Cardwell blasts to LLM win; Cate a ‘proven’ winner

Another great Saturday night is in the books at 411 Motor Speedway, and with only a handful of points races left, the championship battles are clearing up a little more. Ryan King started the night off winning in Crate Late Model. Marvin Ray claimed the win in Classic, Mike Lewis padded his points lead in Topless. In Street Stock, Dale Watson showed the field how it’s done by claiming the win. In Mod Street/Super Truck, it was Cory Cate who claimed the win, after proving himself legal to Robbie Comer, who was found to be illegal. Tim Ladd was back to his winning ways by claiming the win in Mod-Mini, while David Singleton singled the field out with a win. In Limited Lates, Rusty Ballenger cruised to victory — until 2 laps to go when Jason Cardwell negotiated lapped traffic better and stole the win. Cody Courtney returned to Victory Lane in Mini-Lates.

Coming up this Saturday is the Hardee’s Topless Modified Shootout! $500 will be on the line for those drivers in their 25 lap feature. They’ll get qualifying for a $50 fast qualifier bonus, courtesy of TennesseeRacer.com! Gates open at the normal time, and prices are their normal prices! Knox County Residents!! Show us proof that you reside in Knox County and we’ll send you through the grandstand gates for only a $5 bill! Who cool is that?! This only applies to Knox County residents this week!


Crate Late Model – A-Main
Due to the car count in this one, we’ll see this feature cut to 20 laps. John Cobb and Jimmy Calloway your front row, trouble at the start though as Brian Courtney goes around in 2. First caution and we’ll have a complete restart.
Green flag one more time, front row stays side by side until turn 2, now Calloway with a slight advantage but here comes Ryan King. King on the inside for the race lead here as they complete lap 2. Calloway holding strong as he shows the way over King and Cobb. King battles back one more time off 2 and snatches the lead in 3, King leads lap 5. Ricky Moore in the 4th spot, Courtney in 5th, with Jason Ritchey and Frogg Ingle rounding our your field. King pulling away slightly here as they complete halfway, 10 laps in the books. Calloway in 2nd, Cobb 3rd. Courtney closing in on Moore now with 6 laps to go. Courtney running on the very low side of the track, that’ll be a battle for the 4th spot. Ritchey slows down the backstretch, he’ll make it into the infield off 4. Courtney finally gets the jump past Moore here coming to get the white flag, but checkers in the air, King gets the win, Calloway 2nd, Cobb takes 3rd.

Fast Qualifier: #79c-Marty Calloway – 15.170

Cautions: 1
Leaders: #79c (1-4); #30 (5-20)

Classic
Green flag in the air for Classic, Adam Engel and Marvin Ray your front row. Drew Kennedy gives the boot to Ray in turn 1, caution will fly so we’ll get a complete restart coming up.

Green flag in the air one more time. Engel gets the jump out of 4, he’ll show the way into 1, now Kennedy spins in turn 1, and caution flies again.

Green flag, 3rd time has to be the charm. Engel leads them into 3 over Ray and Kennedy, with Bart Baxter rounding the field out. Kennedy putting the pressure on Ray for the 2nd spot now as they sail into 3 completing lap 2. Now 10 laps are complete, Engel has a mirror filled full of Ray and Kennedy as the top 3 are practically nose-to-tail. Engel gets sideways in turn 2, hangs onto it but now he’ll find himself in 3rd. Ray your leader over Kennedy now with 15 laps complete. Kennedy now laying the pressure on Ray, as Engel now losing touch with the leaders. Now Kennedy has some handling issue and Engel tries to capitalize on it, but now they’ve opened a gap on each other. Checkers in the air, Ray your winner, Kennedy comes home 2nd, Engel in 3rd.

Cautions: 2
Leaders: #28 (1-13); #98 (14-20)

Topless Modified
Next on the speedway is the Topless, Mike Lewis and Jerry Hux your front row, Marvin Romines and Johnny Ridings row 2. GREEN FLAG! Lewis out with the early lead over Hux, Romines in the 3rd spot with Ridings rounding out the field. Romines now in the 2nd spot as Ridings has some handling issue in 4. Lewis driving away from the field quickly as he has a half straightaway lead on Romines now who has a half straight on Hux. Now Hux goes high in 3, he’ll lose more ground to Romines as 5 laps are complete. Lewis your leader, Romines in 2nd, Hux and Ridings round out the field. With 5 laps remaining, Lewis is now closing in on Hux, who got passed by Ridings a moment ago, as Lewis is whipping the competition here tonight. Checkers in the air, Lewis with the win, Romines comes home 2nd and 3rd goes to Ridings.

Cautions: 0
Leaders: #15 (1-20)

Street Stock
Green flag for the Street Stock, Dale Watson off with the early lead over Dave Smith and Brandon Jarnigan. First caution will fly here on lap 5 as Robert Murphy loses fluid on the track, and loses control. We’ll go green here shortly.

