Easter weekend and $5 grandstand admission saw 411 Motor Speedway packed to the rim with standing room only to see 6 classes of racing action.
Chris Rickett in his “Silver Bullet” #36 had won every race he’s entered in the 2017 season coming into the weekend. He kept that streak going by setting quick time in qualifying earning the pole for the 20 lap feature. Rickett put himself into the lead as the green waved ahead of Wayne Rader, Michael Woods, Freddy Hillard and Scott Atkins. Jeff Ferguson tried to make a move early on moving past Atkins putting himself into the top five. With Rickett out front the fight was on for the fourth spot with Ferguson trying to take another spot away from Freddy Hillard. The top two began to pull away from the pack with Rader using a higher line trying to get the momentum to run down the leader. Every lap he seemed to gain a little ground but was dealing with a tight situation off turn two. Rader would stay close the second half of the race but Rickett went on to pick up the win.
1: #36 Chris Rickett
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #1 Michael Woods
4: #74 Freddy Hillard
5: #24 Jeff Ferguson
6: #20 Scott Atkins
2: #01 Wayne Rader
3: #1 Michael Woods
4: #74 Freddy Hillard
5: #24 Jeff Ferguson
6: #20 Scott Atkins
After getting spun while leading last week, Michael Courtney looked to rebound by earning the pole for the 20 lap Sportsman feature. Chaos would strike early as coming off turn four Terry Poore got his #2 machine turned sideways and flipped multiple times down the front. The driver was okay but his car was destroyed and Brad Seagle who finished second in points last season was also done for the night with crash damage. After a lengthy cleanup the race was back on with Courtney leading ahead of Zach Sise, Andy Ogle and Adam Mitchell your top four. Ogle was set on go as he took the runner up spot away from Sise early on. The 2016 Sportsman champion Clyde Stanton ran into some trouble of his on as he spun off turn four collecting Chris Coffey. Both drivers would be able to continue on with just minor damage. The battle for fourth was on between Jed Emert and Adam Mitchell. After a couple laps Emert would take the spot as he continued his drive up through the pack. Rex Coffey didn’t have a great qualifying lap but was picking them up and putting them down moving himself up into the top five by the halfway point of the race. Andy Ogle had a great run going but lost power coming off turn four and collected Jed Emert in the process ending the night for both drivers. Coffey had found the right line for his #2 machine as he chased down Courtney for the lead in the closing laps. Adam Mitchell made his way around Zach Sise moving himself up into the third spot. Up front Courtney was able to hold off a hard charging Coffey to pick up the win.
1: #c11 Michael Courtney
2: #2 Rex Coffey
3: #50 Adam Mitchell
4: #73 Zach Sise
5: #79 Josh Sneed
6: #C11 Clyde Stanton
7: #97 Chris Coffey
8: #3 Floyd Self
9: #222 Charlie Harris
10: #84 Jimmy Calloway
11: #18 Kyle Cole
12: #49 Grant Corum
13: #68 Andy Ogle
14: #98 Jed Emert
15: #15 Bryan Cooper
16: #2 Terry Poore
17: #31 Brad Seagle
18: #k25 Kyle Manis
2: #2 Rex Coffey
3: #50 Adam Mitchell
4: #73 Zach Sise
5: #79 Josh Sneed
6: #C11 Clyde Stanton
7: #97 Chris Coffey
8: #3 Floyd Self
9: #222 Charlie Harris
10: #84 Jimmy Calloway
11: #18 Kyle Cole
12: #49 Grant Corum
13: #68 Andy Ogle
14: #98 Jed Emert
15: #15 Bryan Cooper
16: #2 Terry Poore
17: #31 Brad Seagle
18: #k25 Kyle Manis
Next up was the 20 lap Classic Car feature. Joe Keck earned the pole for the A main by winning the heat race earlier in the day. He took the top spot on the green ahead of Eli Keck, Chris Nix, Lee Merritt and Richie Overholser. Lee Merritt had his move on the start taking the third spot away. Overholser had the pressure turned up on Chris Nix as they fought for a spot inside the top five. Luke Ellis would have a rough night as he would bring out two cautions for spins and had to retire for the evening. Merritt and Overholser had a battle that lasted almost the entire race as they fought for a top five finish. Halfway in and the top two had some breathing room over the third place car of Nix. Up front Joe Keck would pull away in the closing laps to pick up the win.
1: #78 Joe Keck
2: #8 Eli Keck
3: #44 Chris Nix
4: #9 Lee Merritt
5: #18 Ritchie Overholser
6: #21 Dale Reed
7: #00 Billy Woods
8: #3 Chris Worsham
9: #17 Luke Ellis
DNS: #501 Tony Trent
2: #8 Eli Keck
3: #44 Chris Nix
4: #9 Lee Merritt
5: #18 Ritchie Overholser
6: #21 Dale Reed
7: #00 Billy Woods
8: #3 Chris Worsham
9: #17 Luke Ellis
DNS: #501 Tony Trent
John Byers picked up the win last weekend in Mini Stock and once again earned the pole by winning the heat race earlier. Byers put his #83 in the lead on the start with Thomas Clark, Steve Owens Jr and Tommy Newton in chase. Bryant Idles was on go early working over Steve Owens Jr for the third spot in the opening laps. 4 laps in and Tommy Newton had a strong car as evidence by him moving past Thomas Clark and into the second spot. The caution waved on lap 5 for Alex Hobert who went for a spin off turn four slowing the pace. Idles made a power move on the restart moving from fourth all the way up to second but Newton was able to get back by. Byers had the lead but Newton was hot on his heels as the two ran door to door for the lead. Byers would pull away in the closing laps to pick up another win.
