In a career spanning over forty years, Billy Palmer of Hardin Valley has collected Late Model and Open Wheel Modified wins at dirt tracks all over East Tennessee. During his racing tenure Palmer had celebrated at least one win in each year of racing with the exception of 2015. The dry spell would come to an end as sixty-four year young Palmer would lead every lap of the Dirty Thirty Open Wheel Modified Feature and collect a cool $1,000 for his efforts.
Before the Open Wheelers could get in practice laps a brief rain storm threatened to ruin the night’s activities. Once the storm moved out Palmer outqualified thirteen entries with a lap of 12.592 seconds. Logan Hickey of Morristown recorded the second fastest and share the front row of the feature with Palmer. With the drop of the green flag Palmer used the low groove in turn one to take the lead with Hickey, Matt Henderson of Loudon, Don Adams of London, Ky and Jimmy Dalton of Powell giving chase. Five laps in Henderson began pressuring Hickey for second. Two laps later Henderson would slip past Hickey using the outside groove in turn four with Adams moving into third.
On lap nine Henderson was all over the back bumper of Palmer in search of his first Open Wheel Modified victory. Two circuits later Henderson’s quest would end as his car slammed the outside wall in turn four due to a front suspension part failure. After some tense moments Henderson crawled out of the car and walked to the infield. Back under green Palmer would hold off Adams for his first victory in over a year in a sixteen year old Warrior Race car with sponsorship from Mighty Muffler, Hardin Valley Paint & Body, DRG Performance Wraps, Shorty’s Shock Service and Gabby’s Alternator & Starter.
Open Wheel Modified Dirty Thirty
1. 36 Billy Palmer
2. 90 Don Adams
3. 16 Logan Hickey
4. 2 Jimmy Dalton
5. J3 Jody Puckett
6. 0 Terry James
7. 00 Jeff Akard
8. J4 Tyler James
9. 89 Matt Henderson
10. 47 Justin Blevins
11. 14 Austin Atkins
DNS 4 Wayne James
DNS 22 Shawn Hibbard
The action heated up in the Limited Late Model feature with a $250 bounty on the line for any driver that could stop the three-in-a-row streak held by Jason Trammell. Besting all entries Trammell would turn the quickest lap in time trial with a lap of 11.823 seconds, the only car to record a sub 12 second lap of the night. Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, Va, who was looking for his first win of the season, would start shotgun on the field after suffering rear suspension woes during hot laps. After the invert draw Chris Barton of Middlesboro, KY would start on the pole of the feature alongside Bryan Hendrix of Knoxville.
Using the outside line Hendrix jumped into the lead with Barton in second. Behind them Trammell and David Clark of Tazewell battled side by side for the third spot. During the first hald of the race the action was furious as Barton searched for a line to gain advantafe on race leader Hendrix while working hard to hold off Trammell. On lap fifteen Trammell would spin coming out of turn two as he was trying to pass Barton for second. Two circuits later Hendrix’s night would end as he lost a right rear axle on the back stretch. On the restart Knuckles raced door to door with Clark for second, taking the spot away in turn three.
The caution would fly for debris on lap twenty-one setting up a late race shootout for the win between Barton and Knuckles. Using every inch of the track and bringing the crowd to it’s feet Knuckles looked for any advantage to take the lead away. As the white flag was displayed Knuckles got up on wheel to mount one last challenge. With Knuckles diving to the inside as they came out of turn four and the checkered flag in the air Barton would take the victory by mere inches at the stripe. It would be the first Limited Late Model win for Barton in only his second year of competition piloting the Southern Pride Land & Cattle, The Combs Group Inc., Ahlsome Design Concepts, Fox Shocks, Phantom Race Engine powered Warrior 1G Race Car. Showing incredible sportsmanship Knuckles was one of the first ones to greet Barton in Victory Lane and sharing a celebratory hug.
Limited Late Models
1. 144 Chris Barton
2. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
3. 90J Jason Trammell
4. 1 David Clark
5. 17 Brian Shockley
6. 11 Anthony Arnwine
7. 5 Bryan Hendrix
8. 54 Mitchell Burke
DNS 3 Randy Davis
DNS 53 Floyd Branham
Sportsman points leader Jonathan Miracle of Tazewell turned the fastest lap in qualifying with lap of 12.110 seconds. Drawing the one on the invert Miracle would share the front row of the feature with Cody Smith of Pineville, Ky. Still searching for his first win Smith would take the point as the field took the green flag with Miracle sliding into second. Behind them Matt Tharp of Luttrel and Michael Boyd of Morristown duked it out for third. During the early laps it looked as if Smith might have had front suspension problems. Throughout the feature Miracle pressured Smith for the lead, making contact several times in trying to pass for the lead. During the battle for the lead Boyd has moved past Tharp into third. On the last lap Smith and Miracle would make contact on the back stretch getting both cars out of shape. Seizing the opportunity Boyd would dive low and take his second win of the season in the Boyd and Son Trucking, Warren Stinson DDS, Rex Effects, East Tennessee Fence, Twilight Skating Rink, Shocks by Travis Fultz, Jeff Hurst Horse transport sponsored Rayburn Race car powered by a DJ’s Performance Race Engine.
Sportsman
1. 3 Michael Boyd
2. 11 Cody Smith
3. 50M Jonathan Miracle
4. 15 Wade Howerton
5. 97 Keith Chapman
6. 24 Andy Wilder
7. 41 Richard Bailey
8. 11 Richie Bean
9. 1B Mark Sexton
10. K5 Nick Kniat
11. 21 Bryan Howerton
12. 92T Travis Crosby
13. 35 Matt Tharp
14. 00 Chris Raines
DNS G7 Billy Gordon
Using the luck of the invert draw Gary Blanken of Morristown notched his first Super Stock win of the year. Sportsman Late Model standout Clyde Overholt, substituting for points leader Brad Davis, set a new qualifying record with a lap of 12.917 seconds. Moments later Shannon Emery of Morristown shattered that time with new record of 12.766 seconds. Blanken would use his years of experience to hold off Emery for the victory, leading every lap in the Brit’s Welding, Corner Cafe, Morristown Towing and Recovery, Hopson Racing and Fabrication, DJ’s Performance Race Engine powered Monte Carlo.
Super Stock
1. 5 Gary Bkanken
2. M2 Shannon Emery
3. 88 Clyde Overholt
4. 66 Michael Woods
5. 52 Dale Reed
6. C4 Logan Cobb
7. 55 Brad Sturgill
8. 3 Austin Neely
9. 83 Cody Thompson
Danny Pennington of Jonesville, Va led every lap of the 4 Cylinder feature for his first career victory in the Haynes & Son Construction, Marcum Oil Ford Mustang.
4 Cylinder
1. 17 Danny Pennington
2. B7 Bubby Braden
3. 22 Chris Reichert
4. 72 Rufus Collett
DNS 1 Mark Wallace
DNS 99 Bill Goss
John Stevens of Wallins Creek, KY scored his fourth win in a row leading every lap of of the Classic Car feature in the Red Eyes Racing, VFW #1178, Hensley Trucking sponsored sedan.
Classic Car
1. 7 John Stevens
2. 11 Tim Stevens
3. 4 Brian Saylor
4. 2 Brandon Muncey
5. 5 Hayston Collett
6. 17 Rocky Estes, Jr
7. XXX Josh Chesney
