(TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE) Continuing his red-hot start to the 2022 racing season, Chris Madden wired the feature field on Saturday night at Tazewell Speedway to bag the $21,000 paycheck in the 2nd edition of the ‘Lil Bill Corum Memorial!’ After topping Group B in time trials at the bad-fast Tazewell, Tennessee facility, Chris won his heat race in preliminary action to earn the outside of the front row for the start of the 75-lap headliner, which was co-sanctioned by the both the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series and the Iron-Man Late Model Series. The Gray Court, South Carolina hotshoe then nabbed the point at the drop of the green flag over last night’s winner and polesitter Brandon Overton and never relinquished the lead in winning by a 0.885 second margin in front of an overflow hillside crowd.
Finishing behind Madden’s #44 machine was runner-up Ricky Weiss, who was also a heat race winner and started the ‘Lil Bill Corum Memorial’ from the outside of the second row. The Headingley, Manitoba driver mounted a serious charge in the late stages of the contest, but a lap 73 caution flag stymied his bid for a second career Spring Nationals victory and forced him to settle for a strong second place finish. Dale McDowell, of Chickamauga, Georgia, worked his way past four competitors to join Madden and Weiss on the podium in third. Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Scott Bloomquist thrilled his home state fan base by climbing six spots to finish fourth, while Dakotah Knuckles rounded out the top five by streaking past seven racecars during the 75-lap affair.
A total of six caution flags slowed the action around the high-banked, 1/3-mile oval. Michael Chilton slowed with a flat tire on lap 15 to draw the first yellow flag. Ryan King then stopped his Warrior House Car in turn two on lap 16 when his engine compartment caught fire. A multi-car wreck was then the cause of the third caution on a subsequent lap 16 restart. Stacy Boles then spun to the inside of the track to draw a yellow on lap 29 before Ross Bailes slowed with a flat tire on lap 45. The sixth and final caution came on the 73rd circuit when Brandon Overton gave up the third spot – due to a flat tire – and retired in the fifteenth finishing position.
“I think Ricky (Weiss) had a little different tire combination than we had and he was able to get down there in that mud ring,” quoted Madden following his fifth overall win already in 2022. “I think he was pretty good around that bottom, but we were good all race long and were able to get the job done. I have to thank all of my guys that work so hard on this thing and all of my sponsors. Looking forward to getting back home and spending a great Easter with my family tomorrow. I have a great team and a great bunch of guys with me and we’re just doing what we need to do to win right now!”
Chris Madden, who now also owns five career Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series victories, piloted a XR1 Rocket Chassis powered by an Andy Durham Racing Engine. Sponsorship on his #44 primarily comes from Drydene Performance Products, Franklin Enterprises, Henderson Amusement, Millwood Plumbing, Davis Diesel Service, Century Plastics, Worley Monument, VP Racing Fuels, Penske Racing Shocks, and Hoosier Racing Tires.
An impressive group of 37 competitors signed into the pit area tonight at Tazewell Speedway to do battle in the ‘Lil Bill Corum Memorial.’ Brandon Overton, of Evans, Georgia, earned a $2,100 Fast Time bonus – courtesy of Toyota Knoxville – following the FK Rod Ends qualifying session by virtue of laying down a quick lap of 11.014 seconds. Overton, Jimmy Owens, Chris Madden, and Ricky Weiss recorded wins in the four heat races, while Stacy Boles and Aaron Guinn were victorious in the two B-Mains. Carson Ferguson and Jensen Ford received Spring Nationals provisionals, while Jonathan Davenport and Christian Hanger utilized provisionals issued by the Iron-Man Late Model Series.
