Tazewell Speedway kicked off the Memorial Day Weekend with a full night of racing plus special activities for the youngsters. Before the night was over a new winner emerged and a fan favorite returned to Victory Lane.
Jason Trammell of Knoxville outqualified thirteen Tazewell Late Models with a lap of 11.603 seconds with fellow Knoxville native Brad Hall qualifying second with a lap of 11.616 seconds. Hall would earn the pole position on the feature after Trammell drew the two on the invert draw. Trammell would use the outside line to take the early lead trailed by Hall, Travis Fultz of Harrogate and Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, VA. Just as the leaders crossed the stripe to put the first lap in the books the caution flag would fly as Mitchell Burke of Tazewell straddled the inside wall on the front stretch after taking a wild ride on the outside wall in turn four.. Trammell would set the pace until lap four when his mount slowed coming out of turn four. He would retire with a broken starter wire. During the caution Fultz would dive pitside to change a flat right rear tire. As the field reset Hall would inherit the lead with Knuckles moving into second. The yellow flag would fly on lap seven for debris in turn four. Matthew Holt of Thorn Hill would go pitside during the caution with a punctured radiator from the remnants.
Up front Knuckles was setting his sights on the lead until he spun on his own in turn two on lap eleven, relegating him to the tail of the field. With Hall setting the pace up front the race was on for the second spot as Brian Shockley of Thorn Hill and Michael Rutherford of Duff raced door to door. Shockley would slip by on lap sixteen with Rutherford slipping a few spots. By lap eighteen Knuckles had moved his way back through the field and taking away the third spot from Fultz. With the laps winding down Knuckles set his sights on Shockley for second. On lap twenty-seven Knuckles used a powerslide move in turn one to advance his position. It wasn’t enough to catch Hall who led the rest of the way for his first win in almost three and half years. Brad Hall’s Phantom Race Engine powered Rocket Chassis gets sponsorship from Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers and Tazewell Chiropractic Center.
Tazewell Late Models
1.47 Brad Hall
2. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
3. 17 Brian Shockley
4. 02 Travis Fultz
5. 18 Michael Rutherford
6. 15 Wade Howerton
7. 12 Craig Gregg
8. 28 Jerry Williams Jr.
9. 22 Matthew Holt
10. 90J Jason Trammell
11. 1 Josh Collins
12. 54 Mitchell Burke
DNS 8 Paul Whitley
Kip Sawyer of Knoxville, making his first Sportsman attempt at Tazewell Speedway would set fast time among eleven cars with a lap of 12.308 seconds. Current points leader Clyde Overholt of Tazewell would get the pole position after Sawyer drew a two on the invert draw. Overholt was driving a car owned by fellow racer Justin James after suffering a blown engine last Saturday night. Sawyer would slip into the early lead with Overholt, Jesse Helton of Kingsport and last week’s winner David Clark of Tazewell giving chase. Before the second lap was completed Billy Gordon of Middlesboro, KY would bring out the caution as he spun between turns one and two collecting Chris Barton of Pineville, KY and Taylor Coffman of Bean Station. All cars were able to continue. Gordon would bring out the caution again as he spun on the front stretch on lap six. On the restart Overholt would put pressure on Sawyer for the lead pulling alongside down the back straighaway and taking the spot away. Just as they were duking it out the yellow flag would come out for Andy Wilder of Miracle, KY as he spun alone in turn two. In the same instant Overholt and Sawyer made contact in turn four sending Overholy spinning and Sawyer suffering damage. Overholt was able to keep his position as the caution was thrown for Wilder.
On the restart contact between Sawyer and Clark would send Sawyer pitside with damage. On lap nine Helton, a fomer Modified Street hot shoe, had passed Clark and began pressuring Overholt for the lead. Two laps later Helton evened up with Overholt and slipping into the lead. Clark would move into second on lap fourteen after passing Overholt who faded back to fifth. Helton would lead the rest of the way for his first Tazewell Speedway Sportsman win picking up his second victory in a row after winning at 411 Motor Speedway a week before driving the Tim Seals owned GRT Race Car with sponsorship from Smith’s Auto Parts, Bobby’s Used Honda, Gibson Tax Services, Discount Part City, Tim’s Transmission, Helton Angus Farms, Visual Designs by Brian and J&J Lawn Care.
Sportsman
1. 57 Jesse Helton
2. 1 David Clark
3. 111 Anthony Arnwine
4. 24 Andy Wilder
5. 28 Clyde Overholt
6. 11 Kip Sawyer
7. 144 Chris Barton
8. 30 Taylor Coffman
9. 21 Bryan Howerton
DNS J2 Josh Chesney
Classic Car points leader Philip Thompson’s night almost ended early as he made contact with Daisie Lockhart of Luttrell in the hot lap session. The contact sent Lockhart’s car up on the outside wall on the front stretch and almost turning over. Lockhart was uninjured yet the night was over for the seventeen year old driver. Even after suffering right front suspension damage Thompson was able to continue.
Tim Stevens of Harlan, KY and Josh Chesney of Maynardville would make up the front row of the feature after the blind draw. Track officials disqualified Chesney as the field was going through the pace lap because his car did not have a rear bumper. This would move Jesse Hickman of Maynardville to the outside front row starting spot.
Tim Stevens would jump into the lead at the drop of the green with John Stevens of Wallins Creek, Ky taking second and Thompson taking third. Thompson had his work cut out for him as Tim and John Stevens battled for the lead while using every part of the track to hold back the points leader. On lap six John Stevens would drop low on the front stretch allowing Thompson to move into second. Two laps later Thompson pulled alongside John Stevens for the race lead in turn two with Stevens using the outside line to keep up with Thompson on the back stretch. On lap ten Thompson took the lead away from Stevens and would hold on for his fith win in a row in the Skyline Transportation, Filmax Flitration, Crockett Creek Beef Jerky, Eagle Race Engine powered Radioactive Race Car. Showing great sportsmanship Thompson invited Daisie Lockhart to Victory Lane for the celebration.
Classic Cars
1. 24 Philip Thompson
2. 11 Tim Stevens
3. 7 John Stevens
4. 22 Jessee Hickman
5. XXX Josh Chesney
DNS 1 Daisie Lockhart
Last year’s Modified Street champion Brad Davis of Tazewell was quickest in KDRA Super Stock qualifying. Daniel Carpenter of Harlan, KY would take the pole after the invert draw. Davis quickly jumped into the lead and built a commanding lead until lap nine when front suspension woes ended his night. Carpenter would inherit the lead and score his first Super Stock win in the Hubb Creek Corporation, Redneck Customs Chevrolet Camaro.
KDRA Super Stocks
1. C5 Daniel Carpenter
2. 44C Dakota Holt
3. 55 Brad Sturgill
4. 88 Brad Davis
DNS 38 Cody Thompson
Chuck McMahan of Dandridge, last year’s 4 Cylinder points champion, captured his first win of the season leading every lap of the fifteen lap feature in The Original Mr. Freezo, Lowes Auto Parts Ford Mustang.
4 Cylinder
1. 99 Chuck McMahan
2. 00 Joey Allen
3. 7 Bubby Braden
4. 11 Tyler Haynes
5. 44J Jeromy Collins
Up next at Tazewell Speedway the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Toyota Knoxville 50 on Friday, May 29 for $10,000 to win. Details will be announced soon, check back for updates on one of our biggest events of the season.
