After a couple weeks off the 4-1-1 was back in action and quickly reminded everyone why it’s known as Tennessee’s action track.
Six classes of racing action on the schedule lead off by the 20 lap Modified Street feature. Fresh off a win at Volunteer Speedway last weekend, Chris Rickett picked up where he left off putting his “Silver Bullet” 36 on the pole for the feature. With the green in the air Rickett took control of the field ahead of Wayne Rader, Brad Davis, Austin Atkins and Cody Thompson. Austin Atkins would find trouble early on as he went for a spin on the exit of turn two bringing out the caution. Back under Green and Davis made a power move as he slipped past Rader and into the second spot. With Rickett inching away out front, Atkins was on the rebound working his way back up through the pack after his earlier spin making it back into the top five quickly. Davis had found the line his #88 liked as he reeled in Rickett for the lead with the laps ticking away. Atkins wasn’t done just yet with his drive back to the front as he moved past Rader and back into the third spot behind Rickett and Davis. Davis had moved up to the high line using the momentum to gain on the leader as the end of the race closed in. Meanwhile he had his hands full with Atkins who had chased him down for the second spot. Rickett would continue his already amazing 2017 season by picking up another win.
1: #36 Chris Rickett
2: #88 Brad Davis
3: #14 Austin Atkins
4: #01 Wayne Rader
5: #83 Cody Thompson
6: #20 Scotty Atkins
7: #C4 Logan Cobb
8: #14 Jeremy Wyatt
DNS: #27 Charles Bates
2: #88 Brad Davis
3: #14 Austin Atkins
4: #01 Wayne Rader
5: #83 Cody Thompson
6: #20 Scotty Atkins
7: #C4 Logan Cobb
8: #14 Jeremy Wyatt
DNS: #27 Charles Bates
Up next was the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Michael Courtney who picked up the win last time out at 411 once again put his #c11 on top of the board in qualifying. Courtney would take control on the start with Josh Sneed, Brad Seagle, Adam Mitchell and Jed Emert hot on his heels. Seagle was set on go from the start as he worked over Sneed for the second spot early on. Courtney was a rocket ship early on until the caution waved for a spin by Kyle Cole slowed the pace. On the restart Emert would put his #98 into the third spot with a fantastic restart. Courtney was once again stretching the lead out but another caution this time for Tyler Pearson erased his lead. The green waved and the whole game changed as Seagle and Courtney got together in turn two sending the leader spinning into the infield. Courtney would have to pull off track handing the lead over to Josh Sneed who managed to navigate his way through the chaos and into the lead. Both Courtney and Seagle would have to restart from the rear of the pack. Both drivers were a little extra motivated as they quickly moved back near the top five. Courtney chased down Zach Sise and took the position away with Seagle moving past Floyd Self. Up front it was all Josh Sneed as he pulled away in the closing laps and picked up the win.
1: #79 Josh Sneed
2: #98 Jed Emert
3: #C11 Michael Courtney
4: #50 Adam Mitchell
5: #9 Zach Sise
6: #31 Brad Seagle
7: #3 Floyd Self
8: #84 Jimmy Calloway
9: #10 Bubba Long
10: #32 Cody Gloyne
11: #00 Tyler Pearson
12: #11 Tracy Wolfe
13: #18 Kyle Cole
2: #98 Jed Emert
3: #C11 Michael Courtney
4: #50 Adam Mitchell
5: #9 Zach Sise
6: #31 Brad Seagle
7: #3 Floyd Self
8: #84 Jimmy Calloway
9: #10 Bubba Long
10: #32 Cody Gloyne
11: #00 Tyler Pearson
12: #11 Tracy Wolfe
13: #18 Kyle Cole
John Stevens and Joe Keck would show us to green for the 20 lap Classic Car feature. Keck took command on the start ahead of Stevens, Eli Keck and Brandon Hutchinson. Trouble would find Richie Overholser early on as he and Hutchinson got tangled up going into turn one sending Overholser head on into the wall in between turns one and two. The driver would be okay but his car was heavily damaged on the front dumping fluids all over the racing surface. After a lengthy cleanup we were back to racing with Overholser again showing the way. Stevens kept the pressure on the leader and it paid off as Keck got loose coming off turn one and almost spun out. He would regain control but that would allow Stevens to take the top spot away. The fight was on for second as Eli and Joe Keck battled it out with Lee Merritt. Just past Halfway Eli Keck made his way past Joe Keck for the third spot. Stevens had ran away to a big lead but the caution waved on lap 15 erasing his lead. Stevens would hit his marks perfectly and pick up another impressive win.
1: #7 John Stevens
2: #8 Eli Keck
3: #78 Joe Keck
4: #9 Lee Merritt
5: #44 Chris Nix
6: #2 Bradley Hutchinson
7: #24 Scott Lacy
8: #17 Luke Ellis
9: #00 Billy Woods
10: #16 Will Carrey
11: #18 Richie Overholser
2: #8 Eli Keck
3: #78 Joe Keck
4: #9 Lee Merritt
5: #44 Chris Nix
6: #2 Bradley Hutchinson
7: #24 Scott Lacy
8: #17 Luke Ellis
9: #00 Billy Woods
10: #16 Will Carrey
11: #18 Richie Overholser
John Byers and Steve Owens Jr would show the way for the 20 lap Mini Stock feature. Trouble on the start as the #00 of Steve Miller and #46 of James Sharp. Sharp would be able to continue on but the night was over for Miller before it every began. Back under green and the fight for the lead was on between Byers and Owens Jr as they drag raced down the back stretch for the top spot just ahead of Tommy Newton and David Darden. Byers was determined to take the lead and did so after an intense battle with Owens. With the #83 out front Owens had his hands full with Tommy Newton for the runner up spot. The caution waved for the #7 of Alex Holbert slowing the pace. Newton moved past Owens and into the runner up spot just behind the leader on the restart putting on a great show. Owens wasn’t about to give up as he kept the heat turned up on Newton and took the spot back. Up front it was on cruise control for Byers who ran away to a big lead picking up the win.
