McIntosh holds off Roberts for Ultimate win

After missing last week’s race, Chris Rickett returned with a new body but the same desire to win. By winning his heat race earlier in the day, he earned the front row spot alongside Kurt Owens. Rickett jumped out with the lead immediately as the green waved over the 11 car field. Morristown’s Shannon Emery turned up the heat on Jerry Hux for a spot just inside the top 5 in the opening laps. The first caution of the race would wave just 3 laps in as Audie Wyrick spun in turn 4 slowing the pace. Back under green the battle between Hux and Emery continued with Hux working the outside lane trying to get past. With 6 laps on the board Owens began to close the gap on the leader. Owens took a look inside Rickett in between turns 1 and 2 but the momentum kept the #36 machine in the top spot. Just past halfway the top two had put a good bit of distance between themselves and the rest of the field but a caution for Emery erased that lead. Chaos would show it’s ugly face on the restart as Owens and Lee got together in turn two collecting the cars of Hux, Emery, Wolfe and others. The top two would pull away again on the restart with Rickett holding off a charge from Owens in the final laps to pick up another win.

1: #36 Chris Rickett
2: #01 Jerry Hux
3: #11 Tracy Wolfe
4: #3 Austin Neely
5: #m2 Shannon Emery
6: #38 Cody Thompson
7: #14 Kurt Owens
8: #2 Steve Hillard
9: #31 Brady Lee
10: #07A Audie Wyrick
11: #12 Phil Blackford
DNS: #21 Ronnie Roberts

A 15.777 lap time would earn Jesse Helton the pole for the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Keeping him company on the front row with a 16.008 second lap was current points leader Terry Poore. With two wins already under his belt in 2015 Helton took the lead with Poore in chase. The man on the move was Wayne Rader who took over the 3rd spot from Overholt just 3 laps into the feature. Rader wasn’t done there though as just one lap later he used a run on the inside coming off turn 4 to move past Poore and take over the runner up spot. Poore got loose coming off the turn and slipped back several spots in the running order. After starting last via a spin in qualifying, Clyde Stanton had worked his way up to the 6th spot just shy of halfway. Trouble would find Freddy Hillard on lap 13 as he got the short end of the stick between two cars racing for position. With just 5 laps left Overholt moved by Rader taking the second spot back. The final laps would go off trouble free for Helton who cruised to his 3rd win of 2015.

1: #57 Jesse Helton
2: #4 Clyde Overholt
3: #01 Wayne Rader
4: #2 Terry Poore
5: #1 David Clark
6: #c11 Clyde Stanton
7: #11 Kip Sawyer
8: #169 Nick Barnard
9: #74 Freddy Hillard
10: #50M Jonathan Miracle

Next on the docket was the Mini Stock feature. After picking up a win last weekend, Kyle Courtney would once again start his #171 machine on point. Sam Burgess would have issues early and slide down into the infield grass early on, but would continue. After having issues in his heat race John Byers had already moved up into the 5th spot after just 4 laps. Tommy Meter was racing hard for a spot just outside the top 5. Byers continued his impressive drive and looked inside Chuck McMahan for the 2nd spot. The caution would wave on lap 7 for Walter Wash as he went for a spin in turn 4. Byers has dominated the 2015 season but he would pull off the track with issues along with Raley. Courtney was running away up front but the fight was intense between Metler and Randy lane for the 3rd spot. Courtney would hold them off and pick up the win.

1: #171 Kyle Courtney
2: #4 Chuck McMahan
3: #44 Tommy Metler
4: #41 Randy Lane
5: #31 David Darden
6: #72 Walter Walsh
7: #j7 John Byers
8 #5 Mike Townsend
9: #88 Shannon Raley
10: #19 Brad Pressley
11: #23 Sam Burgess

The classic cars made their third appearance of the 2015 season with Joe Keck leading the field on the start. A quick caution would set up a complete restart. Joe “Hotrod” Keck would take the lead on the start with Thompson and Overton in his tire tracks. It wouldn’t take Thompson very long to make his move, getting past Keck and into the lead after just 2 laps. With one win already to his credit Overton showed his strength again looking inside Keck for second. After a couple laps of great side by side racing Overton was able to move past and take the spot. It was just another day at the office for Thompson who was driving off into the sunset. At the halfway point Thompson had pulled out to a full straightaway lead over the intense battle between Overton and Keck. Their battle was incredible to watch as lap after lap they raced hard showing the pure talent of both drivers. Thompson would drive off and pick up the dominating win.

1: #24 Philip Thompson
2: #98 Justin Overton
3: #78 Joe Keck
4: #J13 Joel Wolfenbarger
5: #2 Chris Evans
6: #7 Josh Stevens
7: #07 Bobby Pressley
8: #xxx Josh Chesney
9: #07a Adam Pressley
10: #18 Rusty Webb
11: #8 Eli Keck
12: #2b Randy Davis
DNS #88 Ritchie Overholser

The 2015 season opened with Donald McIntosh picking up the win in the Hangover. McIntosh quickly picked up where he left off by earning the second spot in qualifying with a 14.872 lap. However the pole would go to David Payne who clocked in at a 14.797 lap time. After a 4 wide salute to the fans McIntosh picked up where he left off in January powering into the lead. Cory Hedgecock was making his moves early and moved into 3rd. The night would come to an early end for Skylar Marler who pulled off the track just 7 laps into the 40 lap event. Mark Vineyard would bring out the first caution on lap 10 putting the field back in touch with McIntosh. Hedgecock looked to continue his drive to the lead as he looked inside Casey Roberts. By lap 15 the top 3 of McIntosh, Roberts and Hedgecock had pulled away from the rest of the pack. There were battles all over the track for position, one of which being between Jason Welshan and David Crabtree. One of the few drivers to use the outside line was Tommy Kerr. The high line was clearly working as he drove past Mark Dotson. The caution would wave again slowing the pace and Chad Ogle headed off the track with Crabtree. David Payne dove on the inside going into turn 4 and damaged his #8 machine but he continued on. Pierce McCarter was putting on a clinic working his way through the pack and moving past Kerr and into the top 5. Jason Welshan went up in a fireball and thankfully was uninjured but couldn’t continue on. Up front Casey Roberts was all over McIntosh but couldn’t quite get the nose of his machine inside the leader. McIntosh would protect the inside line and score the $4,000 payday.

1: #7 Donald McIntosh
2: #101 Casey Roberts
3: #23 Cory Hedgecock
4: #51 Pierce McCarter
5: #201 Billy Ogle Jr
6: #4T Tommy Kerr
7: #81 Aaron Ridley
8: #51 Dustin Mitchell
9: #00 Jeff Smith
10: #85 Mark Dotson
11: #30 Ryan King
12: #N86 Jeff Neubert
13: #7 Bobby Moses
14: #2 Rambo Franklin
15: #29 Jason Welshan
16: #8 David Payne
17: #10 Chris Wilson
18: #00 Ruben Mayfield
19: #7 William Overbey
20: #97 Bobby Giffin
21: #10 Chad Ogle
22: #c5 David Crabtree
23: #4 Mark Vineyard
24: #11 Skylar Marlar
DNS: 11b Stacy Boles