1: #83 John Byers
2: #T2 Tommy Newton
3: #2 Bryant Idles
4: #17 Steve Owens Jr
5: #41 Thomas Clark
6: #31 David Darden
7: #7 Alex Hobert
DNS: #00 Steve Miller
2: #T2 Tommy Newton
3: #2 Bryant Idles
4: #17 Steve Owens Jr
5: #41 Thomas Clark
6: #31 David Darden
7: #7 Alex Hobert
DNS: #00 Steve Miller
Fresh off a win last weekend, Jason Cardwell set fast time in Steelhead Late Model qualifying. However it would be outside pole sitter Chase King who took control of the stacked field on the start ahead of Cardwell, Josh Henry, Layne Clifton and Rusty Ballenger who rounded out the top five.Last years track Champion Trevor Sise had the pressure on Ballenger trying to work himself into the top five at the start but he had his hands full with Bobby Mays. Caution on lap 3 for Austin Neely slowed the pace. On the restart Mays and Jason Manley would get together in turns three and four. Mays would make hard contact with the inside tire doing heavy damage to his #25 and ending his night early. Manley would also pull off track and retire for the evening. On the restart the #23 of Layne Clifton seemed to have hit the setup just right as he picked up another spot. Trevor Sise began to have some smoke trail from the back of his #73 as the laps ticked off. He wouldn’t make it till the end as he slowed on track with apparent engine issues late in the race. Jason Cardwell started on the pole but slipped back in the second half of the race. Matt Henderson was running just outside the top five but trouble found him as he stopped on track and had to be towed back to his pit area. Josh Henry was running in the second spot under caution but pulled off track late in the race. Chase King would go on to pick up the big win leading wire to wire.
1: #44 Chase King
1: #23 Layne Clifton
3: #K37 Mike Weeks
4: #07 Jason Cardwell
5: #29 Rusty Ballenger
6: #3 Austin Neely
7: #2 Dale Ball
8: #157 Eddie King Jr
9: #G2 Jerry Green
10: #B00 Josh Henry
11: #17 Matt Henderson
12: #44 Kip Sawyer
13: #73 Trevor Sise
14: #25 Bobby Mays
15: #32 Jason Manley
DNS: #24 Greg Martin
DNS: #1 David Clark
1: #23 Layne Clifton
3: #K37 Mike Weeks
4: #07 Jason Cardwell
5: #29 Rusty Ballenger
6: #3 Austin Neely
7: #2 Dale Ball
8: #157 Eddie King Jr
9: #G2 Jerry Green
10: #B00 Josh Henry
11: #17 Matt Henderson
12: #44 Kip Sawyer
13: #73 Trevor Sise
14: #25 Bobby Mays
15: #32 Jason Manley
DNS: #24 Greg Martin
DNS: #1 David Clark
The final race of the night would be the 20 lap Open Wheel feature and what a barn burner it was. Jeff Hamby set fast time in qualifying and took control of the 12 car field on the start with Amos Bumnch, last weeks winner Jody Puckett, Blake Brown and Logan Hickey the top five. Puckett made his move taking second as he went for two wins in a row at Tennessee’s Action Track. Trouble for #99 of Blake Brown who went for a spin off turn four moving him to the back of the field for the restart. Robby Comer got past Billy Palmer for a spot just outside the top five on the restart. The top four cars put some distance on the rest of the field as they approached the halfway mark. Logan Hickey was putting on a driving clinic as he rocketed up through the field and into the lead past Jeff Hamby. Hamby started up front but seemed to have lost the setup as the race continued on as he dropped back to the back half of the top five. Blake Brown had recovered from his spin getting back to the second spot and chasing down Hickey for the lead. Hickey would put up a fight but Brown used the high line off turn four to take the lead as the whtie flag flew and went on to pick up the win.
1: #99 Blake Brown
2: #16 Logan Hickey
3: #J3 Jody Puckett
4: #50 Amos Bunch
5: #92 Billy Palmer
6: #42 Robby Comer
7: #15 Jeff Hamby
8: #4 Wayne James
9: #7 Jason Hall
10: #28 Logan Burke
11: #9 Rocky Ogle
12: #J4 Tyler James
DNS: #2 Jimmy Dalton
2: #16 Logan Hickey
3: #J3 Jody Puckett
4: #50 Amos Bunch
5: #92 Billy Palmer
6: #42 Robby Comer
7: #15 Jeff Hamby
8: #4 Wayne James
9: #7 Jason Hall
10: #28 Logan Burke
11: #9 Rocky Ogle
12: #J4 Tyler James
DNS: #2 Jimmy Dalton
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”6″ gal_title=”April 15, 2017″]