After a few weeks off the 2017 regular season began along with the chase for the season ending Championships.
Up first to start the nights program was the Sportsman division. Zach Sise took the lead on the start of the 20 lap feature ahead of Michael Courtney, Jed Emert and Terry Poore. The caution waved early on for Ryan Carrey who went for a spin on the exit of turn four. Back under green and Emert began working over Courtney for the runner up spot behind Sise. After slipping back to the third spot, Courtney was on the move as he took the second spot back from Emert. As the top three began to pull away from the pack, the fight for fourth was intense between Terry Poore and Travis Fultz who had worked his way up through the pack and into the top five. Courtney had clearly found something as his #c11 machine was a rocket taking over the lead from Sise on lap 6. The caution waved again for Kenny Ford and Adam Mitchell who got together off turn four. Mitchell went for a spin but the caution was called on Ford with Mitchell getting his spot back. Emert and Sise would trade the second spot on the restart just behind Courtney who was pulling away.
1: #C11 Michael Courtney
2: #98 Jed Emert
3: #9 Zach Sise
4: #T0 Travis Fultz
5: #2 Terry Poore
6: #50 Adam Mitchell
7: #79 Josh Sneed
8: #7 Heath Alvey
9: #61 Kenny Ford
10: #3 Floyd Self
11: #555 Ryan Carrey
12: #18 Kyle Cole
13: #97 Chris Coffey
14: #9 Derrick Meadors
15: #41 Richard Bailey
2: #98 Jed Emert
3: #9 Zach Sise
4: #T0 Travis Fultz
5: #2 Terry Poore
6: #50 Adam Mitchell
7: #79 Josh Sneed
8: #7 Heath Alvey
9: #61 Kenny Ford
10: #3 Floyd Self
11: #555 Ryan Carrey
12: #18 Kyle Cole
13: #97 Chris Coffey
14: #9 Derrick Meadors
15: #41 Richard Bailey
DNS: #31 Brad Seagle
Cory Hedgecock picked up the win in the 2016 Chevy Performance race 1 year prior and picked up right where he left off by starting on the pole for the 50 lap $3,000 to win feature. After a quick caution on the start, Hedgeock put his #9 on point ahead of the stacked field. The yellow flag was a regular early on as it waved again. The next to have trouble would be the #19 of John Ownbey. Finally the field got a few laps in with Hedgeock inching away out front with the lead until trouble found Barry Goodman who slowed on the back bringing out the caution. Austin Smith made his move and took over the second spot behind Hedgecock who had pulled away to a huge lead. Ryan King had his #30 on go as he put himself into second past Smith until the caution waved. King would have trouble on the restart and fall all the way back to the sixth spot. More trouble for John Ownbey who spun for the second time bringing the caution back out. King was trying to work his way back to the front and made an incredible three wide pass with Ross Martin and Buddy George. The come back wasn’t meant to be for the former 411 track Champion as Ryan King slowed a few laps later and retired for the night. Lap traffic would come into play as Jake Knowles ate into the lead Hedgeock had built up. However he would pick his way through the slower cars and stretch his lead back out and pick up his second straight Chevy Performance win.
1: #9 Cory Hedgecock
2: #58 Devon Dixon
3: #95 Brandon Williams
4: #M47 Ross Martin
5: #87 Zach Pilcher
6: #5 Ronnie Johnson
7: #29 Buddy George
8: #84 Austin Smith
9: #J8 Jadon Frame
10: #92 Rodney Martin
11: #21 Mario Gresham
12: #15 Tim Busha
13: #34 Chad Wallace
14: #51 Randy Dillard
15: #19A Landon Bagley
16: #19 Terry Woods
17: #30 Ryan King
18: #20 Chris Sizemore
19: #45 Doug Smith
20: #R43 Scott Patterson
21: #A19 John Ownby
22: #03 Oliver Gentry
23: #11 Levon Sparks
24: #24 Barry Goodman
DNS: #16 Jeff Fields
DQ: #66 Jake Knowles(Failure to meet weight requirement)
2: #58 Devon Dixon
3: #95 Brandon Williams
4: #M47 Ross Martin
5: #87 Zach Pilcher
6: #5 Ronnie Johnson
7: #29 Buddy George
8: #84 Austin Smith
9: #J8 Jadon Frame
10: #92 Rodney Martin
11: #21 Mario Gresham
12: #15 Tim Busha
13: #34 Chad Wallace
14: #51 Randy Dillard
15: #19A Landon Bagley
16: #19 Terry Woods
17: #30 Ryan King
18: #20 Chris Sizemore
19: #45 Doug Smith
20: #R43 Scott Patterson
21: #A19 John Ownby
22: #03 Oliver Gentry
23: #11 Levon Sparks
24: #24 Barry Goodman
DNS: #16 Jeff Fields
DQ: #66 Jake Knowles(Failure to meet weight requirement)
Up next was the 25 lap Steelhead Late Model feature. Jason Manley put his #32 machine on the top of the speed charts in qualifying. However it would be former 411 Steelhead champion Jason Cardwell who took the lead on the start of the feature ahead of Manley, Ross White and Chase King. Chris Barton began working his way up through the field by passing 2016 411 Steelhead Champion Trevor Sise for the fifth position. The top three put some distance on Chase King who held down the fourth spot. Ross White had the heat turned up on Jason Manley trying to take the second spot away. Cardwell was setting a blistering pace and was closing in on lap traffic. 17 laps in the books and heartbreak for Cardwell as he got caught up with a slower car handing the lead over to Manley. Just one lap later he would slow on track bringing out the caution and ending his day after leading 17 laps. Barton continued his drive to the front as the #144 powered past Ruben Mayfield and into the top four. Trevor Sise would also get by Mayfield and into the top five. The caution waved on lap 23 for Quincy Adams setting up a green/white/checkered finish. Manley would not be challenged as he went on to pick up the first Steelhead win of 2017.
