Martin picks up first 411 win of the season

Nine classes of packed racing action were on tap at Tennessee’s action track. After a light rain shower the night was underway.

First up was the makeup Sportsman feature. Zach Sise came into the night just one point behind Brad Seagle in the season standings. However transmission problems would keep him from starting the first race and cost him a ton of points in the process. The green flag waved and the action was intense right off the bat as Brad Seagle and Bradley Lewelling got together collecting Addison Cardwell in the process. Back under green more paint was swapped between the two with Lewelling taking the top spot ahead of Cardwell, Seagle, Jake Whitehead and Anthony Conley. As Cardwell and Seagle battled it out for the runner up spot, Whitehead was also on the move working his way up through the pack. Cardwell would slow from the third spot and pull off track with issues. Chris Coffey had now worked his way up into the second spot just ahead of Whitehead. Whitehead made his move getting into the runner up spot as he closed in on Lewelling. A strong run off turn four put him into the lead but he and Lewelling would get together in the final turn allowing Lewelling to pick up the win.

Josh Driskill would lead the way in the first 602 feature picking up another win.

The first non makeup race of the night was the 20 lap Classic car feature. Brad Dyer hadn’t gotten to victory lane yet in 2018 but looked strong right off the bat as he took the lead on the start. Trouble for Chris Worsham who went for a spin on the first lap of the race. Back under green and Dyer had his hands full with Richie Overholser who was working the inside line trying to get the top spot. The caution would wave again, this time for Hunter Graybeal who got tangled up in turn two. On the restart it looked like Overholser was gonna make the move for the lead but looked to have lost an engine coming off turn four collecting Merritt in the process. The night was over for Overholser but Merritt would continue on in the the second spot. Brad Dyer would hold on to pick up his first win of the year.

Brad Davis has had a great 2018 season and continued that in qualifying setting fast time and earning the pole for the A main. That would be the highlight of his night as a broken power steering sent him spinning in turn four collecting Wayne Rader. Rader would return to the track after some attention from his crew but the night was over for Davis who had heavy front end damage. After a lengthy cleanup the green was in the air with Chris Rickett leading ahead of Robbie Buchanan, Shannon Emery, David Clark and Dustin Ratliff. Emery didn’t even get to the track until the start of qualifying but still had a strong run as he battled it out with Clark early on until he had to pit after bringing out the caution. Up front Rickett had began to pull away but Buchanan had found his line closing in on the back of the #36 in the final laps. Buchanan would run out of laps as Rickett picked up the win.

Next up would be the 25 lap Crate Late Model race. Greg Martin, Tyler Arrington, Pierce McCarter, Trevor Sise and Andy Ogle would make up the top five on the start. Arrington hasn’t made a lot of appearences at 411 this year but he had a fast hot rod as he worked the low line under Martin for the lead. Trevor Sise and Andy Ogle would swap paint several times throughout the night as they battled it out for position. Sise would end up being sent to the rear after the two spun in turn four later in the race. As the leaders found themselves in slower traffic, McCarter would use that opportunity to pounce as he moved past Arrington and into the runner up spot. Martin would pick his way through lap traffic and pick up his first 411 win of the season.

Next up was the second open wheel race. Race one winner Jeff Hamby would have to start from the seventh spot so his work was cut out for him if he wanted to pull off the double. Fresh off a win at Crossville Raceway the previous week, Clayton Miller would put his #15 on top of the scoreboard at the start with Billy Palmer, Shon Flanary, Wayne James and Joey Cotterman finishing out the top five. Flanary has over 100 wins to his credit and was looking for another as he moved himself into the second spot past Palmer. Trouble for Wayne James and Joey Cotterman as they tangled on the backstretch bringing out the caution. The night would be over for both drivers as they pulled off track. Miller had built up a big lead but Hamby had moved his way up to second and was gaining a ton of ground by using the very bottom of the track. Miller would find himself caught up behind a slower car allowing the #15 to make his move off turn four and into the lead with just two laps left. Hamby would pull off the sweep winning both Open Wheel races.

After a wild race earlier in the day, it was time for the second Sportsman feature of the night. Chris Coffey put his #97 out front on the start ahead of Bradley Lewelling, Addison Cardwell, Brad Seagle and Jake Whitehead. Once again Whitehead was on the move earlier as he was looking to rebound from his last lap crash in the first feature. However mechanical issues would end his night early. Seagle and the yongster Cardwell had a great battle as they battled it out for the third spot with Seagle eventually making the pass. Coffey had lead the entire race but would tangle with the slower car of Eli Keck late in the race ending his night. First race winner Bradley Lewelling was also unable to avoid them and crashed as well. Seagle would hold off Cardwell on a G/W/C finish to win his first race of the season.

A very scary crash in the second 602 feature which saw Josh Driskill and Shawn Henry crash hard into the backstretch wall put us under a long red flag. Thankfully both drivers were able to walk away. Rex Coffey would pick up the win.