By Robert Walden
BULLS GAP, Tenn. – Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway, Vic “The Thrill” Hill of Morristown captured his first “Don Smith Ford” Super Late Model feature win of the season in convincing fashion. Hill earned the pole position then proceeded to lead the 35-lap event flag-to-flag, winning by a full-straightaway over his closest challenger.
Hill stopped the clock during qualifying with a fast-lap of 12.436-seconds (115.790 mph) to grab the pole, with Bobby Giffin, who was making his first start of the season at “The Gap” second-quickest at 12.593.
Hill powered into the lead at the drop of the green, followed by Mark Douglas, Tony Martin, Giffin and Kerry Jones. Giffin got out of shape racing off turn two on the second lap, allowing Jones and Jeff Maupin to speed past and move into fourth and fifth in the running order. But Maupin’s night came to an end on lap 5, when right-front suspension damage caused him to slow on the high side of turn four and bringing out the caution.
The top five on the restart were Hill, Douglas, Martin, Jones and Giffin. Back under green, Hill quickly pulled away from Douglas. But the battle for position from fifth back through tenth between Giffin, Herman Goddard, Michael Jackson, Dale Ball, Roger Best and Travis Greer was heated, with action three-wide.
Goddard worked the bottom groove between turns three and four on lap 7 to pass Giffin to move into fifth, bringing along Jackson for the ride into sixth and dropping Giffin back to seventh in the running order. Best, who started from inside the sixth row was on the move towards the front, passing Giffin for seventh on lap 9. The second caution waved on lap 11 when Clint Solomon looped his mount in turn four.
With a clear track in front of him, Hill set sail with Douglas in tow as the lead duo distanced themselves from Martin and Jones. But all eyes were on the rim-riding Best, who was rocketing around the high-side of the track.
Getting a strong run down the backstretch into the third turn on lap 12, Best rode around the outside of Jackson to move into fifth. One lap later, still riding up top around the high-banked turns, Best passed Jones between turns one and two to move into fourth place right behind the third-running Martin. The blistering pace set by race leader Hill was slowed on lap 19 when the caution waved for a spin by Lloyd Osborne.
Back under green, in just a few laps Hill once again began to work lapped traffic, while Douglas tried to keep the leader in sight. Jackson was battling Jones trying to move into the top five, and on lap 23 racing off the fourth turn he pulled off the pass for fifth in the running order.
With five laps remaining, Hill, driving the Landair Transport Inc./Peterson Fluid Systems/RaceQuest/Vic Hill Racing Engines/MacDaddy Motorsports/GRT Race Cars/No. 1 Grand Prix held a commanding advantage over Douglas. Not to be denied his first trip to victory lane this season, Hill cruised to the checkers over Douglas, Martin, Best and Jackson.
Completing the top 10 at the finish were Jones, Goddard, Greer, Giffin and Vic Chandler.
“What a race, we had a bad-fast racecar tonight,” said a smiling Hill after climbing from his winning ride in victory lane. “The track had a good bit of moisture in it tonight, and I’m telling you … we were flat-out getting around this place. With the large field of cars, it seemed like in no time we were working lapped traffic. I could look on the scoreboard as we raced down the front straightaway and see the 52 (Mark Douglas) was in second place, but I didn’t really know how close he was running to me. So I just kept running as hard as I could.
“I’d especially like to thank John Tweed of Landair Transport for all he’s done for my racing. I also want to thank Jason Lawson, Bud and Jack Orr, Jess Tweed, Stevie Collins, Michael Gregg and Mackey ‘MacDaddy’ Garrett for all their help working on the car, and also to my wife Christa for all her support of my racing.”
Allen Champ grabbed the lead at the drop of the green in the “Ramey Ford” Limited Late Model feature and appeared headed to his second win of the season. Instead, it was Jonesborough’s Bobby Mays who celebrated in victory lane following his first-ever late model win. Mays, with several Sportsman and Super Stock track championships to his credit, moved into the lead on lap 19 after Champ slid up the banking racing off the fourth turn onto the front straightaway.
With Mays out front, he was chased to the checkers by Skimp Henry, Champ, Scottie Thornton and Brad Kenyon.
Wayne Rader of Parrottsville captured his first “Lawson Chevrolet” UMP Modified victory of the season, leading the 25-lap feature from green-to-checkers in winning over Jerry Broyles, Chris Pendleton, Chris Brady and Wayne James.
Rogersville’s R.J. Mayes rolled to his first “Bachman Bernard” Hobby Stock victory of the season, with Troy Thompson, Jon Cook, Mike Kelley and Dale Reed rounding out the top five at the finish.
