Tazewell Speedway

5/2/2026

Tazewell Speedway

Overholt Earns Fourth Win in a Row; Collins, Stevens, Merritt & Chambers Visit Victory Lane at Tazewell Speedway

Second-generation driver Odie Overholt continued his dominance of the Crate Late Model class at Tazewell Speedway as he earned his fourth win in a row on a cool night in Cave Springs. James Delk of Jamestown, in only his second ever start on the ultra-high banking, was quickest in time trials with a lap of 12.232 seconds. Overholt was second quickest,yet because of winning three in a row coming into the night, he could start no better than third in his respective heat race. Sneedville’s Jody Horton won the first heat over Delk to earn the pole for the $1,200 to win feature. Tim Bounds of Knoxville won the second heat to share the front row.

With the flash of the green flag Horton quickly took the lead as Bounds and Overholt fell into line. On the second lap Overholt muscled his way past Bounds in turn two to take over second. Two lap later Overholt began pressuring Horton for the lead, diving low in the turns trying to gain ground. The pair would race hard in the opening laps until a caution on lap seven slowed things down and reset the field. On the restart Overholt turned up the wick and pulled even with Horton several times. Meanwhile, Delk, who had slipped back to fifth, clawed his way back to third and caught the leaders.

On lap seventeen Overholt dove low in turn three and slipped past Horton to take the lead on the front stretch in front of the crowd. Delk would move his way into second. Overholt would lead the rest of the way to score his fourth Crate Late Model feature win in a row behind the wheel of the Reece Company, American Rental, Wallace Auto Sales, Brooks Dirt Worx, Tazewell Drug & Express Care, Petty’s Wrecker Service, Bailey’s Body Shop, Claiborne-Overholt Funeral Home, Claiborne Fitness, Hometown Produce sponsored CVR Race Car powered by a DJ’s Performance Race Engine.

Crate Late Model

14 Odie Overholt
118 Jared Delk
56J Jody Horton
11 Evin Hinkle
28 Richard Cox
11B Tim Bounds
17M Matt Melton
27 James Bible II
DNS 3 Dakota Smith

In Sportsman action, Josh Collins of Powell shook off the bad luck that had plagued him in recent weeks. Collins would win his respective heat race over Chris Raines to earn the pole for the twenty-five lap feature. Sneedville’s Logan Seal won his heat race to start on the outside front row. Leading every lap unchallenged, Collins would pick up his second win of the season driving the rucebilt Performance, Shorty’s Shock Service, Thomas Electric, American Racer Tire, Ez Racing, Patriot Bail Bonds, FK Rod Ends, Rhonda’s flowers and Gifts, Harbins Handyman, Skin by Hannah, Simpson Excavating, A Church Called Love, K-Town Poker League, Hilltop Recycling, Stealth Carbs, Team PPM, Wallace Auto Sales sponsored Rocket Chassis.

Sportsman

Josh Collins
17 Logan Seal
52 Troy Eads
00 Chris Raines
000 Greg Goins
2 A.J. Ferguson
7 Jimmy Calloway
8.94 Dustin Eldridge
21 Bryan Howerton
05 Jacob Sutton
17 Quincy Arnwine
DQ'd 5 Joshua Chesney

John Stevens of Wallins Creek, KY led every lap of the Street Stock feature over a very stout field of cars to notch his second win of the season in the Smith’s Racing, Sizemore Excavating, Hensley Trucking, Hopson Racing & Fabrication sponsored Camaro.

Street Stock

7 John Stevens
44 Clyde Overholt
4 Lance Smith
26Z Zach Campbell
22 Michael Millsap
11S Tim Stevens
7B Dylan Bogss
5 Greg Harville
20 Dusty Lay
21 Johnny Lay
69 Jesse Hickman
22M Jim Mays
11 Emma Coffey
11J Kole Dobbs
71 Wayne Abner
04K Zack Kidwell

The best show of the night was the Classic Car feature as teammates Will Carey and Lee Merritt battled door to door for most of the feature. Meanwhile Seymour’s Cooper Ward, searching for his first Classic car win, stayed with the leaders in third. Merritt was able to hold off Carey and Ward to notch his second win in a row.

Classic Car