Billy Ogle Jr. made sure his first career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory was a memorable one. The veteran Knoxville, Tenn., racer overtook Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., with a dramatic pass on the final lap of Saturday night’s Ray Varner Ford 50 at Tazewell Speedway and earned $10,575 for one of the biggest victories of his career.
“This is definitely one of my top wins,” the 50-year-old Ogle told a capacity crowd that cheered him to victory at one of his home tracks. “I’d never won an Outlaws race, so now I can check that off my list. That was a goal I’ve really been wanting to get.” Ogle, who spent the early years of his career racing weekly at Tazewell’s high-banked third-mile oval, had to rely on late heroics after running third behind Richards and WoO LMS points leader Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., for most of the race.
Clanton, who entered Saturday’s race having won four of the year’s first seven WoO LMS events, chased Richards through most of the distance as the two WoO LMS veterans broke away from the pack. But Richards and Clanton both began to fade as the race entered its crucial moments. Ogle made the most of his competitors’ struggles. He pounced when Clanton slipped out of the grove in turn two on lap 42 to grab the second spot and was looking under Richards for the lead just a few laps later.
With the tires on his Rocket Chassis house car fading, Richards managed to turn back Ogle’s heavy pressure through most of the race’s final five laps, but he couldn’t keep his car from sliding slightly out of the groove as he made his final trip through turns one and two. The small opening was all Ogle needed. He dove underneath Richards and pulled even in turn two and muscled his way by as the two cars made contact exiting the corner. Richards attempted to retake the lead with a hard charge of his own entering turn three, but Ogle used the preferred line to easily pull away down the homestretch.
“I knew that Josh was having a problem with about five or 10 to go and he was really holding me up,” said Ogle, who credited his American Racer tires for allowing his Stacy Boles-owned Rocket Chassis to remain strong when his competitors faded. “When we got the white (flag), I said this is it. He kind of struggled off two and I just kind of muscled through there.” Another slip high by Richards in the final corner allowed Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., to drive by and claim the runner-up finish. Richards settled for third while Clanton recorded his eighth top-five finishes in eight WoO LMS events this season with his fourth-place result. Three-tim
e and defending series champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., finished fifth.
Owens was quiet for most of the race after starting from the sixth position, but he took advantage of opportunities to move his Rowland Racing Club 29 Race Car forward. Two of those opportunities were created by Ogle’s determined drive to the front. “Things just worked our way,” said Owens, a three-time champion on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. “We followed Billy up through there. He’d kind of scooted them out of the way and we’d just follow him right through the hole. We came home second, so I’m happy.”
Rick Eckert of York, Pa., recovered from a problem during the night’s time trials session to finish sixth in the main event, ahead of Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who was racing for the first time since undergoing knee-replacement surgery in February. Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn., finished eighth with Brad Neat of Dunnville, Ky., and Steve Smith of Powell, Tenn., rounding out the top 10 finishers.
World of Outlaws Late Models Ray Varner Ford 50
1. 201 Billy Ogle Jr.
2. 20 Jimmy Owens
3. 1 Josh Richards
4. 25 Shane Clanton
5. 29 Darrell Lanigan
6. 7V Rick Eckert
7. 1 Chub Frank
8. 1H Vic Hill
9. 41 Brad Neat
10. 3 Steve Smith
11. 18 Eric Wells
12. 18C Chase Junghans
13. 14M Morgan Bagley
14. 11B Stacy Boles
15. 76 Brandon Overton
16. 77 Jordan Yaggy
17. 10 Chad Ogle
18. 99B Boom Briggs
19. 86 Jeff Neubert
20. 99 Frank Heckenast, Jr.
21. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
22. 39 Tim MCCreadie
23. 51 Mack McCarter
24. 7 Donald McIntosh
In preliminary action Steve Carr of Rogersville, TN scored his first Sportsman win of the season. Last week’s winner Cyde Overholt of Tazewell turned the quickest lap in qualifying with a lap of 12.709 seconds and would share the front row of the feature alongside Carr. With the drop of the green Carr would take charge While Overholt settled into second. Anthony Arnwine of Tazewell and Heath Alvey of Dandridge battled door to door for the third spot. Alvey would take the position on lap three.
By lap thirteen Carr had extended the lead to a full straight on Overholt. The scariest moment of the evening came just as the checkered flag was dislayed. As Carr was eyeing the victory, Josh Chesney of Maynardville and Matt Tharp of Luttrell tangled on the front stretch sending both cars spinning. Carr got caught up in the wreck suffering damage to the driver’s side door. As Carr pulled into Victory Lane he had to exit the car on the right side beaming a big smile. Carr’s Sportsman machine is powered by a Spider’s Race Engine and is sponsored by Holston Auto Parts, Odello Industries andVisual Designs by Brian.
Sportsman
1. 77 Steve Carr
2. 4 Clyde Overholt
3. 7 Heath Alvey
4. 111 Anthony Arnwine
5. 1 David Clark
6. 15 Wade Howerton
7. 12 Eric Register
8. 5 Josh Chesney
9. 51 Dalton King
10. 35 Matt Tharp
11. 02 Michael Hawk
12. 24 Andy Wilder
13. 25 Terry Smith
14. 21 Brian Howerton
In the Classic car feature a first time winner would emerge from a race that brought the crowd to their feet. Last week’s winner, Philip Thompson would earn quick time honors sharing the front row with Justin Overton of Middlesboro, KY. Before a lap could be completed the cars of Jason Beeler, Robbie Sands and Josh Chesney would get caught up in a wreck in turn two. With the feature finally underway Thompson and Overton would race side by side for the three circuits. As they were battling John Stevens put his car into the mix. The caution flag would fly on lap three as Rusty Welch lost a right rear tire in turn two. On the restart Thompson and Overton went at it again racing door to door with a little friendly contact mixed in.
On lap eight Overton would slip into the lead leaving Thompson to spar with Stevens for the runner-up spot. As the pair raced hard they would make contact on the back stretch entangling both cars. Stevens would go pitside and Thompson would regroup to finish third. Up front Overton would hold off Chris Evans for his first career Classic Car victory in the Overton Trucking, BC Transmission, Cut Throat Graphics sedan. Overton celebrated the huge win surrounded by his crew, wife and newborn son.
Classic Cars
1. 98 Justin Overton
2. 2 Chris Evans
3. 24 Philip Thompson
4. XXX Josh Chesney
5. C74 Cliff Lane
6. 18 Joe Keck
7. 88 Richie Overholser
8. 7 John Stevens
9. 0 Rusty Welch
10. 5 Robbie Sands
11. 3 Jason Beeler
12. 8 Eli Keck
Eddie Stewart of Manchester, KY picked up the Super Stock in his first visit to Tazewell Speedway in almost eight years. Daniel Carpenter would lead the first lap with Brad Davis and Stewart giving chase. Stewart would slip into the second spot on lap six. On lap seven Carpenter would bring out the yellow flag as he crashed in turn two. On the restart Davis would drop out with engine trouble. Stewart would lead the remaining laps and secure the win the Matthews Well Service, WeGo the Dog sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo.
Super Stock
1. 119 Eddie Stewart
2. 92T Travis Crosby
3. C5 Daniel Carpenter
4. 88 Brad Davis
Joey Allen of Cosby made in two-in-a-row by easily winning the 4 Cylinder feature in the Allen’s Railroad Contracting, Norton’s Body Shop, New Vision Graphics Ford Mustang.
Super Stock
1. 119 Eddie Stewart
2. 92T Travis Crosby
3. C5 Daniel Carpenter
4. 88 Brad Davis
