After chasing away a pesky rain shower and waiting for the track to be worked back into shape the crowd on hand last night at Tazewell Speedway was rewarded with an exciting night of racing. Before the night was over a couple of familiar faces visited Victory Lane and one driver created unprecedented history. The points leaders in each division would also be recognized for their efforts in the midway point of the points chase.In Limited Late Model action points leader Jason Trammell of Knoxville recorded the quickest time in qualifying with a lap of 11.750 seconds with Tazewell’s Clyde Overholt only a tick behind with a lap of 11.882 seconds on a lightning quick track. With Trammell pulling a three on the invert draw last week’s Crate Late Model feature winner Jordon Horton of Sneedville would start on the pole of the thirty lap race alongside Overholt.
With the green flag flying Horton muscled his way into the lead coming out of turn two while Overholt, Brian Smith of Barbourville, KY and Trammell jousted for position. By the sixth circuit Horton had a five car length lead over the field. Several times during the feature Overholt and Smith would race door-to-door for second. The only caution period would come on lap eighteen as Matthew Holt of Thorn Hill spun on the back stretch.
On the ensuing restart Horton pulled away from the field. With eight laps to go Chicky Barton of Middlesboro, KY worked his way past Trammell for fourth after starting on the tail of the field. The “Sneedville Sniper” would lead every lap for his first Limited Late Model feature win and also become the only driver in Tazewell Speedway history to earn a victory in five different divisions in a career. Horton’s Phantom Race Engine powered Swartz Race Car is sponsored by Southern Pride Land & Cattle, Volunteer Drum, Middlesboro Coca-Cola Bottling, Discount Auto Parts, Greasy Rock Auto Shop, Enix Jewelers, Harrogate IGA, Essary Farms, Bunch’s Hollow Campground, Johnson Feed Mill, J&J Lawn care, Harrison Farm & Home Supply and Ramsey Lawn Care.
Jason Trammell would earn the Limited Late Model Mid-Season Points Championship trophy.
Limited Late Model
1. 56H Jordon Horton
2. 4 Clyde Overholt
3. 7 Brian Smith
4. 144 Chicky Barton
5. 90J Jason Trammell
6. 54 Mitchell Burke
7. 32 Jason Manley
8. 17 Brian Shockley
9. 77 Michael Price
10. 22 Matthew Holt
11. B7 Bubby Braden
Coming into the night with a class leading seven wins, Travis Fultz of Harrogate earned enough points to secure the Sportsman Mid-Season Points Championship trophy. Fultz was the fastest qualifier with a lap of 12.140 seconds. Barbourville, KY’s Matthew Smith, in only his third start of the season, was second quickest with a lap of 12.334 seconds. Former Sportsman champion Jonathan Miracle of Tazewell would start on the pole of the twenty lap feature after Fultz drew a three on the invert draw. Using his outside pole starting position, Smith would take the lead on the opening lap while Miracle, Steve Smith of Barbourville, Ky and Maynardville’s Josh Chesney battled for position. After sliding back on the opening laps Fultz would shove his way past Chesney for fourth on lap four. For most of the early laps Fultz and Steve Smith would race door-to-door for third.
By the midway point of the feature Matthew Smith had pulled out to a five car length lead over Miracle. With the laps winding down all it appeared that the second-generation driver was well on his way to his first career win. Taking the white flag, Smith charged one more time around the 1/3 mile speedplant. Just as he was storming out of turn four searching for the checkered flag he would collide with the lap car of David Bullington of Morristown. The collision would send both cars into the inside retaining wall, just yards shy of the finish line. Miracle, in his first Sportsman start in over a month, would move past the carnage to score his first win of the year in the Petty’s Wrecker Service, Morristown Marine, Noah’s Wholesale, Tim Fletcher Heating & Cooling, 1st Class Recovery, Clyde Overholt racing sponsored Rayburn Race Car with power from a DJ’s Performance Race Engine.
Sportsman
1. 50 Jonathan Miracle
2. T0 Travis Fultz
3. 2 Steve Smith
4. 122 Josh Chesney
5. 14 Odie Overholt
6. 17 Logan Seal
7. 28 Randy Davis
8. 28J Justin James
9. 24 Andy Wilder
10. 7 Matthew Smith
11. 76 Joe Bray
12. 20 David Bullington
13. 00 Chris Raines
14. K0 Nick Kniat
The Classic Car Mid-Season Points chase would come right down to the end of the twenty lap feature. Coming into the night two-time track champion John Stevens of Wallins Creek, KY held only a one point lead over Jason Saylor of Harlan, KY. Stevens would set quick time in qualifying with a lap of 14.627 seconds and would draw a two on the invert draw. Starting on the outside of the front row Stevens would quickly take the lead followed closely by Hayston Collett of Harlan, KY, and Union County drivers Rusty Welch and Quincy Arnwine. While Stevens was holding the point up the racing was furious in the middle of the pack.
Just past the midway point of the feature the bad luck bug would strike Stevens as his car slowed on the speedway with drivetrain problems. Collett would lead the rest of the way for his second win of the year in the Bullco Trucking, Anderson & Laws Funeral Home, Williams Trucking and Dr. Dahan sponsored, DJ’s Perfromance Race Engine powered Classic Car sedan. With the conclusion of the feature Collett and and Saylor were tied for first in points. After reviewing the finishing orders from this season both drivers had the same amount of wins, second place and third place finishes. Neither one had finished fourth yet Collett had one fifth place finish and Saylor had one seventh place finish. With the better average finish Collett was awarded the Mid-Season Points Championship.
Classic Car
1. 3 Hayston Collett
2. 69 Jesse Hickman
3. 5S Jason Saylor
4. 1A Quincy Arnwine
5. 1W Rusty Welch
6. 7 John Stevens
In 4 Cylinder action points leader Chuck McMahan of Dandridge stole the lead away from Newport’s Chad Manning on the third lap of the feature and led the rest of the way for his sixth win of the season in the Round Boy Racing, Lowes Auto Parts, Koontz Plumbing & Mechanical, Original Mr. Freezo Ford Mustang. Coldiron, KY’s James Collett Jr. would take second away from Manning on the eighth lap. McMahan was awarded the Mid-Season Points Champion trophy.
4 Cylinder
1. 99 Chuck McMahan
2. 38 James Collett Jr.
3. 7UP Chad Manning
4. 72 Rufus Collett
5. 5 Terry Boshears
6. 8 Michael Branham
DNS 7 Robert Fox
DNS 39 James Collett
Kevin Smith of Barbourville, KY was quickest in Street Stock time trials with a lap of 14.871 seconds yet would draw the three on the invert draw giving the pole starting spot to Tazewell’s Wendell Williams. On the opening lap Williams and Ryan Bailey of Maynardville would swap paint as they came out of turn four. The heavy contact would send both cars spinning down the front stretch with Bailey losing a right rear wheel and Williams suffering heavy front end body damage after tagging the inside wall.
Smith would lead every lap of the feature with points leader Jamie Whitt of Wise, VA on his back bumper for most of the race. After a post race inspection on both cars, Whitt’s engine was found to have an improper camshaft lift and his second place finish was disqualified. Whitt did however have enough points coming into the night to secure the Mid-Season Points Championship. Smith’s engine passed insoection and he was awarded his first win of the season in the Smith’s Gutters & Siding, DeSignAbles sponsored Camaro.
Street Stock
1. 58 Kevin Smith
2. 26 J.J. Green
3. 15 Dustin Harville
4. 7 Michael Green
5. 71 Wendell Williams
6. 28 Ryan Bailey
DQ’d 1 Jamie Whitt