Sise racks up another late model win

After a week off it was back to racing at the 4-1-1 with six classes of racing action on hand. Up first was the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Zach Sise would earn the pole for the A main with a 14.316 second lap time. The green waved and Sise took immediate control of the 15 car field. Brad Seagle who is on the verge of being the season Champ was looking for another win to his impressive season as he worked the low line under Clyde Stanton for the third spot in the opening laps. With Sise inching away on the start the fight was on for second as Jed Emert tried to hold on to the runner up spot. Sise was setting such a blazing pace that he was already in lap traffic by lap five. The first caution waved for Derrick Meadors who went for a spin coming off the exit of turn four. Back under green and Brad Seagle made his move diving under Stanton and putting himself into second. Adam Mitchell started back in the 8th spot but was dicing his way through the field and was up inside the top five. Jed Emert had slipped back a couple spots later in the race and it wasn’t gonna get any better. During a caution his #98 machine came to a stop on the track and he rolled off track with mechanical issues. Zach Sise would pull away and pick up the win. However, he would fail a post race protest and be disqualified handing the win over to Brad Seagle.

Up next was the 20 lap Classic Car feature. A strong field of 12 cars were on hand to do battle for the win. Ritchie Overholser took command of the race on the start but had no breathing room as the top five cars ran bumper to bumper every single lap. Josh Chesney was one of the five as he worked over Adam Engel for the third spot in the opening laps. Lee Merritt was looking for another win as he dove under Overholser several times trying to get the top spot away but the momentum on the high line kept the #88 on top. Some incredible driving as the top five drivers raced under a blanket never making contact with one another. Engel had moved his way up to second and now it was his turn to put the pressure on Overholser for the top spot. The caution waved on lap 13 for Luke Ellis who went for a spin. A much needed chance to catch our breath after an amazing race between the top five set up a restart with just 7 laps left. A scary accident on lap 18 for a flip by Mark Mincey in turn four brought out the red flag. The driver would be okay but he was done for the night. Coming off turn four to the finish Lee Merritt got a great run on the outside and beat Overholser to the line in a photo finish.

A 13.731 second lap time was enough to earn Trevor Sise the pole for the 30 lap Steelhead Late Model feature. Sise was the only car under the 14 second mark sending a message early that he would be the one to beat. Sise would take control on the start ahead of Jason Welshan, Johnny Ridings and Layne Clifton. Jason Cardwell qualified outside the top 10 and was in a battle with Greg Estes as the two tried to work their way up through the pack. The caution waved on lap 7 for Chad Spradlin who went for a spin. Layne Clifton had a very strong car as he moved himself up to the third spot with a pass on Johnny Ridings. Ridings also had his hands full with Ellery Leake and Josh Henry. Another caution on lap 13 this time for Mitchell Childress. Chaos on the restart as Ellery Leake spun and collected Terry Poore, Jason Cardwell among others. Poore would get the worst of it as he had to retire with front-end damage. Josh Henry would get himself into the top five in the second half of the race. Lap traffic would slow Trevor Sise down a bit in the closing laps but a blown engine by Chad Spradlin would slow the pace with just three laps left. Sise would go on to pick up another win in his bid for the Championship.

Up next was the 20 lap Mini Stock feature. John Byers earned the pole for the feature by winning his heat race earlier in the day. Byers took control of the field over Thomas Clark, Steve Owens Jr and Anthony Dixon. A caution for a spin by William Talent would slow the pace early on. Clark would dive under Byers on the restart but the #83 was just too strong as he pulled away from the pack. Steve Owens Jr and Thomas Clark had a great battle for the runner up spot as the two battled it out every lap. Byers would pull away and cruise to the win.

Mikah Reams set fast time in Open Wheel qualifying with a 15. 097 second lap getting him the pole for the 20 lap A main. The green waved and it was Jody Puckett who put his #3 machine on point ahead of Logan Hickey and Jimmy Dalton who held down the third spot. Puckett had the car to beat as he pulled away from the pack early on until a caution for Jamie Mosley slowed the pace. Mikah Reams and Logan Hickey had a great battle for the runner up spot as the laps ticked away. Puckett had pulled away to a full straight away lead in the second half of the race and never looked back.

The final event of the night was the 20 lap Street Stock feature. Wendell Spence made his 2016 debut at 411 Motor Speedway and did so in impressive fashion setting fast time in qualifying with a 15.814 second lap time. Only Spence and Jerry Hux would get under the 16 second mark. The green waved and it was Jerry Hux who took the top spot with Spence, Dale Watson and Tyler Blankenship on his heels. Spence started on the pole but slipped back outside the top five in the early laps. Trouble would find former track Champion David Price as his engine expired on lap 3 bringing out the caution. A driver change in the #74 saw Clyde Stanton take over and what a drive he was on as he moved past Melton and into the third position. Stanton was putting on a clinic as he took the lead at the halfway mark. The top three began to pull away but the engine started going south on the #74 as Stanton began to slow. The problems would be fatal for his chances as he pulled off during a caution and retired for the night. Trouble would also find Dale Watson as the #11 went up in smoke while running in the second spot. Hux would hold on for the final two laps and pick up the win in a great race.

Next Saturday night is the final points race of the 2016 season. All times will be moved up one hour because of colder night temps.