Post by LMR on 10/02/11 at 9:43pm
Tazewell Speedway
October 2, 2011
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Smith tops delayed Night of Champions at Tazewell Speedway
by Allen Earl
TAZEWELL, Tenn. (October 2) - Originally scheduled for Saturday night, the speedway's 2011 night of champions turned into Sunday's "afternoon of champions" due to Mother Nature throwing some crisp, cold air and winds into town. Tazewell Speedway took a moment and recognized its champions, rookies of the year and the Anthony Burchett Courage Award winner while also having some great racing action in the sunlight of a beautiful fall afternoon.
On the track were the Tazewell Late Models and pole winner Steve Smith (12.656 seconds) brought the field to the green. Smith drove to the lead with Jason Trammel in second. Brad Hall moved to third when Travis Fultz slid back. By lap 9 Hall was trying to clear Trammell on the low side. Jason Welshan was losing ground to the front three by lap 13 but slowly started reeling them back in. Trammell, Welshan and Hall put on a great display of driving on lap 19 as they went through lap traffic full throttle. Smith had just enough speed to keep Trammel behind him to get the caution free win. It was his second win of the year. Trammell finished in the runner-up spot while Hall stayed in front of Welshan for third.
1 3 Steve Smith
2 90J Jason Trammell
3 47 Brad Hall
4 124 Jason Welshan
5 T0 Travis Fultz
6 77 Steve Carr
7 97 Keith Chapman
8 11 Anthony Arnwine
9 33 Phillip Nichols
10 79C Marty Calloway
11 18 Michael Rutherford
12 O7 Jimmy Calloway
13 7 Brain Smith
14 3 Rex Coffey
15 G7 Billy Gordon
16 111 J. Allen
17 24 Andy Wilder
18 31 Greg Estes
19 75 Chris Long
20 2 Donnie Cameron
21 24 Allen Holt
22 54 Blake Smith
23 0 Freddie Brock
24 22 Matthew Holt DNS
25 9 Darrell Saylor DNS
Next on the track were the drivers and cars of the Modified Street class with pole sitter Greg Estes (14.199 seconds) leading them to the green flag. On lap 6 Estes spun moving up Warren McMahan to the lead. Jordon Horton was all over McMahan’s rear bumper on lap 10. Horton on lap 11 nearly cleared him coming off turn four but simply could not clear the red and black 33. The top three were now McMahan, Jordon Horton and Clyde Overholt. On the lap 13 restart, Brad Davis went pit side just before the field got the green with mechanical issues. Both drivers at the front showed great car control and managed to stay off each other as they went side by side and nose to tail for the remainder of the race with the 2011 Champion McMahan taking the checkers.
1 33 Warren McMahan
2 56H Jordan Horton
3 4 Clyde Overholt
4 31 Greg Estes
5 54 Larry Burke
6 88 Brad Davis
7 56 Tony Horton
8 22C Dustin Collins
9 P21 Robbie Buchanan DNS
10 18 Rick Welch DNS
The Four Cylinders were next and David Creech and Ethan Hansard made up row one. By lap 2 Joey Allen had came from the second row to lead the race as action was happening all over the track. Allen moved to the rear of the field after his car stumbled on the track and made contact with the Creech. Creech, Hansard and Allen Holloway moved into the top three spots. A three wide race caused Holloway some problems as the 2011 Champion suffered heavy damage to the front of his car resulting in him leaving the race for repairs although he would continue on. It was a demolition derby of sorts all race long from that point on with Holloway leading the way until lap 5 officially was over and recorded in the books. Taking the point in just two laps was Kurt Owens who again came from the rear. Tim Ladd by lap 12 was looking for second but Holloway would prove to be a tough pass. Owens held off Holloway for the win with Holloway grabbing second and McMahan securing third.
1 7Up Kurt Owens
2 A27 Allen Holloway
3 99 Chuck McMahan
4 B7 Bubby Braden
5 22 Ethan Hansard
6 1 Mark Wallace
7 A00 Joey Allen
8 10 David Creech
9 44J Jeromy Collins
10 39 Tim Ladd
11 72 Rufus Collett DNS
The Classics were next and the pole sitter was Robbie Sands (14.640 seconds). On the green Sands with Jim Yeary alongside went into turn one and Sands come out with the lead. There were a couple of spins early in this one that brought out the caution flag but Sands stayed in front of Yeary and Rocky Estes. Yeary battled for the lead on lap 4 but Sands found a way to remain at the point. A lap 10 yellow gave the field a shot at Sands but on lap 12 Estes got loose and allowed Charlie Tharp into third place. Sands needed to only keep it straight the last five laps to grab the win and was able to do just that. Finishing second was Yeary and Tharp finished third.
1 17 Robbie Sands
2 7 Joe Keck
3 59 Charlie Tharp
4 33X Cameron Skinner
5 18 Daris Breeding
6 69 James Dalton
7 5 Phillip Sands
8 8 Eli Keck
9 6 Rocky Estes
10 20 Logan Dukes
The last race of the afternoon was the Pure Street with pole sitter Aaron Guinn (14.906 seconds) and Jason Long on the front row. Guinn went to the front with Long and Gary Blanken just behind him. A lap later we had a new player in the third spot, Buster Cupp. It was only lap two at this point due to some spinning cars but it seemed like lap ten after a few caution laps. Finally the race made a few good laps but was interrupted on occasion by some more yellows for nothing more than innocent spins. On lap 12 it was Guinn, Long and Blanken. Guinn took the checkers and it was his second win at the Taz. Second place went to Jason Long and Blanken got third.
1 97 Aaron Guinn
2 15 Jason Long
3 15 Gary Blanken
4 5 Jason Saylor
5 28 Buster Cupp
6 14 Bubba Long
7 94 Dustin Eldrige
8 28 Justin James
9 39 Johnny Miller
10 23 Paul Whitley
11 3 Michael Boyd DNS
12 41 Johnathan Miracle
Next up for Tazewell Speedway and 411 Speedway is the first annual Fall Rumble. The race will be a two-part event with the opening night being held at 411 Speedway on Friday night, October 7th. Then on Saturday the 8th, Tazewell Speedway will host the second night of racing that is named the Chris Collinsworth Memorial 77. The Late Models will run a 40-lap feature while the Modified Street drivers will have a 37-lap feature. For information on this event and all things Tazewell Speedway log on to www.tazewellspeedway.net.
The top five points finishers in each class were:
4 Cylinder Top 5
Driver Car(s) #
Allen Holloway A27
Bubby Braden B7
Mark Wallace 2
Hayston Collett 007
Ethan Hansard 22 Rookie of the Year
Classic Top 5
Driver Car(s) #
Jim Yeary 7
Joe Keck 8
Robbie Sands 17
Logan Dukes 20
Charlie Tharp 59 Rookie of the Year
Modified Street Top 5
Driver Car(s) #
Warren McMahan 33
Brad Davis 88
Clyde Overholt 4
Jordan Horton 56H
Tony Horton 56
No rookie in Modified Street
Tim Hatfield won the 2011 Anthony Burchett Courage Award
Pure Street Top 5
Driver Car(s) #
Jonathan Miracle 41
Jason Long 15
Dustin Eldridge 94
A Quinton 15Q Rookie of the Year
Tony Spoon 10
Late Models Top 5
Driver Car(s) #
Travis Fultz T0
Jason Trammell 90J
Greg Estes 31
Allen Holt 24 Rookie of the Year
Chris Long 75