Douglas leads flag-to-flag for $3,000 Volunteer Racing Series victory at ‘The Gap’

Douglas leads flag-to-flag for $3,000 Volunteer Racing Series victory at ‘The Gap’

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 6, 2011) — The always popular Fan Appreciation Night proved once again to be an overwhelming success Saturday at Volunteer Speedway. The Short Track Auto Racing Series / Volunteer Racing Series made their first-ever visit to the high-banked track for running of the $3,000-to-win “Back To School Bash 40,” and when the checkered flag waved two-time (2002 and ’03) Super Late Model track Mark Douglas of Knoxville was celebrating in victory lane after leading from start-to-finish.

After setting fast-time in qualifying, Douglas jumped into the lead from pole position at waving of the green flag over Eric Jacobsen and Vic Hill. The event’s first caution appeared only two laps in when Kerry Jones slowed to a stop on the bottom of track between turns one and two.

Douglas was all alone out front for the Delaware double-file restart, with Jacobsen and Hill side-by-side behind him. Immediately back under green, between turns one and two Hill moved into second place. While Hill set his sights on the leader Douglas, Jacobsen began to feel some pressure from fourth-running Chad Ogle.

With the race running clean-and-green and the front-runners setting a blistering pace, at the halfway point Douglas held a three car length advantage over Hill, with Jacobsen and Ogle about eight car lengths back.

Hill began turning up the heat on Douglas looking to move out front, sticking the nose of his car underneath Douglas racing off the corners on several occasions. But Douglas would continually power back ahead of Hill racing down the straightaway.

Hill kept applying pressure hoping Douglas would make a mistake to allow him to seize the moment and take the lead, but the veteran Douglas ran perfect laps and never opened the door for Hill to capitalize. Jeff Maupin got up high between turns one and two jumping the cushion to make slight contact with the wall on lap 36 to bring out the caution flag, thus setting up a four-lap dash to the checkers.

Waiting for the green flag to wave, Hill looked to mount one last serious charge to overtake Douglas for the point. But Douglas, driving the C. Laney & Sons Construction/Allen & Cathy Bryant Enterprises/For The Serious Racer (FSR) Performance Parts & Fabrication/Byrd’s Radiator/McClain’s Speed Shop/Worldwide Equipment/Envy Suspension & Race Consultants/Allstar Performance/Performance Rod & Custom/Bert Transmission/Ohlins/Wilwood Disc Brakes/Brake Man/Performance Friction Brakes/CVR Custom Bodies & Interiors/Schaeffer’s Racing Oil/Team David Bryant Motorsports/Fastlane Signs & Graphics/Arizona Sport Shirts/Vic Hill Race Engines/Rocket Chassis/No. 52D Chevrolet Camaro SS, would not be denied the $3,000 STARS Volunteer Racing Series victory as he held Hill off for the win. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Jacobsen, Ogle and Ross White.

Completing the top-10 finishers were Brett Miller, John Tweed, Hunter Best, Maupin and Bryan Hendrix.

From the pole position, Dale Ball of Johnson City grabbed the lead at start of the Fastrak Racing Series-sanctioned Pro Late Model event and never looked back en route to capturing his division-leading fifth feature win on the season.

While Ball was setting sail out front, behind him Todd Brooks, Mike Smith, Vic Chandler, Forrest Trent, Weston Gantte, Jerry Broyles and Ricky Moore were battling for track position. After getting the car out of shape on his qualifying run and being relegated to an eighth-place starting spot, Broyles let it be known quickly he was riding a strong mount as he began to work his way forward.

Broyles got around Smith for third on lap 19, and just two circuits later passed Brooks to move into the runner-up position. But there was no catching Ball, who wheeled the Smith Brothers Harley-Davidson of Johnson City/Luke’s Pizza of Johnson City/Alan Poyner Enterprises/Mainline Communications/Jim Schweitzer Inc./Twin D Auto & Truck Sales of Johnson City/Advance Auto Parts/Envy Suspension/Warrior Race Cars/No. 2 Chevrolet Impala to an impressive victory. Ball and Broyles were chased to the checkers by Brooks, Smith and Gantte.

Jamie Whitt of Wise, Va., driving the B&D Repair/Baldwin Filters/Iron Horse Race Cars/No. 1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, led flag-to-flag in winning his fourth “Gunslingers of Kingsport” Hobby Stock feature over a hard-charging Blake Kelley. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Shannon Emery, Dale Reed and Charlie Bates.

SHORT TRACK AUTO RACING SERIES / VOLUNTEER RACING SERIES – “BACK TO SCHOOL BASH 40” – SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 – VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – BULLS GAP, TN

Showing Finish Position, Starting Position In Parentheses, Driver Name, Car #, Hometown, Money Won

1. (1) Mark Douglas #52D-Knoxville, TN $3,000
2. (3) Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN $1,500
3. (2) Eric Jacobsen #5-Seacliff Beach, CA $1,000
4. (4) Chad Ogle #10-Sevierville, TN $850
5. (6) Ross White #0-Knoxville, TN $700
6. (10) Brett Miller #25-Greeneville, TN $600
7. (5) John Tweed #5-Greeneville, TN $500
8. (13) Hunter Best #007-Louisville, TN $450
9. (8) Jeff Maupin #0-Greeneville, TN $425
10. (7) Bryan Hendrix #5-Knoxville, TN $400
11. (12) Doug Smith #45-Harriman, TN $360
12. (11) J. Allan #111-Whitesburg, TN $350
13. (9) Kerry Jones #6-Bristol, TN $340

Did Not Start: Travis Greer #11-Marion, VA

PRO LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1) Dale Ball #2; 2) Jerry Broyles #72; 3) Todd Brooks #T1; 4) Mike Smith #4; 5) Weston Gantte #14; 6) Ricky Moore #75; 7) Shane Roberts #5; 8 ) Rick Shelton #22; 9) Vic Chandler #88; 10) Hugh Scalf #56; 11) Andy Ogle #68; 12) Tyler Dixon #00; 13) Tim Maupin #2m; 14) Forrest Trent #4Q; 15) Dennis Stiles #00; 16) Brian Westmoreland #54

HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)

1) Jamie Whitt #1; 2) Blake Kelley #K5; 3) Shannon Emery #m2; 4) Dale Reed #52; 5) Charlie Bates #27; 6) Jesse Wilder #79; 7) Colby Couch #11c; 8 ) Jon Cook #0z; 9) Tracy Wolfe #11; 10) Shannon Davidson #4; 11) Mike Kilian #94; 12) Sue Curl #5; 13) Chuck Kilian #96; 14) Eddie Adams #9; 15) Scotty Johnson #87; 16) Roger Hunter #711 – Did Not Start: Robbie Woods #2