The Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Collins Signs rolled into Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN to complete the 2015 Revelution Race Cars Iron Man Speedweek presented by Arizona Sport Shirts and the Iron Man Modified Speedweek presented by American Racer South and Chad Ogle of Sevierville, TN claim the Super Late Model victory in the 7th Annual Buddy Rogers Memorial and Shon Flanary of Church Hill, TN would take the win in the Modified portion of the program.
Billy Ogle, Jr. would take the lead at the start of the 44 lap, $4,400 to win Buddy Rogers Memorial main event and would set a rapid pace from his lead spot, with Chad Ogle and Mack McCarter giving chase. Billy Ogle, Jr. would get into the process of lapping traffic quickly and would work a group of slower cars masterfully around lap 20, as McCarter pressured Chad Ogle for second, with McCarter’s night ending just a few laps later with overheating issues on his mount. Around lap 34, the Billy Ogle, Jr. machine would start getting loose exiting the corners and this would allow Chad Ogle to begin to close in on the leader. On lap 38, Chad Ogle would pull beneath Billy Ogle, Jr. for the lead exiting turn two, as a flat right rear tire on the Billy Ogle, Jr. mount would be the reason for the caution flag. Chad Ogle would lead the final five circuits to pick up the victory in the Etc. and Company/GEOS/Ogle’s Merchandising Service sponsored #10 Rocket Chassis, Custom Race Engines powered machine. Brad Hall would claim runner-up honors, with Dakotah Knuckles finishing in the third position. Tommy Bailey and Billy Ogle, Jr. would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Bobby Mays, Josh Collins, and Jody Horton. Eighteen entries would see Billy Ogle, Jr. be the top qualifier at 11.445 seconds and also win a heat, while David Payne and Chad Ogle were also heat race winners.
Super Late Models
1. 10 Chad Ogle
2. 47 Brad Hall
3. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
4. 11 Tommy Bailey
5. 201 Billy Ogle Jr.
6. 97 Michael Chilton
7. 16 Victor Lee
8. 25 Bobby Mays
9. 63 Josh Collins
10. 56J Jody Horton
11. 86 Jeff Neubert
12. 51 Mack McCarter
13. 29 Jason Welshan
14. 54 Mitchell Burke
15. 8X Ronnie Payne
16. 8 David Payne
DNS 0 Ross White
DNS 24 Phil Helton
Shon Flanary would have the dominant car and lead all 20 laps of the Iron Man Modified feature contest and would drive to the $1,000 payday behind the wheel of his NAPA of West Liberty/FAST Trucking/Custom Suspensions/Casva Angus Farms/Will Kinzer Foundation for Autism Research/Penske Shocks/Hypercoils/Auto Body Specialists sponsored #98 MB Customs Chassis sporting a Mullins Race Engine. Dennis Roberson would finish in the runner-up position, with Joey Cotterman completing the podium finishers. Jimmy Crabtree and Shawn Hibbard completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten would be Don Adams, Billy Palmer, Aaron Branham, Kevin Copher, and Tyler James. Thirteen entries would see Flanary be top qualifier at 12.626 seconds and win a heat, while Adams won the other heat.
Open Wheel Modified
1. 98 Shon Flanary
2. 25 Dennis Roberson
3. 29C Joey Cotterman
4. T28 Jimmy Crabtree
5. 22 Shawn Hibbard
6. 90 Don Adams
7. 36 Billy Palmer
8. 38 Aaron Branham
9. 509 Kevin Copher
10. 4 Tyler James
11. 00 Jeff Akard
DNS 26 Robbie Branham
DNS 28C Jeff Cotterman
East Tennessee racing veteran Gary Blanken of Morristown scored his first Tazewell Speedway Sportsman victory by leading every lap of the twenty lap feature. A season high twenty-three drivers were on hand vying for the $800 top prize. Blanken was fastest in time trials with a lap of 12.258 seconds and would start on the outside of the front row beside Rogersville’s Steve Carr. Taking the early lead, Bleanken distanced himself from Carr as Matt Tharp of Luttrell and Heath Alvey battled for the third spot. After duking it out door to door for several laps Alvey would slip into the spot on lap twelve. Up front Carr was shadowing Blanken looking for any chance to strike yet it was Blanken showing the way for his first Sportsman win.
Sportsman
1. 05 Gary Blanken
2. 7 Heath Alvey
3. 77 Steve Carr
4. 35 Matt Tharp
5. 1 David Clark
6. 3 Michael Boyd
7. 119 Josh Evans
8. 14 Austin Atkins
9. 2 Terry Poore
10. 25 Eric Webber
11. 50 Rick Welch
12. 111 Anthony Arnwine
13. 11 Cody Smith
14. 55 Brandon Taylor
15. 99 Jeff Day
16. 20 Brian Russell
17. XXX Josh Chesney
18. 15 Wade Howerton
19. 46 Stephen Martin
20. 21 Brian Howerton
22. 22 Anthony Liford
Eddie Stewart of Manchester, KY flexed his muscled earning the quickest time in Super Stock qualifying and leading every lap of the feature paying $700 to win. Coming into the night’s action Brad Davis of Tazewell held only a four point lead over Jamie Whitt of Wise, VA in the championship points chase. All Davis had to do to win the title was to finish in front of Whitt in the feature.
Stewart would take the lead at the drop of the flag trailed by Kurt Owens of Newport, Davis and Chris Rickett of Morristown. On lap six a spin by Robbie Buchanan of Tazewell would bring out the caution as Davis and Rickett were racing side by side. On the restart Davis would drop pitside with brake problems putting his title hopes in jeopardy. At the front Owens was starting to reel in Stewart yet it wasn’t enough as Stewart racked up his third Super Stock win of the season. With Brad Davis dropping out early Jamie Whitt earned enough points by finishing fifth to capture his first Super Stock points championship.
Super Stock
1. 119 Eddie Stewart
2. 14 Kurt Owens
3. 36 Chris Rickety
4. 3 Austin Neely
5. 1 Jamie Whitt
6. 56 Tony Horton
7. 33 Phillip Nichols
8. 66 Michael Woods
9. P21 Robbie Buchanan
10. 15 Jason Long
11. 35 Jason West
12. 44 Dakota Trent
13. 88 Brad Davis
14. 38 Cody Thompson
15. 22 Doyle Hubbard
16. 55 Brad Sturgill
Our next race is Saturday, September 26 for Championship Night and the $500 to win Buster Cupp Memorial for the Super Stocks. All classes will be in action.
