Sise finally captures first-ever Volunteer Speedway victory

Sise finally captures first-ever Volunteer Speedway victory

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (July 26, 2014) — There’s a saying that good things will eventually come to those who patiently wait. Well, Trevor Sise’s patience was wearing thin and he was growing tired of waiting – and also finishing second.

Sise has earned pole positions, led many laps and recorded five runner-up finishes at Volunteer Speedway. Saturday night was a time to enjoy being in the spotlight for the 19-year-old from Knoxville, as he finally captured his first-ever Limited (Steel-Head) Late Model feature win at “The Gap” for a $2,000 payday.

The evening began in impressive fashion for Sise, as he lowered the Steel-Head Late Model track qualifying record by running 12.738 seconds (previous record held by Jason Welshan at 12.815), with Cory Hedgecock also timing-in (12.750) quicker than Welshan’s old mark.

Hedgecock rocketed out into the lead on the start over Sise, Jason Trammell, Matt Henderson and Ross White. Henderson was pressuring Trammell for third and the two made contact, which would result in a flat right-rear tire for Henderson on lap 8 as he slowed at end of the front straightaway to bring out the caution. After quick action by his pit crew, Henderson restarted at tail of the field.

Back under green, Hedgecock was setting a blistering pace around the high banks leading Sise, Trammell, Jamie Perry and White. Behind them back through the field, action was fast-and-furious with cars running two- and three-wide battling for real estate involving Brad Lowe, Jason Welshan, Drew Kennedy, Jensen Ford, Anthony White, Jason Cardwell, Stanley Donahoo and Greg Estes.

Lowe passed White to move into fifth on lap 10 racing off the fourth turn, and just one circuit later Welshan got around White for the sixth spot. Welshan was up on the wheel and passed Lowe for fifth on lap 13. Also on the move was Ford, who was riding the high line around the banking.

Hedgecock began working lapped traffic on lap 20, which allowed Sise to close to the leader’s rear bumper. Hedgecock looked to the inside of the slower car of Ruben Mayfield entering the first turn on lap 21, with contact made between the cars.

Once Hedgecock cleared the lapped cars he once again pulled out to about an eight car-length advantage over Sise, who had a hard-charging Trammell to contend with. Caution waved on lap 32 when Jason Manley spun.

On the ensuing restart Hedgecock’s car failed to come up to speed, with a reported broken axle being the issue. Sise inherited the lead and over the final eight laps he and Trammell entering the fans with intense racing for the lead. Trammell would stick his nose underneath Sise in the corners, but Sise never missed a beat and drove perfect laps to hold Trammell at bay.

But Sise, driving the G & F Home Improvements/Tony Jones Termite & Pest Control/McClain’s Speed Shop/The Bed Store/Turbo Start/Maxima Oil/R2C Filters/Schaeffer’s Oil/Fast Lane Signs & Graphics/Vic Hill Race Engines/Warrior Race Cars/AR Bodies/Sise Brothers Racing/No. 73 Chevrolet Camaro, would not be denied a chance to celebrate in victory lane as he won over Trammell, Perry, Ford and Welshan.

Completing the top 10 finishers were White, Estes, Lowe, Henderson and Kennedy.

“Man, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get a win here at Volunteer Speedway,” said Sise in his victory lane interview. “It feels really good, very satisfying to finally get this breakthrough victory for not only myself but our race team. It’s not like we’ve not been fast or anything, we’ve just had deals happen to keep us out of victory lane. Earlier this season, we led the whole race until just three laps to go, and Cory (Hedgecock) got around us for the win and we finished second. And here tonight we set a new track qualifying record and then Hedgecock jumps out to the early lead. But we had a good car and stayed within striking distance of him. He broke there on that restart and we moved into the lead. I knew (Jason) Trammell was going to pressure me, but I just focused and drove smart and didn’t make any mistakes to allow him to get past me.

“I want to thank my mom and dad, Calvin and Tanya Sise, my little brother and sister, Zach Sise and Brooklyn Sise, along with Tom Johnson, Darrin Michaels, Freddy Kistner and Vic Hill. Vic’s built us a great engine, plus he’s really helped me learn how I need to drive this track. He’s got a lot of laps around this place and has five track championships. A lot of people say the first race is the hardest one to win, and once you get the first victory out of the way many others will follow. That sounds great to me. I’m really looking forward to coming back here in two weeks for the big $4,000 to win race. It would be awesome to win that.”

