Even with the threat of rain the ever faithfaul Tazewell Speedway fans gathered for another night of grass roots dirt track racing. They were rewarded with some of the best racing of the season. Before the evening was over a fan favorite was back in Victory Lane, a first time winner was crowned and two divisions had season high car counts.
Jason Trammell of Knoxville was quickest in Tazewell Late Model qualifying with a lap of 11.518 seconds. Drawing the two on the invert draw Trammell would start the feature on the outside of the front row alongside fellow Knoxvillian Brad Hall. With the drop of the green Trammell jumped into the lead followed by Hall, Josh Collins of Powell, Josh Henry of Newport and Travis Fultz of Harrogate. Trammell placed his car in the high groove distancing himself from Hall. On lap fifteen Hall was looking to close the gap as he and Trammell would catch up to lap traffic. Trammell would slip through yet Hall had trouble getting by the car of Mitchell Burke. After making slight contact Burke would drop pitside with a flat tire. Back up front Trammell would lead every lap of the feature while hall had hos hands full fighting off Collins in the waning laps. Jason Trammell’s second win of the season came in a Bloomquist Race Car sponsored by Trammell Construction, Hatmaker Holdings, Quality Medical, Vic Hill Engines, HVH heads, Hoosier Race Tires by Pup, Shorty’s Shocks, Charlie Brown Co. Screen Printing & Embroidery Services, Schaeffer’s Oil, and Tornado Alley Car Wash.
Tazewell Late Models
1. 90J Jason trammell
2. 47 Brad Hall
3. 63 Josh Collins
4. 00 Josh Henry
5. 22 Matthew Holt
6. 02 Travis Fultiz
7. 17 Brian Shockley
8. 28 Clyde Overholt
9. 54 Mitchell Burke
10. 22 Lynn Leach
In Sportsman qualifying Clyde Overholt of Tazewell was fastest among eleven entries with a lap of 12.093 seconds. Overholt drew the one on the invert draw and would share the front row of the twenty lap feature with David Clark of Tazewell. Using the outside line to his advantage Clark slipped into the lead as the field stormed down the back stretch. Behind him Overholt held onto second as Anthony Arnwine and Anthony Burchett fought for third. On lap nine Burchett would spin on his own in turn four bringing out the caution. On the restart Overholt started putting pressure on Clark for the lead. Using the low groove Overholt shot under Clark as he slipped high in turn two on the eleventh circuit. Just as it looked that Overholt was on his way to another win his engine would expire on lap thirteen.
After waiting for track officials to clean up the fluid left behind by Overholt, Clark inherited the lead. Clark would lead the rest of the way for his very first Sportsman win. He was joined in Victory lane by a huge crowd of supporters that included his mother Roseanne. Clark’s Custom Race Engine powered Rayburn Race Car gets receives sponsorship from Slim & Trim Weight Loss Center, Wallace Auto Sales, Kiddie Land Day Care Center, 1st Class Towing & Recovery, Allen Lester and Round Top Farms.
Sportsman
1. 1 David Clark
2. 111 Anthony Arnwine
3. 14 Austin Atkins
4. 24 Andy Wilder
5. 29 Chris Raines
6. 50 Rick Welch
7. 4 Clyde Overholt
8. 119 Josh Evans
9. 18 Anthony Burchett
10. 41 Shorty Ledford
DNS 97 Aaron Guinn
A season high seventeen Classic Cars signed in with Philip Thompson of Knoxville setting fast time with a lap of 13.958 seconds. Thompson would draw the three in the invert draw which had him starting on the inside of the second row for the twenty lap feature. Joe Keck of Corryton and Justin Overton of Middlesboro, KY would make up the front row. Keck would lead the first two circuits as Overton was busy fending off Thompson and Matt Tharp for second. Adam Pressley of Knoxville brought out the caution flag on lap three as he spun on his own. On the restart Thompson dropped to the inside of Overton to take over second and then raced side by side with Keck for the top spot. Thompson would slip past Keck for the lead on lap five. Some of the best racing of the night was for the second spot as Keck, Overton, John Stevens and Richie Overholser weaved their way through lap traffice while jostling for position. Overton would take second away from Keck on lap eleven. Up front Thompson would cruise the reast of the way for his fifth win of the season in Skyline Transportation, Filmax Filtration, Hooker Harness, Wells Racing Photography, Crockett Creek Beef Jerky, Eagle Race Engine powered Radioactive Classic Car. Thompson dedicated the win to Lester Weeks, father of racer Mike Weeks, who suffered a heart attack earlier in the week.
Classic Cars
1. 24 Philip Thompson
2. 98 Justin Overton
3. 7 John Stevens
4. 2 Chris Evans
5. XXX Josh Chesney
6. 78 Joe Keck
7. 88 Richie Overholser
8. C74 Cliff Lane
9. 18 Rusty Welch
10. 5 Robbie Sands
11. 3 Matt Tharp
12. 7 Bobby Pressley
13. 07A Adam Pressley
14. 46 James Hurst
15. 65 Michael Maiden
16. 8 Eli Keck
The KDRA Super Stocks also had a season high count with eleven cars signed in. Fellow Berea, KY drivers Bartley Grant and Glen Hounshell would draw the front row starting positions. Hounshell took the point with Grant, Pherman Stewart, Brad Davis and Mike Mays battling for the top five spots. Davis would move into third on the next lap and race door to door with Grant for second. On lap eight Grant slipped high in turn two allowing to Davis to dive underneath to take the position. Hounshell would lead every lap and hold off a late charge from Davis for his second Super Stock win of the year in the Nationwide Insurance, Kentucky’s Best Transmission, Jays Golf Carts, Jennings Do It Best, R&R Builders, Shannon’s Truck & Auto and Reds Tire & Auto sponsored KDRA Super Stock.
Super Stocks
1. 20 Glen Hounshel
2. 88 Brad Davis
3. 119 Eddie Stewart
4. 43 Bartley Grant
5. 1 Jamie Whitt
6. 13 Johnny King
7. 38 Cody Thompson
8. 30 Michael Mays
9. 20 Hannah Melton
10. 1X Pherman Stewart
11. 01 Luke Sharp
David Nolan and Bubby Braden drew the front row positions for the 4 Cylinder feature. Braden led the first lap with John Haynes and Chuck McMahan giving chase. The scariest moment of the night came as Haynes slammed the outside wall exiting turn two and spinning down the back stretch. Haynes would walk away uninjured. McMahan set his sights on Braden for the lead yet would drop pitside with a flat right rear tire midway through the race. Braden would lead every lap for his third win in a row.
4 Cylinders
1. 7 Bubby Braden
2. A27 Allen Holloway
3. 66 David Nolan
4. 17 John Haynes
5. 99 Chuck McMahan
6. 1 Mark Wallace
Join us this Saturday night May 23rd for our 10th Annual Kids Night. We’ll have foor races for kids 6-9 and 10-13. Winners will receive a new bicycle and trophy plus all participants will receive a free t-shirt.
