After getting washed out the previous day, The Southern Nationals series rolled into Seymour, TN to Tennessee’s Action Track to do battle for the $3,500 payday. The weather didn’t look very promising but hard work and patience paid off as a great night of racing took place in front of a packed house.
First up was the Crate Late Model feature. Trevor Sise started on pole by setting fast time in qualifying earlier in the day. The green waved and Sise put the #73 on point ahead of Jason Welshan, Ryan King and Mack McCarter. Welshan has been on a roll as he picked up the win at Crossville Raceway just a few days prior. Welshan was working the low line and made his move early on getting past Sise for the top spot. As Welshan began to inch away, the strong second place run would come to an end for Sise who slowed and pulled off track with a flat tire. Rusty Ballenger would take advantage of the caution as he moved past Ryan King on the restart and into the third spot. Ballenger would also make his way up to the second spot before race end gaining a couple points on season point leader Josh Henry who ended up fourth. Up front Welshan had it on cruise as he pulled away.
1: #29 Jason Welshan
2: #29 Rusty Ballenger
3: #22 Ross White
4: #B00 Josh Henry
5: #24 Greg Martin
6: #30 Ryan King
7: #J5 Jesse Lowe
8: #6 Clay Harris
9: #00 Ruben Mayfield
10: #14 Jerry Green
11: #200 Jacob Anderson
12: #23 Ahnna Parkhurst
13: #11 Tyler Howard
14: #51 Mack McCarter
15: #73 Trevor Sise
16: #3 Austin Neely
Next up was the Southern Nationals Super Late Model Series. Cory Hedgecock has been the man to beat at 411 pretty much anytime he shows up and this night would be no different as he set fast time in qualifying. Michael Chilton would be the driver who got the lead on the start however with Hedgecock, the returning Randy Weaver, Michael Page giving chase. Chilton wouldn’t be able to hold onto the lead very long as Hedgecock took the lead back just a few laps into the feature. Vic Hill and Brandon Overton would have a great battle for a spot just outside the top five as the race went on. The top three put some distance between themselves and fourth spot. Weaver was running his first race in several years as he returned back to racing. He had a great car and was about to take the second spot but went for a spin in turn four ending his bid for the win and bringing out the caution. Eric Wells was working the low line trying to reel in Hedgecock who was glued to the bottom of the track. Wells would close the gap but seemed to lose ground the long the run went on. Hedgecock hit his marks and picked up another big Super Late Model win.
1: #9 Cory Hedgecock
2: #18 Eric Wells
3: #97 Michael Chilton
4: #76 Brandon Overton
5: #101 Casey Roberts
6: #1 Vic Hill
7: #17 Dale McDowell
8: #21 Robby Moses
9: #58 Donald McIntosh
10: #18 Michael Page
11: #2 Joey Coulter
12: #22 Jason Hiett
13: #101 Forrest Trent
14: #1C Kenny Collins
15: #81 Aaron Ridley
16: #42 Cla Night
17: #8 Craig Vosvergen
18: #84 Austin Smith
19: #4T Tommy Kerr
20: #1G Ryan King
21: #50 Shannon Buckingham
22: #116 Randy Weaver
23: #C5 David Crabtree
DNS: #3 Steve Smith
DNS: #97 Cape Dillard
DNS: #4 Clyde Overholt
DNS: #77 Mike Price
DNS: #7 Craig Greer
Lee Merritt has had a career season as he has won multiple races at Volunteer and 411 so far in 2018. He had another strong car on the night but so did Tazewell Speedway Champion John Stevens who started on the front row beside him. The green waved and it was Merritt, Stevens, Shaun Sise, Richie Overholser and Eli Keck who rounded out the top five on the start. Season point leader Will Carey had a rough night as he retired early with what looked like engine issues. Stevens kept the pressure on and made his move taking the lead away. As the top two began to pull away the battle for third was on between Overholser and Sise just ahead of Josh Chesney who was now up to the fifth spot. Stevens would inch away late in the race and went on to pick up the win.
1: #7 John Stevens
2: #14 Lee Merritt
3: #59 Shaun Sise
4: #XXX Josh Chesney
5: #3 Richie Overholser
6: #22 Eli Keck
7: #18 Luke Ellis
8: #14 Clyde Mincey
9: #00 Mac Lockhart
10: #37 Shane Taylor
11: #J23 Todd Beeler
12: #69 Jesse Hickman
13: #11 Tim Bounds
14: #16 Will Carey
The final race of the night would be the Sportsman feature. Brandon Miller earned his first pole of the season at 411 setting fast time in qualifying. Zach Sise took the lead on the start as Miller slipped back a few spots on the start. Bradley Lewelling and Josh Sneed had a great battle for the fourth spot as the early laps ticked away. Brad Seagle came into the night leading the season point standings and had a good run going as he worked his way up into the second spot by the end of the race. Josh Sneed and Adam Mitchell ran into trouble as the two got tangled up in turn one bringing out the caution. Zach Shannon made a charge at the end getting beside Sise but it wouldn’t be enough as Zach Sise put the Petty #43 in Victory Lane.
1: #43 Zach Sise
2: #22 Zach Shannon
3: #31 Brad Seagle
4: #89 Brandon Miller
5: #50 Adam Mitchell
6: #10B Bradley Lewelling
7: #79 Josh Sneed
8: #K0 Nick Niat
9: #C9 Chris Johnston