andy Wilder
DNS 79C Marty Calloway

Gary Blanken of Morristown would come with .007 of a second of breaking the track qualifying record in Modified Street with a lap of 13.065 seconds and draw the pole after the invert draw. Mid-Season points leader Robbie Buchanan would start on the outside of the front row alongside Blanken. Buchanan took the point early followed by Blanken, Tony Horton, Clyde Overholt and Brad Davis. By lap three Blanken was pressuring Buchanan for the lead. Buchanan would pull away from the field on lap seven to win his second feature of the season in the Petty's Wrecker Service, Sign Center, P&P Cole, O T's Frame and Body Shop, Christian Construction, Robbie and Son Auto Sales sponosred Monte Carlo.

Modified Street
1. P21 Robbie Buchanan
2. 5 Gary Blanken
3. 56 Tony Horton
4. 4 Clyde Overholt
5. 88 Brad Davis
6. 1 David Clark
7. 21 K Dakotah Knuckles
8. 54 Larry Burke
9. 33 Warren McMahan

Chuck McMahan of Newport started on the outside of the front row and led every lap of the 4 Cylinder feature. It was McMahan's tenth win of the season in the Round Boy Motorsprts, Lowes Auto Parts Ford Mustang.

4 Cylinder
1. 99 Chuck McMahan
2. 14 Chad Manning
3. 7UP Kurt Owens
4. 111 Randy Dykes
5. B7 Bubby Braden
6. 007 Hayston Collett
7. 38 James Collett
8. 17 Daris Braden
9. 1 Jason Turner
10. 21 Bobby Reichert

Josh Chesney set fast time among eleven Classic Car entries. Logan Dukes of Knoxville would earn the pole from the invert draw. The scariest moment of the night came as Chesney led the field around to score the first lap. After making contact with another car Bobby Presley's car was turned sideways and sent straight into the outside wall on the front stretch rolling several times. After a few tense moments Presley would emerge under his own power. Dukes would wrestle the lead away from Chesney on lap sixteen to notch his first Tazewell Speedway win of the in the AAA Truck and Trailer Service, Shields Electronic Supply sponsored Classic Car.

Classic Car
1. 96 Logan Dukes
2. 20 Matt Tharp
3. 8 Josh Chesney
4. 13J Joel Wolfenbarger
5. 18 Eli Keck
6. 1 Shane Lockhart
7. 3 Jason Beeler
8. 74 Justin Overton
9. 44 Richie Overholser
10. 7 John Stevens
11. 07 Bobby Presley

Jonathan Miracle of Tazewell would take the lead away from Eric Webber on the second lap of the Pure Street feature to win his third win of the season in the Dodge Ram pickup.

Pure Street
1. 26 Jonathan Miracle
2. 25 Eric Webber
3. 15 Jason Long
4. 92T Travis Crosby
5. 21 Appaches Quinton
6. 5 Jason Saylor
7. 44C Dustin Collins
8. 11 Toby Turner
9. 11 Tim Stevens
10. 97 Bo Hall

This Saturday night July 20 Tazewell Speedway will present the Modified Madness. Modified Street will race in twin features and double points. For more information call 423.626.2222 and check us out on Facebook and Twitter.