1: #83 John Byers
2: #17 Steve Owens Jr
3: #T2 Tommy Newton
4: #2 Bryant Idles
5: #46 James Sharp
6: #31 David Darden
7: #F5 Travis Fox
8: #00 Steve Miller
9: #7 Alex Holbert
10: #75 Shal Ritenour
2: #17 Steve Owens Jr
3: #T2 Tommy Newton
4: #2 Bryant Idles
5: #46 James Sharp
6: #31 David Darden
7: #F5 Travis Fox
8: #00 Steve Miller
9: #7 Alex Holbert
10: #75 Shal Ritenour
After his vicious crash last time out Dakatoh Knuckles set fast time in Steelhead Late Model qualifying. The green waved for the 30 lap feature and it would be outside pole sitter Ryan King taking the lead in the Warrior ahead of Eddie King Jr and Knuckles who slipped back to third on the start. The 2016 Steelhead late model Champion Trevor Sise had a rough go at it crashing in qualifying last week at Volunteer Speedway but was back to his familiar self as he worked over Knuckles for the fourth spot early on. Trouble for Rusty Ballenger as he went for a spin in turn two bringing out the caution. It was a rough night for Ballenger who was involved in two separate accidents and wouldn’t see the finish of the 30 lap feature. The race took a huge turn as leader Ryan King pulled off track under the caution with a flat tire handing the lead over to Eddie King Jr. 2015 Steelhead Champion Jason Cardwell had found the sweet spot on the setup as he closed on on the top two. King Jr seemed to be having issues getting off turn four allowing Trevor Sise and Cardwell to close in. The three put on a thrilling show for the fans showing why they’re three of the best drivers in east TN. Lap 18 Cardwell saw his chance to strike and did just that as he used the low line off turn four and powered past King Jr into the lead. King Jr kept opening the door coming off turn four and he paid the price as Sise went past as well putting him back to the third spot but would regain the runner up spot late in the race. Cardwell pulled away in the closing laps to pick up the win in a thrilling race.
1: 07 Jason Cardwell
2: #157 Eddie King Jr
3: #73 Trevor Sise
4: #23 Layne Clifton
5: #B00 Josh Henry
6: #1 Josh Collins
7: #21k Dakotah Knuckles
8: #0 Ross White
9: #2 Danny Yoder
10: #4 Clyde Overholt
11: #3 Austin Neely
12: #22 Jamison Early
13: #G2 Jerry Green
14: #1G Ryan King
15: #23a Barry Anderson
16: #29 Rusty Ballenger
17: #37 Shane Taylor
2: #157 Eddie King Jr
3: #73 Trevor Sise
4: #23 Layne Clifton
5: #B00 Josh Henry
6: #1 Josh Collins
7: #21k Dakotah Knuckles
8: #0 Ross White
9: #2 Danny Yoder
10: #4 Clyde Overholt
11: #3 Austin Neely
12: #22 Jamison Early
13: #G2 Jerry Green
14: #1G Ryan King
15: #23a Barry Anderson
16: #29 Rusty Ballenger
17: #37 Shane Taylor
The final event of the night would be the 20 lap Open Wheel feature. It was the red #15 of Jeff Hamby on top of the qualifying sheets alongside Jimmy Dalton in the #2. Green in the air and it saw Hamby take control of the race ahead of Jody Puckett, Brad Dyer, Jimmy Dalton and Wayne James who rounded out the top five spots. Dyer and Dalton had a great battle in the early laps for position just behind the leader. Puckett had moved himself into the second spot with his sights set squarely on the leader. 8 laps in and Puckett made his move to take the lead away from Hamby. Hamby found himself in a hornets nest as he tried to get the lead back while also holding off Jimmy Dalton for the second spot. Puckett began to put some distance on the field until a caution late for the spinning Robby Comer slowed the pace. It wouldn’t be enough to shake him however as he went on to pick up the win ahead of Dalton, Hamby, Dyer and Wayne James who finished out the top five.
1: #J3 Jody Puckett
2: #2 Jimmy Dalton
3: #15 Jeff Hamby
4: #20 Brad Dyer
5: #4 Wayne James
6: #T92 Billy Palmer
7: #J4 Tyler James
8: #42 Robby Comer
9: #5 James Cole
DNS: #9 Rocky Ogle
2: #2 Jimmy Dalton
3: #15 Jeff Hamby
4: #20 Brad Dyer
5: #4 Wayne James
6: #T92 Billy Palmer
7: #J4 Tyler James
8: #42 Robby Comer
9: #5 James Cole
DNS: #9 Rocky Ogle
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”April 8, 2017″]