Green flag in the air, Watson, Smith, Jarnigan, Billy Sands, Chris Nix, and Junior Merriman is the field. Watson continues to dominate here as now Smith start closing the ground on corner entry. Now Jarnigan slows with some smoke in 4 here on lap 11, tough break for him, running in the top 3 until mechanical issues. Watson your leader, Smith in 2nd about 6 car lengths back, but you have to go almost a half lap to get to the 3rd place car. Checkers in the air, Watson your winner, Smith comes home 2nd and 3rd goes to Sands.

Cautions: 1
Leaders: #11 (1-20)

Modified Street / Super Truck
Green flag in the air, Robbie Comer your race leader here as they complete lap 3, but Rocky Ogle spins in turns 1 and 2, Caution flies.

Green flag in the air one more time Comer your leader, he gets some help from Cory Cate, looks like Comer may be having some issues on corner entry. Now Jimmy Miller spins in turn 2, but we’ll stay green. Ogle now looks inside for the 3rd spot on Freddy Hillard, makes the move. Cate is all over and wearing out Comer’s rear bumper as they complete lap 10, halfway in this one. Now Ogle gets sideway, Hillard has nowhere to go, Ogle with a flat left-front now, caution will fly here on lap 11. Ogle getting his tire changed, so we’ll see him back out here.

Green flag one more time 9 laps remain. Comer your leader over Cate. Hillard showing tire smoke, may have a rub after his crash with Ogle, we’ll see if that tire will hold up. Cate looking to gain ground on Comer, he’ll look inside but falls in line off 4. Cate running up slightly higher in 1 and 2 than Comer and gets a run down the backstretch. Now Cate powers inside for the lead here with 4 to go. Cate how has a fender flapping in the wind, but he’s beginning to drive away from Comer now with 2 laps remaining. White flag in the air, as we see debris in 3 but we‘ll stay green. Checkers in the air, Cate picks up the win over Comer and Ogle! At the scales, however, Comer would lodge a protest against Cate, who would lodge a counter protest. In the tear-down room, Cate was found to be legal, but Comer was found to be illegal in the area of the heads. Rocky Ogle inherits the 2nd place spot while Hillard inherits 3rd.

Cautions: 2
Leaders: #9 (1); #42 (2-16); #92 (17-20)

Mod-Mini
Green flag for the Mod-Mini, Tim Ladd and Brad Pressley your front row. Ladd with the jump out of 2 but Pressley isn’t far behind. Taylor Dennis now in the 3rd spot. Now Ladd pulling away here as they complete lap 3. Pressley in 2nd, Chuck McMahan in 3rd now. Now here on lap 6, we have a double spin, Roy Stillwell goes around in 2 as James Mitchell goes around in 4. Caution flies.

Green flag back in the air. Ladd and Pressley your top 2. McMahan needed that caution, now he powers to the inside and steals 2nd away from Pressley. Now with 11 laps in the books, Ladd has some lapped traffic ahead of him. Now Steve Parrott spins in 2 and caution flies once again. Now we see the flagman Mark Bailes make his way onto the race track, evidently he’s not happy with drivers not slowing down for the caution. Sometimes you just have to give these drivers tough love to get them to understand. Bailes is certainly a class act to tell these drivers “SAFETY FIRST”! Hopefully they’ll begin to listen!

Green flag in the air one more time. McMahan takes the race lead but it’ll be all for naught as Parrott spins again in turn 2, that’s #2 for him, so we’ll line them up and go green shortly!

Green flag one more time. Ladd, McMahan, Pressley your top 3. McMahan running the very bottom, finds a rut on the bottom of turn 3 and couldn’t make it stick down low. Ladd pulling away slightly as 13 laps are in, McMahan still 2nd, 3rd is Pressley. Dennis 4th, Jeff Copeland 5th. Now caution flies one more time for Parrott in turn 2 here on lap 14, that’ll be #3 so he’ll be done for the night and sent to the pits.

Green flag in the air one more time. Copeland putting the pressure on Dennis now, but Dennis is holding HER own, now Mitchell spins in turn 2, and caution will fly with just 3 laps remaining.

Green flag in the air one final time, Copeland gets around Dennis, Dennis almost gets into the back of Copeland, Mitchell almost goes around, now the white flag flies. Checkers in the air, Ladd your winner, McMahan 2nd, and Pressley comes home 3rd.

Cautions: 5
Leaders: #39 (1-20)

Mini-Stock
Sam Burgess and Angie Young your front row, ready to roll! Green flag! Burgess gets sideways in turn 2, now he drifts up and Young sends him around on the backstretch, so we’ll throw caution and line them up one more time for another go.

