Shane Clanton proved he is bad fast and fearless as the 31-degree banking at Tazewell Speedway didn’t hold him back from leading all 50-laps of the Ray Varner 50 in order to land his third Series win of the season.“We were just buying our time waiting for the checker flag to come out,” said Clanton. “Our car has been working real good the past month and that just shows what hard work that Penske and Ronny Crooks, Aaron and Nick and all of them guys have done to get me back on top here.”
Clanton’s win broke the two-year streak of Tennessee top-guns overtaking the Outlaws at the third-mile but Jimmy Owens was looking to carry on the tradition. Owens landed fast-time and a heat win before unfortunately drawing a sixth place start in the feature. After steadily passing three cars, Owens passed Ricky Weiss on lap 40 for the second position. After an unsuccessful effort to reel in the lap-leader, Owens finished in second and Weiss rounded out the podium.
“We had an awesome race car tonight the track just kind of locked down a little quicker than we needed it to,” said Owens. “I would’ve liked to see what we had for Shane there if we could’ve gotten to race a little more but he had a good car. He’s been good for a while so congratulations to Shane and his crew and I’m glad that we get to come home with a good second place finish.”
World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Models Ray Varner Ford 50
1. 25 Shane Clanton
2. 20 Jimmy owens
3. 7W Ricky Weiss
4. 44 Chris madden
5. 1 Brandon Sheppard
6. 7 Rick Eckert
7. 9 Devin Moran
8. 91 Tyler Erb
9. 18 Eric Wells
10. 1* Chub Frank
11. 14m Morgan Bagley
12. 2C Joey Coulter
13. 3S Brian Shirley
14. 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr.
15. 10 Chad Ogle
16. 1 Vic Hill
17. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
18. 201 Billy Ogle Jr.
19. 7S Brian Smith
20. 17 Shannon Thornsberry
21. 56H Jordon Horton
In Sportsman action Cody Smith of Barbourville, KY scored his second win of the season and took the $800 big check back across the state line. Current points leader Aaron Guinn of Russellville was quickest in time trials and would share the front row of the twenty lap feature with Smith. Using the outside line Smith charged into the lead with Guinn, Travis Fultz, Andy Ogle and Anthony Burchett giving chase. Settling into a rhythm Smith was able to pull away from Guinn in the early laps. A caution flag on lap seven for a spinning car would reset the field. On the restart Ogle’s car would slam the outside wall in turn four collecting the cars of Burchett and Matt Tharp causing heavy damage to Tharp’s car.
After the track was cleared Smith turned up the wick and would lead the rest of the feature unchallenged for his second career win piloting the DJ’s Performance Race Engine powered, Cassie’s Beauty Base, Matlock Decal, Brucebilt Performance sponsored Revelution Race Car.
Sportsman
1. 11 Cody Smith
2. 97 Aaron Guinn
3. T0 Travis Fultz
4. 18 Anthony Burchett
5. 28J Randy Davis
6. 22 Jason Sizemore
7. 24 Andy Wilder
8. 15 Donovan Long
9. 10 Bubba Long
10. 68 Andy Ogle
11. 35 Matt Tharp
12. 28X Justin James
Along with the $800 to win in the Super Stock feature there was also a bounty on Brad Davis who came into the night having won four of the six events thus far this season. Chris Rickett of Morristown turned the quickest time in qualifying with fellow Hamblen Countian Austin Atkins qualifying second. Rickett and Atkins raced door to door after taking the green flag until Atkins slipped high in turn three allowing Rickett to slip into the lead and Davis taking over second.
While Rickett and Davis battled door to door for the lead Atkins stayed within striking distance. Midway through the race Atkins and Eddie Stewart of Manchester, KY put on a good show racing hard for the third spot. With the laps winding down Davis increased the pressure on Rickett, pulling even on the back stretch with four to go. On the next lap davis dove low in turn three to muscle his way past Rickett and lead the rest of the way for his ffth win of the year in the Jeffers Exterminating, Andrews Consruction, Old Town Grille, Locus Church, Southern Outdoors, Dynamic Machine, Paradise Marine, Allen Earl Photography, Forever Young Amusements, Matlock Decals, Little Caesars Pizza sponsored S&S Race Car with power from a Phantom Race Engine.
Super Stock
1. 88 Brad davis
2. 36 Chris Rickett
3. 119 Eddie Stewart
4. P21 Robbie Buchanan
5. 05 Gary Blanken
6. 56 Tony Horton
7. 83 Cody Thompson
8. C4 Logan Cobb
9. 14 Austin Atkins
The furious action didn’t stop with the $500 to win Classic Car feature. Starting on the outside of the front row Hayston Collett of Harlan, KY would lead every lap for his second win of the year. For most of the feature the trio of Collett, polesitter Josh Chesney of Maynardville and Wallins Creek, KY’s John Stevens raced nose to tail. Several times Stevens pulled even with Chesney duking it out for second.The night would end for Chesney on lap eleven as he crashed into the outside wall in turn four. Collett would hold off Stevens for the win in the Bullco Trucking, Glass Plus, AFCO Racing Products Classic Car sedan.
Classic Car
1. 5 Hayston Collett
2. 1 Josh Chesney
3. 69 Jesse Hickman
4. 7 John Stevens
5. 11 Tim Stevens
Big money was also on the line in the $500 to win 4 cylinder feature. Virginia’s Danny pennington would take the early lead away from pole sitter Joey Allen of Cosby. On lap three Cosby would shove his way back into the lead in turn two. On lap eleven Rufus Collett would spin in turn two with Pennington making hard contact yet able to continue.
Allen would lead the rest of the way yet after refusing to tear down after a post-race protest the win was awarded to Pennington, his first of the season.
4 Cylinder
1. 21 Danny Pennington
2. 99 Chuck McMahan
3. 7UP Kurt owens
4. 25 Joe Myers
5. 22 Chris Reichert
6. 2 Shane Bullock
7. 63 Walter Walsh
8. 5 Derick Duggan
9. 25 Brandon Johnson
DQ’d 00 Joey Allen
DQ’d 72 Rufus Collett