Joey Allen of Newport fought off several early race challenges for the lead from the hard-charging Kenny Absher en route to winning his first-ever “Allied Home Mortgage” Mini Stock feature event. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Shawn Henry, Brent Hensley and Tom Trivett.
Greeneville’s William Knight captured the “Renegade” Front Wheel Drive victory over Terry McMurray, Keith Helton, Todd Duff and Clinton Taylor.
There will be no racing at Volunteer Speedway next Saturday, May 28. Instead, the track will host a six division Memorial Day (Monday, May 30) racing program. For more information, contact the track at (423) 235-5020.
“DON SMITH FORD” SUPER LATE MODEL (35 laps)
1. Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN
2. Mark Douglas #52-Knoxville, TN
3. Tony Martin #35-Tellico, TN
4. Roger Best #007-Maryville, TN
5. Michael Jackson #Q3-Greeneville, TN
6. Kerry Jones #6-Bristol, TN
7. Herman Goddard #22-Knoxville, TN
8. Travis Greer #11g-Marion, VA
9. Bobby Giffin #97-Maryville, TN
10. Vic Chandler #88-Weaverville, NC
11. Tim Frye #03-Bulls Gap, TN
12. Randy Davidson #28-Morristown, TN
13. Michael Smith #4-Rogersville, TN
14. Lloyd Osborne #11-Johnson City, TN
15. Clint Solomon #30-Mosheim, TN
16. Chuck Laney #91-Sevierville, TN
17. Frank Merritt #c8-Knoxville, TN
18. Dennis Alverson #71-Kingsport, TN
19. Steve Carr #77-Rogersville, TN
20. Greg Burchett #17-Church Hill, TN
21. Rick Norris #15-Kingsport, TN
22. Dale Ball #2-Johnson City, TN
23. Jeff Maupin #32w-Greeneville, TN
24. Terry Owens #83-Morristown, TN
25. Kip Pearson #00-Rogersville, TN
DNS: Jerry Broyles #72-Jonesborough, TN, John Tweed #1T-Greeneville, TN
“RAMEY FORD” LIMITED LATE MODEL (25 laps)
1) Bobby Mays #19; 2) Skimp Henry #25; 3) Allen Champ #11c; 4) Scottie Thornton #T15; 5) Brad Kenyon #98; 6) Jeff Surber #37; 7) Lee Tipton #2; 8) Hank Hall #117; 9) Randy English #02; 10) Ernie Stuart #31; 11) Larry Rowe #R0; 12) Stephen Martin #46; 13) Joe “Dirt” Good #911; 14) Brandon Mason #15
“LAWSON CHEVROLET” UMP MODIFIED (25 laps)
1)Wayne Rader #8; 2) Jerry Broyles #72; 3) Chris Pendleton #15; 4) Chris Brady #77; 5) Wayne James #4; 6) Jason Bowers #22r; 7) Dempsey Harold #09; 8) Danny James #J4; 9) David Wright #J4; 10) Shannon Emery #95; 11) Kurt Hall #H14; 12) Aaron Ogle #10 – DNS: Jamie Harrison #51
“BACHMAN BERNARD” HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)
1) R.J. Mayes #6m; 2) Troy Thompson #T12; 3) Jon Cook #0z; 4) Mike Kelley #8; 5) Dale Reed #52; 6) Nasty Jones #13j; 7) Chris Gregg #73; 8) Todd Brooks #1; 9) Mark Hawkins #44; 10) Aaron Guinn #87; 11) Everett Cobb #13c; 12) Robert “Monk” Ledford #41; 13) Blake Kelley #K5; 14) Mike Mays #30; 15) Chad Garretson #82; 16) Jim Canning #31; 17) Rex Chapman #T23 – DNS: Patrick Flannery #38
“ALLIED HOME MORTGAGE” MINI STOCK (20 laps)
1) Joey Allen #A00; 2) Kenny Absher #11; 3) Shawn Henry #17; 4) Brent Hensley #70; 5) Tom Trivett #5; 6) Randy Lane #7; 7) Ernie Stubblefield #21; 8) Runah Henry #39; 9) Stevie Wykle #97; 10) Frank Dice #44; 11) Chad Jeffers #38; 12) William Travis #36; 13) Scottie Thornton #T15 – DNS: Allen Carrier #57, James Feathers #27
“RENEGADE” FRONT WHEEL DRIVE (15 laps)
1) William Knight #00; 2) Terry McMurray #19; 3) Keith Helton #9; 4) Todd Duff #16; 5) Clinton Taylor #22; 6) Steve Skeens #40; 7) Clifford Stoops #37; 8) Dennis Dean #99; 9) Linton Perry #17; 10) Scotty McMurray #38 – DNS: Eddie Smith #8
Volunteer Speedway: (423) 235-5020 www.volunteerspeedway.com
BULLS GAP, Tenn. – Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway, Vic “The Thrill” Hill of Morristown captured his first “Don Smith Ford” Super Late Model feature win of the season in convincing fashion. Hill earned the pole position then proceeded to lead the 35-lap event flag-to-flag, winning by a full-straightaway over his closest challenger.
