The Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuel and Tennessee RV would be joined by the Schaeffer’s Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series to co-sanctioned the Firecracker 40 on Saturday evening at Tazewell Speedway and Vic Hill of Mosheim, TN would score the $5,000 victory. The Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series would also have a 20 lap, $1,000 to win event as part of the program and Blake Brown of Corbin, KY would be victorious in a time-shortened event.
Hill’s victory would be his first of the season with the both series and would come aboard his Land-Air Transport/Orthopedic Institute of Western Kentucky/Diamond Shine Pressure Washing/Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas sponsored #1 Longhorn Chassis, Vic Hill Race Engines powered mount. The win for Brown in the Modified portion of the program would see the eighteen year old drive the Robbie Brown owned Champion Spark Plugs/Bill’s Bath and Lighting/Don Franklin Family of Dealerships/Team Lawyer Muscle/Tammy Brown Photography/Out-Pace Race Products sponsored #99 Lightning Chassis, Vic Hill Race Engines powered machine to victory.
Vic Hill would take the lead at the start of the 40 lap, $5,000 to win Firecracker 40 main event, with Dakotah Knuckles in tow, while Steve Smith, Billy Ogle, Jr., and Donald McIntosh would go three-wide for third entering turn three on the opening lap of the contest. Hill would stretch his lead by lap five, as Knuckles attempted to fend off the challenges of Smith for second, while Ogle, Jr. and McIntosh would duel for the fourth position. Hill would continue to stretch his lead and would catch slower traffic by lap fourteen, but the racing groove had narrowed up by this point and Hill would elect to ride behind the slower traffic, thus allowing the remainder of the top five to close in him.
At the halfway mark on lap twenty, Hill would be able to clear a pair of the slower cars and open his lead back up a bit, but Hill would catch more traffic on lap twenty-six and would again choose to stay in line, allowing Knuckles and Smith to again close the gap. Hill would battle brake issues the remainder of the way, however, Hill would prove to be the best on this night and would score the victory, with Knuckles taking second and Smith finishing third. Ogle, Jr. and McIntosh would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Jason Welshan, Austin Neely, Jeff Neubert, Carder Miller, and Chad Ogle.
In Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series action, Blake Brown would end up victorious in an event shortened due to the series time limit which saw twelve of the scheduled twenty laps completed. Brown would score the victory, with Jeff Hamby, Jr. finishing second and Steve Smith claiming the third position. Aaron Ratliff and Tyler James would round out the top five finishers. Completing the top ten would be Dustin Duncan, Wayne James, Jeff Akard, Chris Kirk, and Billy Palmer.
Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Bonus Series Super Late Models
1. 1 Vic Hill
2. 21K Dakotah Knuckles
3. 3 Steve Smith
4. 201 Billy Ogle Jr.
5. 7 Donald McIntosh
6. 29 Jason Welshan
7. 3N Austin Neely
8. 86 Jeff Neubert
9. 69 Carder Miller
10. 10 Chad Ogle
11. 8 David Payne
12. 4 Clyde Overholt
13. 7S Brian Smith
14. 56 Joey Standridge
15. 11 Tommy Bailey
16. 1A Levi Ashby
17. 144 Chicky Barton
18. 24 Mack McCarter
19. 54 Mitchell Burke
20. 101 Forrest Trent
Brucebilt Performance Open Wheel Modified
1. 99 Blake Brown
2. 15 Jeff Hamby
3. 2 Steve Smith
4. 33 Aaron Ratliff
5. J4 Tyler James
6. 21 Dustin Duncan
7. 4 Wayne James
8. 00 Jeff Akard
9. 71 Chris Kirk
10. 92 Billy Palmer
11. 11 Jamie Mosley
DQ’d 19 Micah Reams
Travis Fultz of Harrogate led every lap of the $700 to win Sportsman feature to notch his third win a row. Twenty-two drivers from around the region signed in with Fultz recording the fastest lap in qualifying with Luttrell’s Matt Tharp turning in the second fastest time. Choosing the outside starting position for the feature Fultz took the point as the field stormed into turn two. Behind him Tharp, Russelville’s Aaron Guinn, Cody Smith of Barbourville, KY and Rex Coffey of Morristown jockeyed for position. On lap five last year’s points champion Jonathan Miracle of Tazewell passed Coffey for fifth.