With no rest for the wicked, the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series will jump right back into action from April 21-23 in a tripleheader in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. Things will kick off this Thursday night with a rain-postponed visit to Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, North Carolina for a $4,053 to win throwdown. Another $4,053 to win program will then be held on Friday evening at Crossville Speedway in Crossville, Tennessee. The #SpringNationals triple shot will then wrap up in a big way on Saturday at Clarksville Speedway in Clarksville, Tennessee, as a $10,053 top prize will be up for grabs in round seven of the miniseries. Additional information on these races can be found online by visiting www.TriCountyRaceTrack.net, www.CrossvilleSpeedway.net, and www.ClarksvilleSpeedway.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Round 4 Race Summary
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Tazewell Speedway – Tazewell, Tennessee
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (75 Laps):
- (2) Chris Madden $21,000
- (4) Ricky Weiss $10,000
- (7) Dale McDowell $6,000
- (10) Scott Bloomquist $4,000
- (12) Dakotah Knuckles $3,000
- (15) Kyle Strickler $2,000
- (6) Ross Bailes $1,500
- (22) Jonathan Davenport $1,400
- (24) Christian Hanger $1,300
- (19) David Payne $1,200
- (20) Payton Freeman $1,150
- (11) Austin Neely $1,090
- (16) Michael Chilton $1,080
- (9) Cla Knight $1,070
- (1) Brandon Overton $1,060
- (18) Aaron Guinn $1,050
- (3) Jimmy Owens $1,040
- (13) Josh Henry $1,030
- (17) Stacy Boles $1,020
- (14) Brandon Williams $1,010
- (5) Ryan King $1,000
- (23) Jensen Ford $1,000
- (8) Mack McCarter $1,000
- (21) Carson Ferguson $1,000
Entries: 37
Lap Leaders: Chris Madden (Laps 1-75)
Cautions: 6 (Michael Chilton slows with flat tire on lap 15, Ryan King stops with motor fire on lap 16, Multi-car wreck on lap 16 restart, Stacy Boles spins on lap 29, Ross Bailes slows with flat on lap 45, and Brandon Overton slows with flat tire on lap 73)
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Brandon Overton 11.014
Group A: Brandon Overton 11.014
Group B: Chris Madden 11.114
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Brandon Overton, 2. Ryan King, 3. Cla Knight, 4. Josh Henry, 5. Stacy Boles, 6. Ryan Winchester, 7. Steve Smith, 8. Brian Shockley, 9. Carson Ferguson (DNS)
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Jimmy Owens, 2. Dale McDowell, 3. Austin Neely, 4. Kyle Strickler, 5. Terry Wolfenbarger, 6. David Payne, 7. Jed Emert, 8. Matthew Holt (DNS), 9. Jeff Wolfenbarger (DNS)
E-Z GO Heat Race #3 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Chris Madden, 2. Ross Bailes, 3. Scott Bloomquist, 4. Brandon Williams, 5. Aaron Guinn, 6. Payton Freeman, 7. Brenden Smith, 8. John Llewellyn, 9. Josh Sneed, 10. Lynn Leach
Delph Communications Heat Race #4 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Ricky Weiss, 2. Mack McCarter, 3. Dakotah Knuckles, 4. Michael Chilton, 5. Christian Hanger, 6. Jason Trammell, 7. Jonathan Davenport, 8. Larry Greer, 9. Jensen Ford (DNS)
Hoosier Racing Tires B-Main #1 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. Stacy Boles, 2. David Payne, 3. Terry Wolfenbarger, 4. Jed Emert, 5. Steve Smith, 6. Ryan Winchester, 7. Brian Shockley (DNS), 8. Carson Ferguson (DNS), 9. Matthew Holt (DNS), 10. Jeff Wolfenbarger (DNS)
Collins Signs B-Main #2 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. Aaron Guinn, 2. Payton Freeman, 3. Christian Hanger, 4. Jason Trammell, 5. John Llewellyn, 6. Jensen Ford, 7. Brenden Smith, 8. Josh Sneed, 9. Larry Greer, 10. Jonathan Davenport (DNS), 11. Lynn Leach (DNS)
Provisionals: Carson Ferguson & Jensen Ford (Spring Nationals), Jonathan Davenport & Christian Hanger (Iron-Man)
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
- Cla Knight – 714
- Carson Ferguson – 708
- Jensen Ford – 704
- Payton Freeman – 694
- Brandon Overton – 570
- Chris Madden – 522
- Michael Page – 388
- Mark Whitener – 388
- Dale McDowell – 384
- Jonathan Davenport – 380
- Ross Bailes – 378
- Kyle Strickler – 376
- Dalton Cook – 366
- Ashton Winger – 354
- Jimmy Owens – 352
2022 Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday, March 4 | Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA | BRANDON OVERTON
Saturday, March 5 | Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA | SHANE CLANTON
Friday, April 15 | Wythe Raceway, Rural Retreat, VA | BRANDON OVERTON
Saturday, April 16 | Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, TN | CHRIS MADDEN
Thursday, April 21 | Tri-County Race Track, Brasstown, NC | $4,053 to win
Friday, April 22 | Crossville Speedway, Crossville, TN | $4,053 to win
Saturday, April 23 | Clarksville Speedway, Clarksville, TN | $10,053 to win
Friday, May 6 | Boyd’s Speedway, Ringgold, GA | $5,053 to win
Saturday, May 7 | East AL Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL | $10,053 to win
Friday, May 27 | Lavonia Speedway, Lavonia, GA | $4,053 to win
Saturday, May 28 | Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA | $4,053 to win
Sunday, May 29 | Rome Speedway, Rome, GA | $5,053 to win
* All races to be shown LIVE on FloRacing