Tazewell Speedway Opens New Season With the Charles Trammell Memorial Race

The 2010 racing season at the Gary Hall owned speedplant nicknamed the "Taz" got underway on a beautiful Saturday evening. The drivers, crews and fans were treated with a cloudless sky and comfortable temperatures as they entered the gates with the anticipation that only a new racing season can bring. The opening race was dedicated to the life of Charles Trammell, a much decorated and dedicated racer and fan of Tazewell Speedway. Joining Tazewell Speedway for its first-time sanctioning a Taz event was the CJ Rayburn, National All Stars Racing Association. The super late model feature race had the drivers racing for a three-thousand dollar check and the pride of winning the first ever Charles Trammell Memorial. As the fans were still packing the stands the drivers took to the high dirt banks for track packing and hot laps.

The Tazewell Late Models (formerly limited) qualified first with Brad Hall taking the pole with a time of 11.909 seconds. The NASRA Super Late Models were next to qualify with Vic Hill and David Webb both grabbing fast time at 11.232 seconds. The fan favorite modified street class was next to qualify with Robbie Buchanan grabbing the pole with a time of 13.391 seconds. Shortly after qualifications were completed Jason Trammell, grandson of Charles Trammell took the American flag around the track as Danny Sexton sang the National Anthem followed by a heartfelt tribute to Charles and the entire Trammell family given by CJ Rayburn.

The NASRA heat races were up next and David Webb ran away with the first one. During the second heat race Vic Hill was feeling the pressure from Wayne Chinn but Chinn was caught up in lap traffic giving Hill the heat 2 win. Rick Rogers got around Mike Weeks in the early laps to get the 3rd and final heat race win.

The four-cylinders were the first class to actually race during the new season with the front row consisting of Brad Albright and Scottie Frazier. The two got together between turns one and two sending Albright into the inside wall on the backstretch ending his race. Albright was helped from his torn up 4-cylinder a little sore and short of breath. The race was restarted with Chuck McMahan coming from the rear and passing Frazier only to break and give the win to Scottie Frazier.

The modified street class hit the track next with Allen Holt and Robbie Buchanon putting on a show up front. In the middle of the pack Anthony Morgan was left parked in turn three after contact. Morgan was fortunately able to restart. On the restart the two up front was at it again until the car of Nick Barnard put fluids down halting the action. Holt and Buchanon continued the battle up front until lap 6. The 56H of Jordon Horton created another caution when his machine broke and fluids were spilled once again on the track. The great Taz crew quickly cleaned up the spill and the race resumed. Robbie Buchanon got around Holt and drove to the win, his first. Holt retired from the race with mechanical issues. Larry Burke drove up into second followed by Tony Horton.

The NASRA Charles Trammell Memorial 50 was next and on the front row was Rick Rogers and David Webb. Rogers got the early advantage until an incident left Jeff Wolfenbarger stopped on the inside of the track where Brad Albright had earlier found the wall. The racers were regrouped and the race restarted. Rogers shot out to a good lead but as the cars circled the track to begin lap 4 Rogers was no longer at the point. Webb was now leading the race and three wide racing was being seen on nearly every lap on the famed high banks. The three of Steve Smith was now in second place looking to strike. On lap 9 Rogers had battled back to the point but caution slowed the pace when contact left Vic Hill and Billy Ogle JR stopped on the racing surface. Ogle was able to drive away but the Hill Pilot, Landair, American Racing Tire South machine was too damaged to continue. Mike Weeks came out of the smoke and dust in third just behind Webb and Rogers.

A lap 10 crash left Smith damaged and Chinn and Aaron Ridley hooked together on the frontstretch as the field slowed to miss the eleven car of Bobby Wolter JR . The top three remained the same with Tommy Kerr moving up into fourth. Another lap 10 crash halted the race restart when Dustin Linville and Aaron Ridley found trouble on the frontstretch. Ridley escaped and was able to continue even though his machine was at one time setting on the racecar of Linville. The leader Webb found trouble as the race tried to resume and he gave the point once again over to Rogers. Weeks was second and Tommy Kerr was third as flagman Bruce Caylor tried yet another lap 10 restart.

