Flanary wins in open wheel action

On a picture perfect day, the open wheels made their return to 411 for the first time in months.

The first race of the night was the 20 lap Classic Car feature. Luke Ellis would earn his first ever pole at Tennessee’s Action Track by setting the fastest time in qualifying. The green waved and it was outside pole sitter Lee Merritt who took the lead ahead of Ellis, Overholser, Mac Lockhart and season point leader Shaun Sise. The battle was on from the start between Overholser and Ellis for the runner up spot as Merritt inched away with the lead in the first half of the race. Trouble for the #5 of Joshua Chesney who went for a spin in turn two bringing out the caution. Luke Ellis would also find himself pointing in the wrong direction as his second place run came to an end after a spin. Coming off turn four on the last lap, Overholser got a great run on the inside of the track as he and Merritt drag raced to the finish line. Merritt would pick up the win in a photo finish.

The Crate race just may have been the race of the night as a stacked field was on hand to do battle. Fresh off a big win two nights prior at Crossville Raceway, Jesse Lowe was in the house to do battle with the regular 411 contenders. Jensen Ford had the lead on the start of the feature. Tyler Howard had a rough night as he brought out two cautions early on and had to call it a night early. Austin Neely and Rusty Ballenger had a great battle for position early on but Ballenger’s night would come to an early and as he and Joe Denby would get together off turn four. Josh Henry had the second place spot as he began to reel in the #83 of Ford for the lead. Mack McCarter had lost some ground on the start but had worked his way back up into the top five as the laps ticked off. Ford was working the high line until something broke  sending him hard into the turn two wall. Henry was unable to get his #B00 slowed in time and slammed hard into him ending the night for both the top two racers. Both drivers would be okay but suffered heavy damage to their machines. With Ford and Henry done for the night that handed the lead over to Trevor Sise who had Lowe breathing down his neck in the final laps. Lowe made a gutsy dive inside of Sise going into turn one and pulled a slide job off turn two on the last lap to get the lead and the win.

Crate Late Model(Unofficial Pending Tire Test)
1: #5J Jesse Lowe
2: #51 Mack McCarter
3: #73 Trevor Sise
4: #3 Austin Neely
5: #22 Taren Hurst
6: #144 Steven Rogers
7: #27 Joe Denby
8: #83 Jensen Ford
9: #B00 Josh Henry
10: #41 Scott Green
11: #29 Rusty Ballenger
12: #11 Tyler Howard
13: #88 Brad Coffey
14: #8 Eli Keck
DQ: #2 Danny Yoder (light at scales)

For the first time in months the Open Wheel Modifieds made their return to 411. A huge field of nearly 25 of the best Open Wheels racers around were on hand to do battle. Shon Flanary put his #98 into the lead with Don Adams giving chase just ahead of Wayne James who was third. AJ Garber and Matthew Hopper had a great battle for the fourth position in the early laps. Trouble for the #1 of Terry James as he would pull off track early with problems. The night would also come to an early end for Billy Palmer as his #36 came to a stop in turn two bringing out the caution. James had his #4 car hooked up as he put the pressure on the second place car of Don Adams. The battle between the top three would carry on throughout the race with Flanary holding on to pick up the win.

1: #98 Shon Flanary
2: #90 Don Adams
3: #4 Wayne James
4: #29 Joey Cotterman
5: #92 Matthew Hopper
6: #70 AJ Garber
7: #11 Jesse Roupe
8: #44 Chase King
9: #77 Robby Reagan
10: #9 Doug Bristol
11: #4J Tyler James
12: #50J Justin Blevens
13: #2 Scott Lacy
14: #50 Amos Bunch
15: #X Josh Chesney
16: #271 Chad Crain
17: #47 Larry James
18: #36 Billy Palmer
19: #J1 Terry James
20: #5 James Cole
21: #15 Jeff Hamby
22: #7 Tyler Strickland
23: #00 Jeff Akard
DNS: #6 Todd Mingey

Zach Sise has been on an incredible hot streak as of late in the Petty owned #43. He’s already picked up wins at 411 and Crossville Raceway and had strong runs at Volunteer and Tazewell Speedway. Sise put his #43 on pole and took the lead on the start ahead of Jake Whitehead whose #116 was also looking strong. It was clear from the start that Sise was the car to beat as he ran away with the lead. Brad Seagle came into the night just two points out of the season standing lead so he knew he had to try and keep pace with the #43 for his Championship hopes. Jed Emert was in a different vehicle as he was behind the wheel of the #49 usually driven by James Kelso. Emert would end up with a top five by race end. No one had anything for Sise as he pulled out to a huge lead and dominated the race.

1: #43 Zach Sise
2: #116 Jake Whitehead
3: #31 Brad Seagle
4: #89 Brandon Miller
5: #49 Jed Emert
6: #79 Josh Sneed
7: #50 Adam Mitchell
8: #33 Warren McMahan
9: #49 Grant Corum
10: #3 Floyd Self
11: #41 Thomas Clark
12: #J1 Brandon James
13: #10B Bradley Lewelling
DNS: #44 Kip Sawyer

The final race of the night was the 602 Street Stock division. Jason Savage was fastest in practice but it would be Rex Coffey who took the lead on the start of the 10 lap feature. Coffey had a win coming into the night with a victory at The Gap to his credit earlier in the season. Savage would stay within striking distance but was not able to make the pass. Coffey held on to pick up the win.

1: #3 Rex Coffey
2: #84 Jason Savage
3: #25 Shaun Henry
4: #D00 Josh Driskill
5: #B01 Brandon Jonhson