Hill stopped the clock during qualifying with a fast-lap of 12.436-seconds (115.790 mph) to grab the pole, with Bobby Giffin, who was making his first start of the season at “The Gap” second-quickest at 12.593.
Hill powered into the lead at the drop of the green, followed by Mark Douglas, Tony Martin, Giffin and Kerry Jones. Giffin got out of shape racing off turn two on the second lap, allowing Jones and Jeff Maupin to speed past and move into fourth and fifth in the running order. But Maupin’s night came to an end on lap 5, when right-front suspension damage caused him to slow on the high side of turn four and bringing out the caution.
The top five on the restart were Hill, Douglas, Martin, Jones and Giffin. Back under green, Hill quickly pulled away from Douglas. But the battle for position from fifth back through tenth between Giffin, Herman Goddard, Michael Jackson, Dale Ball, Roger Best and Travis Greer was heated, with action three-wide.
Goddard worked the bottom groove between turns three and four on lap 7 to pass Giffin to move into fifth, bringing along Jackson for the ride into sixth and dropping Giffin back to seventh in the running order. Best, who started from inside the sixth row was on the move towards the front, passing Giffin for seventh on lap 9. The second caution waved on lap 11 when Clint Solomon looped his mount in turn four.
With a clear track in front of him, Hill set sail with Douglas in tow as the lead duo distanced themselves from Martin and Jones. But all eyes were on the rim-riding Best, who was rocketing around the high-side of the track.
Getting a strong run down the backstretch into the third turn on lap 12, Best rode around the outside of Jackson to move into fifth. One lap later, still riding up top around the high-banked turns, Best passed Jones between turns one and two to move into fourth place right behind the third-running Martin. The blistering pace set by race leader Hill was slowed on lap 19 when the caution waved for a spin by Lloyd Osborne.
Back under green, in just a few laps Hill once again began to work lapped traffic, while Douglas tried to keep the leader in sight. Jackson was battling Jones trying to move into the top five, and on lap 23 racing off the fourth turn he pulled off the pass for fifth in the running order.
With five laps remaining, Hill, driving the Landair Transport Inc./Peterson Fluid Systems/RaceQuest/Vic Hill Racing Engines/MacDaddy Motorsports/GRT Race Cars/No. 1 Grand Prix held a commanding advantage over Douglas. Not to be denied his first trip to victory lane this season, Hill cruised to the checkers over Douglas, Martin, Best and Jackson.
Completing the top 10 at the finish were Jones, Goddard, Greer, Giffin and Vic Chandler.
“What a race, we had a bad-fast racecar tonight,” said a smiling Hill after climbing from his winning ride in victory lane. “The track had a good bit of moisture in it tonight, and I’m telling you … we were flat-out getting around this place. With the large field of cars, it seemed like in no time we were working lapped traffic. I could look on the scoreboard as we raced down the front straightaway and see the 52 (Mark Douglas) was in second place, but I didn’t really know how close he was running to me. So I just kept running as hard as I could.
“I’d especially like to thank John Tweed of Landair Transport for all he’s done for my racing. I also want to thank Jason Lawson, Bud and Jack Orr, Jess Tweed, Stevie Collins, Michael Gregg and Mackey ‘MacDaddy’ Garrett for all their help working on the car, and also to my wife Christa for all her support of my racing.”
Allen Champ grabbed the lead at the drop of the green in the “Ramey Ford” Limited Late Model feature and appeared headed to his second win of the season. Instead, it was Jonesborough’s Bobby Mays who celebrated in victory lane following his first-ever late model win. Mays, with several Sportsman and Super Stock track championships to his credit, moved into the lead on lap 19 after Champ slid up the banking racing off the fourth turn onto the front straightaway.
With Mays out front, he was chased to the checkers by Skimp Henry, Champ, Scottie Thornton and Brad Kenyon.
Wayne Rader of Parrottsville captured his first “Lawson Chevrolet” UMP Modified victory of the season, leading the 25-lap feature from green-to-checkers in winning over Jerry Broyles, Chris Pendleton, Chris Brady and Wayne James.
Rogersville’s R.J. Mayes rolled to his first “Bachman Bernard” Hobby Stock victory of the season, with Troy Thompson, Jon Cook, Mike Kelley and Dale Reed rounding out the top five at the finish.