Twelve cars restarted and all made it to lap 17 with Rogers leading the way. On lap 23 Ogle slid boldly into second around Kerr and Weeks overtaking both coming out of turn four and set his sights on the leader. Lap 36 saw Ogle pass Rogers at the flagstand then power away with the win over Rogers, Kerr, Weeks and Mike Marlar. Ogle crossed the scales and was found to be legal.

After the race Billy Ogle Jr. talked about his race, "We tried a set up that we thought would be good for a dry-slick track and I believe that it helped us in the end." When asked about one of the greatest moves ever seen at the Taz to clear two cars in about four-hundred feet he added, "I took the high side and had such a momentum run that I just had to wobble between them like passing cars on an interstate. I just knew I had to make the move and didn't know if I had them cleared or not." His Calhouns Resturant, Kilby Equipment, Grady and King Construction, Gabby's Alternator, Corvette bodied Super Late Model rolled away winner of the first Charles Trammell Memorial.

The Tazewell Late Models were the next racecars to try to tame the Taz. The front row consisted of Jason Welshan and Brad Hall. Mark Leech, Matt Melton and Andy Wilder brought out the first caution with Leech's car taking the most damage. Hall gave second up after spinning in turn two to Ross White on lap three and Greg Estes was third. On lap 12 Travis Fultz grabbed third and by lap 17 was looking to take second from White. Fultz could get no higher than third with Welshan and White finishing one-two. It was Welshan's first ever win at the Taz and after the race he said, "I just love this place, its the best track in the country." The final race of the night featured pure street cars. Justin James and Jason Long started up front but James would fall back to seventh by the race's end. Long took the win over Mike Daniels and Will Carey.

Final Results: NASRA Super Late Models

(1) 201 Billy Ogle Jr. (2) 44 Rick Rogers (3) 4T Tommy Kerr (4) 22 Mike Weeks (5) 196 Mike Marlar (6) 01 Arnie Fields (7) 13W David Webb (8) 14 Terry Wolfenbarger (9) 81 Aaron Ridley (10) Wayne Chinn (11) 30 Christian Rayburn (12) 3 Steve Smith (13) D8 Dustin Linville (14) 11 Bobby Wolter Jr (15) 2J JJ Templeton (16) 1 Vic Hill (17) 7 Marty Calloway (18) 36L Dale Dillion (19) 90J Jason Trammell (20) M57 Skylar Marlar (21) 47H Brad Hall (22) 4 Michael Smith (23) 7 Brian Smith (24) 28 Jeff Wolfenbarger

Tazewell Late Models:

(1) 29 Jason Welshan (2) 0 Ross White (3) T0 Travis Fultz (4) 97 Keith Chapman (5) 31 Greg Estes (6) 2 James England (7) 33 Brad Hall (8) 79C Mike Bright (9) 56J Jody Horton (10) 8 Randy Davis (11) 90J Jason Trammell (12) 11 Anthony Arnwine (13) 24 Andy Wilder (14) 66 Mark Leech (15) 1 Matt Melton (16) XXX Josh Chesney (17) 111 Jay Allen DNQ-DNS (18) 00 J Herald Smith DNQ-DNS

Modified Street:

(1) P21 Robbie Buchanon (2) 54 Larry Burke (3) 56 Tony Horton (4) Warren McMahan (5) 4 Clyde Overholt (6) 20 Matt Sawyer (7) 24 Allen Holt (8) 74 Steve Wilder (9) XXX Josh Chesney (10) 56H Jordon Horton (11) 26 Anthony Morgan (12) 69 Nick Barnard (13) 77 Chris Collinsworth DNS

Pure Street:

(1) 15 Jason Long (2) 12 Mike Daniels (3) 16 Will Carey (4) 11 Toby Turner (5) 41 Jonathan Miracle (6) 3 Michael Boyd (7) 28 Justin James (8) 22 Charlie Davidson (9) 77 John Stevens DNS

Four Cylinders:

(1) 13 Scottie Frazier (2) 97 Stevie Lee (3) B7 Bubby Braden (4) 1 Wayne Woodward (5) 99 Chuck McMahan (6) A27 Allen Holloway (7) 28 Brad Albright (8) A00 Joey Allen

It was a great night of two and three wide racing action and Tazewell Speedway thanks each and every person for attending. Join us for regular weekly action this Saturday. For information log on to www.tazewellspeedway.net.