8/30/2015
Tazewell Speedway
Knuckles claims late model victory
Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, VA shook off the bad luck from last Saturday to score his fourth win of the season, leading every lap of the Limited Late Model feature. Last week's winner Jason Trammell of Knoxville turned the fastest lap in qualifying with a lap of 11.624 seconds. After Trammell drew the three on the invert the pole position for the thirty lap feature would be given to current Limited Late Model points leader Josh Collins of Powell. Knuckles would start on the outside of the front row beside Collins. As the field came storming out of turn four for the drop of the green flag Knuckles shoved his way into the lead as Trammell and Collins raced door to door for second. Trammel would slip into second and work on tracking down Knuckles for the lead. A third of the way through the feature Knuckles would catch up to the end of the field which allowed Trammell to close in. After clearing the lap traffic Knuckles began pulling away from Trammell. By lap twenty the lead was a full straightaway's length. Knuckles would lead the rest of the way for the fourth time this season in the Hickory Star Resort & Marina, Marcum Oil, Jovida Enterprises, Florida Vet Cardiology, Fast Lane Sign & Graphics, Vic Hill Racing Engine powered Rocket Race Car.
Limited Late Models1. 21K Dakotah Knuckles2. 90 Jason Trammell3. 63 Josh Collins4. 17 Brian Shockley5. 56J Jody Horton6. 22 Matthew Holt7. 12 Craig Gregg8. 28 Jerry Williams9. 1 David Clark10. 54 Mitchell BurkeDNS 22 Lynn LeachClyde Overholt of Tazewell held off a late race challenge from Luttrell's Matt Tharp to record his second win a row and seventh overall Sportsman win of the season. Overholt would turn the quickest time in time trials with a lap of 12.193 seconds and start on the outside of the front row of the feature alongside Anthony Burchett of Harrogate.
Overholt would take the early lead as Burchett, Tharp, Anthony Arnwine of Tazewell and Heath Alvey of Dandridge duked it out for the top five spots. On the third lap Burchett would slide high in turn two allowing Tharp to slide into second. Four laps later Burchett would spin bringing out the caution. On the restart Tharp starting putting the pressure on Overholt for the lead. As they were battling for the lead Alvey slipped past Arnwine for third and began catching up with the leaders. With the laps winding down Tharp increased the pressure pulling up door to door with Overholt on lap sixteen. Showing great sportsmanship the duo raced side by side without touching as the crowd rose to their feet to catch the action.
With the white flag displayed Tharp stuck his car to the bottom for one more try for the lead. Overholt would hold off Tharp by mere inches at the stripe for the win in the Overholt Racing and Fabrication, Petty’s Wrecker Service, Noah’s Wholesale, Baker’s Tree Service, Eagle Race Engines powered Rayburn Race Car.Sportsman1. 4 Clyde Overholt2. 35 Matt Tharp3. 7 Heath Alvey4. 111 Anthony Arnwine5. 53 Floyd Branham6. 21 Bryan Howerton7. XXX Josh Chesney8. 3 Floyd Self9. 34 Phillip Shockley10. 1 David Clark11. 50M Jonathan Miracle12. 11 Cody Smith13. 18 Anthony Burchett14. 22 Anthony Liford15. 55 Brandon Taylor16. 50 Rick Welch17. 24 Andy WilderDNS G7 Billy GordonAfter working all week to rebuild his car after a wreck last Saturday night Chris Rickett of Morristown took charge on the first lap of the Super Stock feature to score his second win of the season. Rickett would turn the fastest qualifying lap, draw the two on the invert draw and start on the outside front row of the feature alongside Newport's Kurt Owens.
The scariest moment of the night came before a lap could be put in the books. As the field took the initial green and stormed into turn one several cars would make contact sending points leader Brad Davis and Jamie Whitt spinning. Going high to try and avoid the wreck Robbie Buchanan would tag the outside wall. As he came down the track contact his car would flip on it's top landing on the cars of Davis and Brad Sturgill. After a few tense moments Buchanan would emerge and walk away. Davis and Sturgill would retire for the night and Whitt would start on the tail of the field with heavy body damage.
With the track cleared the field would go back to a complete start. Rickett would take the early lead trailed by Owens, Tony Horton and Austin Neely. On the second lap Horton would slide up in turn giving up the third spot to Neely. Later on in the feature Horton would take the spot back as Neely slowed. Up front Rickett would lead every lap and hold off Owens for his second win of the season in the Rickett Sheet Metal, Blistered Chicken Saloon, WJDT, Lakeway Door and Glass, Sonny’s Collision sponsored Super Stock.Super Stock1. 36 Chris Rickett2. 14 Kurt Owens3. 56 Tony Horton4. 3 Austin Neely5. 1 Jamie Whitt6. 14 Logan Seal7. 38 Cody Thompson8. 88 Brad Davis9. P21 Robbie Buchanan10. 55 Brad SturgillJoey Allen of Cosby had to hold off a pesky Chuck McMahan of Dandridge to win his third 4 Cylinder feature win of the year. The good friends raced nose to tail for most of the race with no contact. Allen's Ford Mustang gets sponsorship from Allen’s Railroad Contracting, Norton’s Body Shop and New Vision Graphics.4 Cylinder1. 00 Joey Allen2. 99 Chuck McMahan3. B7 Bubby Braden4. 72 Rufus Collett5. J5 Joe Myers6. 13 John FreemanDNS 1 Mark WallaceAt the beginning of the season Knoxville's Philip Thompson set a goal to win fifteen Classic Car features at Tazewell Speedway in one year. He would have to hold off a challenge from Hayston Collett of Harlan, KY to achieve that goal. Collett would hold his own with Thompson early in the feature yet Thompson would lead every lap for his fifteenth win of the season at Tazewell Speedway in the Skyline Transportation, Filmax Filtration, Hooker Harness, Wells Racing Photography, Vyve Broadband, Crockett Creek Beef Jerky sponsored Classic Car with power from an Eagle Racing Engine.Classic Car1. 24 Philip Thompson2. C7 Hayston Collett3. XXX Josh Chesney4. 7 John Stevens5. 5 Joey AllenDNS 2 Sawyer WaltonOur next race will be the 7th Annual Buddy Rogers Memorial on Sunday night September 6th. Super Late Models will compete for $4,400 to win in the finale of the Iron Man Speedweeks. Open Wheel Modifieds will be racing for $1,000 to win.