By lap ten Fultz had caught the tail end of field, easily working his way past Charles Fox to put him a lap in arrears. As Miracle was trying to get by Fox the two would make contact sending Miracle spinning in turn two and collecting several cars. Of the cars involved only two, Andy Ogle of Sevierville and Donovan Long of Morristown were not able to continue. Track official assigned the caution to Fox with Miracle and the other cars that were able to continue keeping their spots. On the restart Fultz began putting distance between himself and Tharp enroute to his third win in a row piloting the Tim Fletcher Heating & Cooling, Bailey’s Body Shop, Petty’s Wrecker Service sponsored, DJ’s Performance Race Engine powered Rocket Race Car.
Sportsman
1. T0 Travis Fultz
2. 35 Matt Tharp
3. 97 Aaron Guinn
4. 11 Cody Smith
5. 50 Jonathan Miracle
6. 2 Rex Coffey
7. 00 Chris Raines
8. 33 Warren McMahan
9. 10B Bradley Lewelling
10. 53 Floyd Branham
11. 22 Jason Sizemore
12. 122 Matt Shockley
13. 79 Josh Sneed
14. 24 Andy Wilder
15. 28X Justin James
16. E31 Ernie Stewart
17. 68 Andy Ogle
18. 15 Donovan Long
19. 04 Charles Fox
20. 1 Brandon Starnes
21. 28J Randy Davis
DNS 41 Richard Bailey
Kurt Owens of Newport picked up his first Super Stock win of the year and the $700 top prize over a stout field in the twenty lap feature. Owens was best in time trials with Morristown’s Gary Blanken second fastest. Owens used the outside line to take the lead going down the back stretch on the opening lap closely trailed by Blanken, Austin Atkins of Morristown, Eddie Stewart of Manchester, KY and Robbie Buchanan of Tazewell. The first three laps were furious as drivers throughtout the field fought for position. A spin by Michael Woods of Morristown would slow the field on lap five. On the restart Blanken and Stewart made a charge for the lead. On lap eleven Atkins would give up third as he car slowed on the front stretch yet he stayed with the field to finish sixth.
With the laps winding down the top four finishers raced nose to tail, only inches from each other. With smoke trailing from his car Owens was able to hold on for the victory.
Super Stock
1. 14 Kurt Owens
2. 05 Gary Bkanken
3. 119 Eddie Stewart
4, P21 Robbie Buchanan
5. 36 Chris Rickett
6. 14 Austin Atkins
7. 66 Michael Woods
8. C4 Logan Cobb
9. 460 Robbie Perkins
10. 83 Cody Thompson
11. 222 Chris Hickman
12. T11 Tim Kilby
13. 56 Tony Horton
Derik Duggan of Knoxville earned the 4 Cylinder feature by leading every lap of the feature behind the wheel of the Coalhill Fabrication, Fullmoon Graphics, Turpins Auto repair, Farmhands Lawn Service, T & N Race Engines Ford Mustang.
4 Cylinder
1. 7 Derik Duggan
2. 00 Joey Allen
3. 22 Chris Reichert
4. 25 Joe Myers
5. 5 Terry Boshears
6. 18 Nikita Wright
7. 1 Mark Wallace
8. 97 Rodney Griffin
9. 63 Toby Brock
10. 17 Tyler Haynes
DNS 72 Walter Walsh
DNS 92 Shane Irvin
John Stevens of Wallins Creek, KY led every lap of the Classic Car feature for his sixth Tazewell Speedway win of the year in the Hensley Trucking & Excavating, Anna Mae’s Vapor, The Parts House, Chad Shannon State Farm Insurance, Hensley Grocery, Slingin Ink Tattoos, Red Eye Racing Classic Car sedan
Classic Car
1. 7 John Stevens
2. 16 Will Carey
3. 52 Kevin Crane
4. 19 Tim Stevens
5. 1C Billy Woods
6. 69 Jesse Hickman
7. 1 Josh Chesney