Green flag back in the air. Dogfight for the lead, they’re 3 wide into 3, now David Singleton makes contact with Burgess, Burgess gets into Anthony Singleton, A. Singleton takes 2nd, Burgess in 3rd trying to hang on, as Young is your leader. Now A. Singleton pulls inside for the lead in 3, they’ll be side-by-side into 1. Young with the advantage now off 2 over A. Singleton. Burgess gets sideways in 4 and makes contact with Da. Singleton, now the Keith Sands hit’s the wall in 3 and 4 as there’s a battle for the lead once again. Tempers may be flaring between Burgess and Da. Singleton. Young still your leader, but now Da. Singleton powers outside for the 2nd spot, outside in 1, almost drills the wall, powers inside in turn 3, he’ll use a lap car as a pick, put Young back to 3rd. Da. Singleton your leader, A. Singleton in 2nd, Young in 3rd, Lapped traffic may become a factor in this one. Da. Singleton slicing and dicing through lap traffic methodically, now he has a clean track. A. Singleton in 2nd, Young in 3rd, Dalton King looking inside Burgess off turn 4, that’ll be the 4th spot with 10 laps in the books. King uses a lapped car as a pick, now Burgess loses about 4 spots while stuck behind a lapped car. King now 3rd, Steve Owens, Jr. in 5th but he has a mirror full of Daniel Lawson. Now Young powers her way around A. Singleton for the 2nd spot. Looks like A. Singleton’s machine is set up for short runs as he seems to always start strong but fade late. Now King powers around A. Singleton. Burgess now in the infield. Owens, Jr. now looking inside A. Singleton for position as they head into turn 1, now Lawson pulls inside Owens, Jr., now A. Singleton sneaks inside, but now Owens, Jr. pulls away from all 3 of them. Now Tommy Metler makes the move on A. Singleton. But Checkers in the air, Da. Singleton with the win, Young comes home 2nd, and King 3rd.

Cautions: 1
Leaders: #72 (1-6); #25 (7-20)

Limited Late Model – A-Main
We are ready to rock, 30 laps for the Limiteds, Brad Lowe and fast time qualifier Rusty Ballenger your front row, GREEN FLAG IN THE AIR!! Great start out of 4! Ballenger your leader into turn 3. Lowe in 2nd, Jason Cardwell 3rd, Josh Collins 4th and Mark Rosner 5th. Josh Henry 6th, Layne Clifton 7th with Scott Gardner on his inside. Action all over the place and we’re only 2 laps in. Ryan Carey gets sideways out of turn 2, now Butch Bayless looks on the inside of Marty Calloway. Up front, Ballenger your leader, Lowe in 2nd, Cardwell 3rd. Ballenger better hit his marks, but now caution will fly as Joey Standridge slows to a stop in turn 4. Now Heath Alvey looks like he’s losing oil, tough break for him, his night will be done early. 4 laps in, we’ll see the green with 26 to go.

Green flag back in the air one more time, Lowe gets the jump, but he’ll fall in line before the flagstand. Now Cardwell looks inside, he’ll fall in line in 3. Collins up high as Rosner looks down low, but Rosner gets a little sideways in 2. Now 6 laps in the books, action all over the place again. Ballenger may have lap traffic soon as Lovell now has trouble picking a line, leaders make it around with no issues however. Ballenger still showing the way, Lowe in 2nd, Cardwell 3rd, Collins 4th and Rosner 5th. Clifton now putting the pressure on Danny Yoder. Now we see Frogg Ingle slow down the backstretch. Back up front, 11 laps in the books, now Lowe slows suddenly off turn 2 and caution flies. Tough break for Lowe, running solidly in the 2nd spot and has trouble here of some sort.

Green flag back in the air, Ballenger your leader over Cardwell and Collins. Rosner now 4th with Henry in 5th. Gardner in the 6th spot with King 7th, now Yoder goes around in 2, Bayless spins to avoid, caution will fly here with 13 laps in the books.

Green flag in the air one more time, Ballenger–now 3 wide for the 4th spot, Rosner, Henry, and Gardner were 3 wide off 2 for a moment. Gardner looking racy tonight, but it’s all Ballenger so far. Cardwell in 2nd, Collins 3rd, Rosner 4th, Henry 5th. Yoder now gets passed by Clifton, but caution flies as Andy Standridge spins in turn 4.

Green flag in the air one more time, 15 laps in, 15 to go. Ballenger still your leader, Cardwell in 2nd, Collins in 3rd. Rosner now putting pressure on Collins for the 3rd spot, but now Collins kicks on the afterburners and closes in on Cardwell. Ballenger your leader, but he has very little room for mistake. 10 laps remain in this one. Rosner looks inside Collins, falls in line off 4. Henry starting to close in, you can throw a blanket over our top 4 right now. Now Calloway slows and pulls into the infield, he’s got some right-rear damage. 5 laps remain, lapped traffic may play a factor. Cardwell running in the high groove, he’ll close in on Ballenger. Ballenger still showing the way, any mistake will be costly. He looks down low on a lap car, backs out of the throttle for a moment, but 2nd place Cardwell does not, and we have a LEAD CHANGE here late! Cardwell POWERS to the inside for the race lead in turn 3, now in turn 2 Collins goes around, he’ll spin, and with the white flag in the air, Collins will bring out the caution. A very rare spin by Collins.

We’ll have a green white/checker coming up! GREEN FLAG, one lap shootout here. Cardwell your leader, now he has just 2 turns left. Checkers in the air, Jason Cardwell your winner, Ballenger 2nd, Rosner comes home 3rd!

Cautions: 5
Leaders: #29 (1-28); #07 (29-30)

Fast Qualifier: #29-Rusty Ballenger – 14.393

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