Ballenger picks up win

It was back to action once again at Tennessee’s action track.

The first of six scheduled classes of racing was the 20 lap Classic Car feature. Lee Merritt would once again set fast time in qualifying continuing his career making season. However it would be outside pole sitter Hayston Collett who took the lead on the start ahead of Merritt, point leader Shaun Sise, Will Carey and Ritchie Overholser. The battle was on early between Overholser and Sise as they fought it out for the third place position early on. Will Carey has had a rough couple weeks but seem to have the monkey off his back as he had a strong top three run going all race long. Merritt began to chew into the lead that Collett had built up but a caution late in the race would put everyone back in the mix. Point leader Shaun Sise would slow late in the race and retire before the finish. Collett would hold on and pick up his first win of the year at 411.

1: #1 Hayston Collett
2: #14 Lee Merritt
3: #16 Will Carey
4: #3 Ritchie Overholser
5: #00 Mac Lockhart
6: #14 Clyde Mincey
7: #5 Joshua Chesney
8: #59 Shaun Sise
9: #22 Hunter Braybeal
10: #11 Tim Bounds
11: #2 Dylan Wolfe

Next up was the Modified Street feature. Chris Rickett got his 2018 season off to a late start but has made up for it big time with wins at 411 and Volunteer so far. Rickett would start on the front row tonight alongside Eric Hux in the #01. Hux fired his machine off turn two taking the lead with Rickett, Brad Davis who had to go back to the third spot since he had won back to back races. The top three began to pull away with Davis trying to get under Rickett for the runner up spot. Trouble would find Davis and his #88 as he would slow with problems and pull off track early. Hux would find himself  caught up in some slower lap traffic allowing the Silver Bullet to close in and put pressure on him for the lead. However Hux would pick his way through the slower cars and pull away in the closing laps.

1: #01 Eric Hux
2: #36 Chris Rickett
3: #P21 Robbie Buchanan
4: #62 Daniel Stamper
5: #10 Bubba Long
6: #XP21 David Clark
7: #11 Ryan Watson
8: #01 Jason Rollins
9: #12 Phil Blackford
10: #88 Brad Davis
11: #14 Charles Devine
12: #C8 Lance Creasman
DNS: #9 Rocky Ogle
DNS: #27 Dwayne Fox
DNS: #EZ1 Chad McLEmore

The fans at 411 were treated to a fantasic Crate Late Model race. Jensen Ford took the lead early on ahead of Trevor Sise, Rusty Ballenger, Jason Manley and Ross White the top five on the start. Ballenger obviously had a strong car as he moved past his rival Sise to take the second spot. Trever Sise is always one of the odds on favorites to win any race but he would slow with mechanical issues just 7 laps into the feature bringing out the caution. Back under green and it was Matt Henderson taking advantage of the restart moving into the second spot. More trouble, this time for Austin Neely who slowed on the front stretch ending his night. It was a night of chaos as a huge crash in turn two ended the night for several drivers. Jason Manley, Kyle Courtney, Jonathan Miracle and Terry Wilds all got tangled up. The night would be over for all of those drivers. Henderson had the heat turned up on Ballenger for the lead but slowed with engine issues late in the race. Ballenger still didn’t have it easy as Jensen Ford was all over him but went for a spin in turn four in the final couple laps. Ballenger would hold on to get the win in a wild race.

1: #29 Rusty Ballenger
2: #0 Ross White
3: #B00 Josh Henry
4: #20 Devin Stuart
5: #12 Drew Deaver
6: #83 Jensen Ford
7: #17 Matt Henderson
8: #32 Jason Manley
9: #52 Jonathan Miracle
10: #171 Kyle Courtney
11: #49 Grant Corum
12: #22 Terry Wilds
13: #3 Austin Neely
14: #73 Trevor Sise
15: #C11 Michael Courtney
16: #8 Eli Keck9oi
DNS: #88 Brad Coffey