In a quest for his first track championship Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, VA led every lap of the Late Model feature to score his fifth straight win and extend his points lead. Recording a lap of 11.564 seconds Knuckles was quickest in qualifying among a stout field. Knoxville’s Jason Trammell, Clyde Overholt of Tazewell and Morristown’s Eric Webber, in only his second start of the season, rounded out the top four in time trials. Overholt would draw the pole for the Fast Car Dash with Webber sharing the front row. Leading every lap of the dash Overholt earned the pole for the thirty lap feature with Knuckles, who started fourth in the dash, finishing second.
Bringing the field to the green flag Overholt and Knuckles then made it a drag race down the back stretch for the lead. Knuckles would take the lead coming out of turn four on the bottom groove followed by Overholt, Trammell, Webber and Thorn Hill’s Brian Shockley. On lap five Webber would be the first to retire from the race as his car slowed on the front stretch. Two laps later the yellow flag would fly for debris on the track.
On the restart Knuckles mashed the loud pedal and quickly pulled away from Overholt and the rest of the field. On lap ten Trammell began pressuring Overholt for second and on the next lap would take the spot away. By lap fifteen Knuckles was weaving his way through lap traffic. The last caution would fly on lap twenty-two again for debris. With five laps to go Trammell closed the gap and began looking for a way to get past Knuckles. Meanwhile Greg Estes of Jonesville, VA, who started twelfth, muscled his way by Overholt for third. Up front Knuckles was able to hold off Trammell to notch his fifth win in the row in the Florida Veterinary Cardiology, Marcum Oil, Howerton Roofing, ALACO, Jovida Enterprises, Hickory Star Marina, C&C Trucking, Liberty Sport & Pawn, Hill’s Truck Repair, Timberline Barns sponsored Rocket Race Car powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine.
Late Models
1. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
2. 90J Jason Trammell
3. 31 Greg Estes
4. 4 Clyde Overholt
5. 22 Matthew Holt
6. 54 Mitchell Burke
7. 22 Lynn Leach
8. 18 Michael Rutherford
9. B7 Bubby Braden
10. 17 Brian Shockley
11. 56J Jody Horton
12. 25 Eric Webber
DNS 3 Austin Neely
Travis Fultz of Harrogate continued his domination of the Sportsman division leading every lap of the twenty lap feature for his seventh win of the season. Cody Smith of Barbourville, KY was quickest in time trials with a lap of 11.850 seconds, the only Sportsman car to record a a sub 12 second lap and flirting with the track record. Fultz would take control on the first lap as Smith and Aaron Guinn of Russellville battled door to door. On the second lap Guinn muscled his way past Smith in turn four to take over second. As Fultz was pulling away from the field the crowd was focused on Smith and Luttrell’s Matt Tharp as they raced hard side by side in the early laps of the feature. On lap ten Tharp dove low in turn three to take third from Smith. Fultz checked out on the field to record the win in the Petty’s Wrecker Service, Tim Fletcher Heating & Cooling, Bailey’s Body Shop sponsored Rocket race car powered by a DJ’s Performance Race Engine.
Sportsman
1. To Travis Fultz
2. 97 Aaron Guinn
3. 43 Matt Tharp
4. 11 Cody Smith
5. 28 Randy Davis
6. 22 Jason Sizemore
7. 33 Phillip Nichols
8. 122 Matt Shockley
9. 24 Andy Wilder
10. 17 Logan Seal
11. 28J Justin James
12. 8W Paul Whitley
13. 3 Corey Holt
14. 9 Nicholas Shelton
15. 58 Kevin Smith
16. 21 Brian Howerton
Brad Davis of Tazewell got back on the winning track as he took over the lead in the Super Stock feature on the second lap and led the rest of the way for his ninth win of the season. Davis was quickest in qualifying with Kurt Owens of Newport second. As the field took the initial green and stormed into the first turns the car of Jonesborough’s Jeff Ferguson would climb the wall in turn two and almost overturn. On the restart Owens took the early lead yet slowed on the second lap with a flat right rear tire. He would dive pitside for a fresh tire and restart on the tail end of the field. Robbie Buchanan of Tazewell, searching for his second win of the year, kept close with Davis throughout the feature. By lap six Owens had worked his way back up to fourth but on the seventh circuit disaster would strike as he lost the left front wheel coming down the front stretch. Holding off Buchanan in the late stages Davis collected his ninth win at The Taz this year in the Phantom Race Engine powered S&S Race Car with sponsorship from Jeffers Exterminating, Andrews Construction, Dynamic Machine, Locus Church, Forever Young Amusements, Little Caesars Pizza of New Tazewell, Southern Outdoors, Paradise Marine, Old Town Grill, Allen Earl Photography, Matlock Decals and Rick Welch Racing.
Super Stock
1. 88 Brad Davis
2. P21 Robbie Buchanan
3. 24 Jeff Ferguson
4. C4 Logan Cobb
5. 27 Charlie Bates
6. 83 Cody Thompson
7. 96 Chuck Killian
8. J5 Brandon Johnson
9. 14 Kurt Owens
10. 18 Daniel Sauceman
Joey Allen of Cosby notched his fourth 4 Cylinder win of the year as he took the lead away from Dandridge’s Chuck McMahan on lap seven of the feature. McMahan was quickest in qualifying with Allen turning in the second fastest time. In the early laps McMahan and Allen raced hard and clean. Behind them Chad Manning of Newport and points leader Chris Reichert of Knoxville raced hard for third. On lap six Allen started looking to the inside of McMahan and on the next circuit took the lead in turn one and never looked back piloting the Norton’s Body Shop, Allen Railroad Contracting, New Vision Graphics Ford Mustang.
4 Cylinder
1. 00 Joey Allen
2. 99 Chuck McMahan
3. 7UP Chad Manning
4. 22 Chris Reichert
5. 72 Rufus Collett
6. 1 Mark Wallace
7. 5 Terry Boshears
DNS 17 Tyler Haynes
Second generation driver Josh Chesney of Maynardville took Fast Time honors and led every lap of the Classic Car feature for his first win of the year in the Wallace Auto Sales, M&E Boat Services, Cabbage Auto Parts and Polygraph News sponsored sedan. Points leader John Stevens of Wallins Creek, KY kept within striking distance for most of the race yet couldn’t make it around Chesney. The close friends celebrated in Victory Lane with both of their cars.
Classic Car
1. 1 Josh Chesney
2. 7 John Stevens
3. 19 Tim Stevens
4. 16 Will Carey
5. 5 Hayston Collett
6. 501 Tony Trent
7. 2 Bradley Hutchinson
8. 14 Lee Merritt