Joey Allen of Newport fought off several early race challenges for the lead from the hard-charging Kenny Absher en route to winning his first-ever “Allied Home Mortgage” Mini Stock feature event. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Shawn Henry, Brent Hensley and Tom Trivett.
Greeneville’s William Knight captured the “Renegade” Front Wheel Drive victory over Terry McMurray, Keith Helton, Todd Duff and Clinton Taylor.
There will be no racing at Volunteer Speedway next Saturday, May 28. Instead, the track will host a six division Memorial Day (Monday, May 30) racing program. For more information, contact the track at (423) 235-5020.
“DON SMITH FORD” SUPER LATE MODEL (35 laps)
1. Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN
2. Mark Douglas #52-Knoxville, TN
3. Tony Martin #35-Tellico, TN
4. Roger Best #007-Maryville, TN
5. Michael Jackson #Q3-Greeneville, TN
6. Kerry Jones #6-Bristol, TN
7. Herman Goddard #22-Knoxville, TN
8. Travis Greer #11g-Marion, VA
9. Bobby Giffin #97-Maryville, TN
10. Vic Chandler #88-Weaverville, NC
11. Tim Frye #03-Bulls Gap, TN
12. Randy Davidson #28-Morristown, TN
13. Michael Smith #4-Rogersville, TN
14. Lloyd Osborne #11-Johnson City, TN
15. Clint Solomon #30-Mosheim, TN
16. Chuck Laney #91-Sevierville, TN
17. Frank Merritt #c8-Knoxville, TN
18. Dennis Alverson #71-Kingsport, TN
19. Steve Carr #77-Rogersville, TN
20. Greg Burchett #17-Church Hill, TN
21. Rick Norris #15-Kingsport, TN
22. Dale Ball #2-Johnson City, TN
23. Jeff Maupin #32w-Greeneville, TN
24. Terry Owens #83-Morristown, TN
25. Kip Pearson #00-Rogersville, TN
DNS: Jerry Broyles #72-Jonesborough, TN, John Tweed #1T-Greeneville, TN
“RAMEY FORD” LIMITED LATE MODEL (25 laps)
1) Bobby Mays #19; 2) Skimp Henry #25; 3) Allen Champ #11c; 4) Scottie Thornton #T15; 5) Brad Kenyon #98; 6) Jeff Surber #37; 7) Lee Tipton #2; 8) Hank Hall #117; 9) Randy English #02; 10) Ernie Stuart #31; 11) Larry Rowe #R0; 12) Stephen Martin #46; 13) Joe “Dirt” Good #911; 14) Brandon Mason #15
“LAWSON CHEVROLET” UMP MODIFIED (25 laps)
1)Wayne Rader #8; 2) Jerry Broyles #72; 3) Chris Pendleton #15; 4) Chris Brady #77; 5) Wayne James #4; 6) Jason Bowers #22r; 7) Dempsey Harold #09; 8) Danny James #J4; 9) David Wright #J4; 10) Shannon Emery #95; 11) Kurt Hall #H14; 12) Aaron Ogle #10 – DNS: Jamie Harrison #51
“BACHMAN BERNARD” HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)
1) R.J. Mayes #6m; 2) Troy Thompson #T12; 3) Jon Cook #0z; 4) Mike Kelley #8; 5) Dale Reed #52; 6) Nasty Jones #13j; 7) Chris Gregg #73; 8) Todd Brooks #1; 9) Mark Hawkins #44; 10) Aaron Guinn #87; 11) Everett Cobb #13c; 12) Robert “Monk” Ledford #41; 13) Blake Kelley #K5; 14) Mike Mays #30; 15) Chad Garretson #82; 16) Jim Canning #31; 17) Rex Chapman #T23 – DNS: Patrick Flannery #38
“ALLIED HOME MORTGAGE” MINI STOCK (20 laps)
1) Joey Allen #A00; 2) Kenny Absher #11; 3) Shawn Henry #17; 4) Brent Hensley #70; 5) Tom Trivett #5; 6) Randy Lane #7; 7) Ernie Stubblefield #21; 8) Runah Henry #39; 9) Stevie Wykle #97; 10) Frank Dice #44; 11) Chad Jeffers #38; 12) William Travis #36; 13) Scottie Thornton #T15 – DNS: Allen Carrier #57, James Feathers #27
“RENEGADE” FRONT WHEEL DRIVE (15 laps)
1) William Knight #00; 2) Terry McMurray #19; 3) Keith Helton #9; 4) Todd Duff #16; 5) Clinton Taylor #22; 6) Steve Skeens #40; 7) Clifford Stoops #37; 8) Dennis Dean #99; 9) Linton Perry #17; 10) Scotty McMurray #38 – DNS: Eddie Smith #8
Volunteer Speedway: (423) 235-5020 www.volunteerspeedway.com
