It was a huge night at Tennessee’s Action Track as the Southern Nationals Tour pulled into town for a big $10,000 to win Super Late Model feature.
First up on the night was the Crate Late Model feature. Rusty Ballenger is definitely on a hot streak picking up the win last weekend. He picked up where he left off setting fast time in qualifying. Trouble would show it’s ugly head very early as Jason Cardwell, Jr Whitener and Austin Atkins got tangled up in the first turn on the first lap. After a cleanup it was back to racing with Ballenger taking control of the pack ahead of Heath Alvey, Trevor Sise and Matt Henderson in chase. Jesse Lowe came into the night tied with Ballenger for the point lead but he had some work to do as he started back in the sixth position. As Ballenger pulled away out front the fight was on between Lowe, Greg Martin and Sise as they put on a three wide battle down the backstretch. The caution would wave for Austin Langley who slowed the pace erasing the big lead Ballenger had built up. Trouble for Rusty Webb who tagged the exit of the turn two wall ending his night early. Up front it was all Ballenger who pulled away in the final laps to pick up his second straight win. Second place finisher Alvey was DQ resulting in Sise and Lowe moving up into the top three.
1: #29 Rusty Ballenger
2: #73 Trevor Sise
3: #5J Jesse Lowe
4: #07 Jason Cardwell
5: #9H Matt Henderson
6: #C11 Michael Courtney
7: #14 Austin Atkins
8: #9 Zach Sise
9: #B00 Josh Henry
10: #144 Stephen Rogers
11: #24 Greg Martin
12: #8 Heath Hindman
13: #22 Rusty Webb
14: #4 Austin Langley
15: #171 Kyle Courtney
16: #555 Ryan Carey
17: #1 Jr Whitener
DQ #7 Heath Alvey
Lee Merritt has had another incredible season as he already has six wins coming into the night. However it would be John Stevens who earned the pole in qualifying turning in a blistering fast lap. The green would wave and Merritt put his #14 into it’s familiar position out front in the wind with Stevens and Will Carey giving chase. A great battle between Carey and Chris McKinney put on a great show for the fans behind the top two had inched away from the pack. Merritt would hold on to pick up his seventh win of the season as he chases the season championship.
1: #14 Lee Merritt
2: #7 John Stevens
3: #113 Chris McKinney
4: #16 Will Carey
5: #26 Adam Ogle
6: #11 Tim Bounds
Next up was the Open Wheel feature. Clayton Miller earned the pole for the feature setting fast time in qualifying. The green waved and Miller put his #15 on top of the scoreboard with Jeff Hamby, point leader Jimmy Dalton, last weeks winner Billy Palmer and Amos Bunch rounding out the top five on the start. Dalton would have his hands full early on as he bounced off the turn two wall. Tyler James made his return after missing the past several races and he had a great battle with Joey Cotterman for a spot just outside the top five. Miller had built a huge lead out front as he found himself lapping all the way up to the top five. A caution on lap 18 for fluid on track would tighten the field up. Miller would hold off Hamby to pick up the win.
1: #15 Clayton Miller
2: #15 Jeff Hamby
3: #2D Jimmy Dalton
4: #36 Billy Palmer
5: #50 Amos Bunch
6: #29C Joey Cotterman
7: #J4 Tyler James
8: #49C Cayton Turner
9: #96 Josh Stoglin
10: #49K Kirk Turner
Next up was the 53 lap $10,000 to win Southern Nationals Super Late Model feature. A stacked field of 30 of the best Late Model drivers in country were on hand to do battle in front of the packed crowd. Dale McDowell earned the pole in qualifying giving him the best seat in the house as the field roared into turn one. McDowell would set sail out front ahead of Brandon Overton, Donald McIntosh, Ryan King and Dakotah Knuckles rounding out the top five. McDowell would take off like a rocket pulling away early on. The night would come to an early end for Craig Greer who pulled his #7 into the infield. McDowell was setting such a blistering pace he found himself in lap traffic early. Trouble for Cameron Marlar who would also slow with issues and retire for the night. Cory Hedgecock didn’t have the best starting position but he was set on go in the first half of the feature. He made some strong moves getting past Kyle Strickler, and Dakotah Knuckles as he made a run for the top five. Knuckles would also have his hands full with his car as he seemed to have lost the handle and fell back several positions throughout the race. Hedgecock looked to have burnt his tires up as he started giving back those spots he gained earlier in the race. Up front Overton had chewed up the gap on the leader. The top two had an advantage on McIntosh who was holding down the third spot. Overton would dive low under McDowell in turns three and four but run a higher line off turn two and it was working for him. Several times in the final laps Overton got the nose of his #2 under the leader but had to fall back in line. McDowell would lead all 53 laps and narrowly hold on to pick up the big win.
1: #17 Dale McDowell
2: #2 Brandon Overton
3: #M7 Donald McIntosh
4: #8 Kyle Strickler
5: #87 Ross Bales
6: #97 Michael Chilton
7: #23 Cory Hedgecock
8: #1G Ryan King
9: #12 Jason Jameson
10: #58 Tanner English
11: #42 Cla Knight
12: #21 Dakotah Knuckles
13: #1 Vic Hill
14: #81 Aaron Ridley
15: #66 Jake Knowles
16: #8 David Payne
17: #T58 Tyler Clem
18: #51 Mack McCarter
19: #1C Kenny Collins
20: #J0 John Ownbey
21: #57 Cameron Marlar
22: #G7 Craig Greer
The final event of the night would be the 20 lap Front Wheel Driver feature and this was a good one! Nathan Adams came into the night with multiple wins already and the season point lead. He would once again start on point. Adams jumped out front ahead of Dustin Duncan, Nick Adams, Tracy Cagle and Kevin Sexton. A great battle early on between Sexton and Cagle with Sexton eventually moving past and setting his sights on the leaders. Trouble for the #1 of Jacob Sharp as he was still having mechanical issues on his car from qualifying earlier in the day. Sexton was on a mission as he had made his way all the way up into the runner up spot behind Nathan Adams. A late race caution for a spin by Bryan Willams set up a fantastic fight for the lead. Adams hadn’t been challenged all night but that wasn’t the case anymore. After a fantastic battle Sexton was able to get past the leader and went on the put his #9 in Victory Lane.
1: #9K Kevin Sexton
2: #A93 Nathan Adams
3: #77 Tracy Cagle
4: #321 Dustin Duncan
5: #38C Will Carey
6: #72 Darrell Teefeteller
7: #90 Nick Adams
8: #38 Bryan Williams
9: #57 Brandon Jenkens
10: #99 Nate Pressley
11: #27 Wesley Teefteller
12: #1 Jacob Sharp
The next event is a Weekly Championship Points Race scheduled for Saturday, August 3rd with all gates opening at 4:00 and Driver’s Meeting at 6:30. Six exciting divisions will be racing, including Crate Late Models, Sportsman, Open Wheel Modified, Classic, Street Stock and Front Wheel Drive. Grandstand admission is $10 with children 12 and under ALWAYS FREE. Pit/Tier $25 with children 12 and under ALWAYS FREE. So join us next Saturday at Tennessee’s Action Track for another night of great racing and fun! Bring the kiddo’s (the next generation of race fans) and introduce them to dirt tack racing. Where else can you take your children and get them in FREE?
411 Motor Speedway – Tennessee’s Action Track – Seymour, Tennessee – Since 1960