Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, Va worked his way back to Victory Lane on Saturday night for his first win of the season. Current points leader Jason Trammell of Knoxville turrned fastest lap in time trials with a time of 12.213 seconds with Tazewell’s Austin Neely recording the second quickest time. Trammell would draw a four on the invert for the Fast Car dash which would put Clyde Overholt of Tazewell on the pole for the five lap dash alongside Knuckles. By leading every lap of the dash Knuckles earned the pole for the thirty lap feature with Overholt, Trammell and Neely rounding out the dash.
After bringing the field to the green Knuckles and Overholt would drag race down the back stretch with Knuckles slipping into the lead in turn four. Behind them Trammell, Neely and Tazewell’s Josh Fields, in his first Late Model start of the season at Tazewell, would round out the top five. Two laps later Overholt’s car would slow on the front stretch bringing out the caution. After a brief time in the pits he would come back out and join the tail end of the field. With the field reset Trammell, Neely and Fields all moved up a spot with Brian Shockley of Thorn Hill moving into fifth.
On the restart Shockley would slide high in two allowing Jody Horton of Sneedville to slide by and take over the fifth spot.By lap seven Knuckles had pulled out to a five car length advantage over Trammell. The caution flag would fly on lap sixteen for debris on the back stretch. On the ensuing restart Neely began pressuring Trammell for second. On lap twenty-one Neely shot low in turn four taking second away from Trammell. With three laps to go Trammell’s night would end as he lost a right rear wheel as he exited turn four.
Leading flag-to-flag Knuckles would score his first win of the season in the Florida Veterinary Cardiology, Marcum Oil, Howerton Roofing, ALACO, Jovida Enterprises, Hickory Star Marina, Liberty Sport & Pawn, Hill’s Truck Repair, Timberline Barns sponsored Rocket XR-1 Race Car powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine.
Late Models
1. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
2. 3 Austin Neely
3. 11 Josh Fields
4. 56J Jody Horton
5. 22 Matthew Holt
6. 17 Brian Shockley
7. 4 Clyde Overholt
8. B7 Bubby Braden
9. 90J Jason Trammell
10. 54 Mitchell Burke
11. 115 Wade Howerton
In Sportsman action Travis Fultz of Harrogate picked up his second win of the season in the Tim Fletcher Heating & Cooling, Bailey’s Body Shop, Petty’s Wrecker Service sponsored DJ’s Performance Race Engine powered Rocket Race Car. Fultz was quickest in qualifying with Luttrell’s Matt Tharp qualifying second. Jumping into the lead Tharp took control of the pace pulling out to a five car gap over Fultz by the fourth lap. Behind them current points leader Aaron Guin of Russellville, Jonathan Miracle of Tazewell and Cody Smith of Barbourville, KY duked it out for position. Just as it appeared that Tharp was easily on his way to his second win of the year his car would slow on the front stretch on lap seventeen ending his night. Fultz would inherit the lead and go unchallenged for the win
Sportsman
1. T0 Travis Fultz
2. 97 Aaron Guinn
3. 50 Jonathan Miracle
4. 11 Cody Smith
5. 22 Jason Sizemore
6. 24 Andy Wilder
7. 28J Randy Davis
8. 34 Phillip Shockley
9. 17 Logan Seal
10. 35 Matt Tharp
11. 28X Justin James
12. 00 Chris Raines
DNS 10 Bubba Long
DNS 15 Donovan Long
The high-powered, skinny-tired open Wheel Modified made their first appearance of the year at The Taz for a $600 to win feature. Brad Hall of Knoxville was fast qualifier with Amos Bunch of Wartburg second quickest. After racing side-by-side down the back stretch on the opening lap Bunch took the point as Hall filed into second. East Tennessee dirt track veterans Wayne James of Newport and Hardin Valley’s Billy Palmer were also battling door-to-door on the opening laps.
The biggest challenge for the drivers was finding traction with the skinny tires on the dry-slick racing surface. On lap five Hall would spin on his own in turn two. On the restart James would wrestle again with Palmer until he would spin on lap seven in turn two. Palmer woukd inherit second as Hall moved into third. On lap ten Palmer and Hall went drag raced down the back stretch. Two laps later Palmer would slip high in turn four allowing Hall to slide into second. Up front Bunch would lead every lap for his first win at Tazewell Speedway piloting the Wild Bunch Racing, Wilson Machine Shop, Windrock Photography, Red’s Muffler Shop sponsored Bandit Race Car powered by a Smiley’s Race Engine.
Open Wheel Modified
1. 50 Amos Bunch
2. 47 Brad Hall
3. 4 Wayne James
4. 92 Billy Palmer
5. 00 Jeff Akard
DNS J4 Tyler James
Not even a bounty could deter Brad Davis of Tazewell from claiming his seventh win of the season in Phantom Race Engine powered S&S Race Car with sponsorship from Jeffers Exterminating, Andrews Construction, Dynamic Machine, Locus Church, Forever Young Amusements, Little Caesars Pizza of New Tazewell, Southern Outdoors, Paradise Marine, Old Town Grill, Allen Earl Photography, Matlock Decals and Rick Welch Racing.
Super Stock
1. 88 Brad Davis
2. 05 Gary Blanken
3. 56 Tony Horton
4. 83 Cody Thompson
5. P21 Robbie Buchanan
6. C4 Logan Cobb
7. 20 Scottie Atkins
Chris Reichert of Knoxville led every lap of the 4 Cylinder feature for his third win of the year behind the wheel of the DripOrDie.com, Friendly Tire, West Haven Speed Equipment, Mitch’s Motor Sales, T&N Race Engine powered Ford Mustang.
4 Cylinder
1. 22 Chris Reichert
2. 25 Joe Myers
3. 63 Toby Brock
4. 72 Rufus Collett
5. 5 Terry Boshears