1: #32 Jason Manley
2: #0 Ross White
3: #44 Chase King
4: #144 Chris Barton
5: #73 Trevor Sise
6: #00 Ruben Mayfield
7: #32 Quincy Adams
8: #07 Jason Cardwell
DNS: #21k Dakotah Knuckles
DNS: #70 Josh Henry
DNS: #3 Austin Neeley
2: #0 Ross White
3: #44 Chase King
4: #144 Chris Barton
5: #73 Trevor Sise
6: #00 Ruben Mayfield
7: #32 Quincy Adams
8: #07 Jason Cardwell
DNS: #21k Dakotah Knuckles
DNS: #70 Josh Henry
DNS: #3 Austin Neeley
Up next was the 20 lap Mini Stock feature. Steve Owens Jr made his return to 411 Motor Speedway after missing the last several races and got off to a great start by taking the lead on the start ahead of Derik Duggan, John Byers, Bryant Idles and Steve Miller. Trouble early for Johnny Coggins who pulled off the track after just a handful of laps. Byers and Duggan made contact bringing out the caution. Byers went for a spin but the caution was called on Duggan. An incredible battle between the top three all race long as Owens, Byers and Idles went three wide down the back for the top spot. Joe Freels also put his name in the mix as he moved up into the fourth spot. Byers made his past Owens Jr and set his sights on the leader. Bryant Idles had the lead but seemed to be having trouble getting off turn two allowing the #83 to close the gap. Byers would get a run under Idles coming off turn two and take the lead. After running in the top five earlier in the race, the night would come to an end for Steve Miller who had heavy smoke coming from the back of his #00. Steve Owens Jr took the second spot back from Idles who still had trouble with turn two. Up front Idles would run away to a big lead and pick up his first official win of 2017.
1: #83 John Byers
2: #17 Steve Owens Jr
3: #2 Bryant Idles
4: #5x Joe Freels
5: #7 Mark Holbert
6: #01 Anthony Dixon
7: #25 Derik Duggan
8: #21 Greg Martin
9: #00 Steve Miller
10: #28 Shane Bullock
11: #14 Johnny Coggins
DNS: #2b Shane Bullock
2: #17 Steve Owens Jr
3: #2 Bryant Idles
4: #5x Joe Freels
5: #7 Mark Holbert
6: #01 Anthony Dixon
7: #25 Derik Duggan
8: #21 Greg Martin
9: #00 Steve Miller
10: #28 Shane Bullock
11: #14 Johnny Coggins
DNS: #2b Shane Bullock
The final event of the night was the 20 lap Modified Street feature. It would be Wayne Rader who put his #01 on top of the charts. The green waved and it was Shannon Emery who took the lead from the outside ahead of Rader, Brad Davis, Cody Thompson and Brian McDaniel. Rader had the pressure turned up early working the low line under Emery for the top spot just ahead of Davis who held down the third spot. Cody Thompson made a move getting past McDaniel and into the top four. Emery and Rader were door to door for the top spot until Emery had problems and spun going into turn one collecting Davis in the process. Emery would be done for the night but Davis would continue on with no damage. The green waved and the fight was on again for the lead this time between Rader and Davis. Cody Thompson seemed to have found the line his #83 machine liked as he moved himself into the third spot. The caution would wave late as Jeff Ferguson and Scott Atkins got together in turn four. The battle for the lead never cooled as Davis had found some grip on the inside and got the nose of his #88 under Rader coming off turn two. That opening was all he needed as he powered past Rader and into the lead with just two laps left. He would keep the #01 at bay the final two laps and pick up the win.
1: #88 Brad Davis
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #59 Brian McDaniel
4: #24 Jeff Ferguson
5: #20 Scott Atkins
6: #83 Cody Thompson
7: #m2 Shannon Emery
8: #14 Jeremy Wyatt
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #59 Brian McDaniel
4: #24 Jeff Ferguson
5: #20 Scott Atkins
6: #83 Cody Thompson
7: #m2 Shannon Emery
8: #14 Jeremy Wyatt
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”4″ gal_title=”Chevy Performance – 3/18/17″]