Jason Welshan of Maryville launched into the lead at start of the Crate Late Model feature over Tim Maupin and Ricky Moore, never looking back in rolling to his fourth win of the season. Bryson Dennis, a 17-year-old rookie, ran in fourth until the seventh lap when Tim Byrd got around him for the position.

The only thing slowing Welshan during the race was cautions. Cody Brake spun in the third turn on lap 8, and then just two laps back under green, a three-car tangle between turns three and four involved Richard Adkins, Hugh “Wishbone” Scalf and Brake.

Welshan, driving the Ronald Sexton Construction/Smith’s Auto Sales/Roger & Cindy Kerr’s Competition Racing Equipment/Jon’s Golf Carts/321 Storage/Hicks & Law Insurers Inc./Jackie Stinnett O’Reilly’s Auto Parts/Schoenfeld Headers/Bearden Oil Co./Warrior 1G Shock Service/Baker’s Transmission/Stealth Racing Carburetors//Ronnie King Roofing/Larry Sullivan Sandblasting/Performance Masters Inc./Matlock Decal Co./DGR/B&B Race Engines/MasterSbilt Race Cars/Hidden Hollow Motorsports/No. 29 Chevrolet Camaro, flexed his muscles in recording the victory over Maupin, Moore, Byrd and Dennis.

Dennis Metcalf (2010), Shannon Davidson (2011), Shannon Emery (2012), and Gary Blanken (2013) each have written their names in the record book as previous winners of the Modified Hobby “Havoc.” Would there be a repeat winner, or a new driver visiting victory lane in this year’s event?

Kurt Owens jumped out to the lead over Jamie Whitt and Jon Cook at start of the 25-lap feature. Blanken, from Russellville, passed Cook to take over the third spot on lap 3 racing off the fourth turn.

Whitt was pressuring Owens for the lead and racing into the third turn on lap 5, Whitt dove to the inside attempting to make a pass for the lead. Instead, Whitt got loose and spun to bring out the caution. With the yellow flag displayed, suddenly leader Owens slowed with mechanical issues and coasted into the pits, thus moving Blanken to the point.

Blanken, the 1991 Volunteer Speedway Street Stock champion, driving the West Side Market/Custom Iron Works/Britt’s Welding/Morristown Towing & Automotive/D.J’s Performance Race Engines/No. 5 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, proceeded to run away and hide en route to earning $500 for winning the Modified Hobby “Havoc” for a second time. Behind Blanken in second was Chad Manning, with Whitt narrowly edging Cook for third on the final lap, and finishing fifth was Dave Smith.

VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2014

LIMITED (STEEL-HEAD) LATE MODEL (40 laps)

1. Trevor Sise #73
2. Jason Trammell #90j
3. Jamie Perry #P4
4. Jensen Ford #83
5. Jason Welshan #29
6. Ross White #0
7. Greg Estes #31
8. Brad Lowe #16
9. Matt Henderson #17
10. Drew Kennedy #k37
11. Anthony White #2x
12. Ruben Mayfield #00m
13. Stanley Donahoo #00
14. David Kerr #14k
15. Cory Hedgecock #23
16. Jason Manley #32
17. Jason Cardwell #07
18. Chris Chandler #8
19. Johnny Ridings #31
20. Mitchell Childress #2
21. Chris Long #75
22. Terry Wolfenbarger #14T
23. Austin Atkins #14
24. Dakotah Knuckles #21

Did Not Start: Shorty Ledford #11

CRATE LATE MODEL (30 laps)

1. Jason Welshan #29
2. Tim Maupin #T2
3. Ricky Moore #75
4. Tim Byrd #24
5. Bryson Dennis #15
6. Gary Crittenden #18
7. Hugh Scalf #56
8. Richard Adkins #73
9. Warren McMahan #33
10. Mike Kelley #X
11. Forrest Trent #101
12. Cody Brake #586
13. Keith Chapman #97
14. Greg Burchett #5

MODIFIED HOBBY “HAVOC” (25 laps)

1. Gary Blanken #5
2. Chad Manning #21
3. Jamie Whitt #1
4. Jon Cook #0z
5. Dave Smith #10
6. Darrin Busler #B4
7. Willie Bussler #31B
8. Chuck Kilian #96
9. Charlie Bates #27
10. Parker Estes #31
11. Shannon Emery #m2
12. Kurt Owens #14
13. Dale Reed #52
14. Kaleb Trent #3
15. David Bullington #20

Volunteer Speedway: (423) 235-5020
Phyllis Loven – Track Owner: (423) 676-9081

*** For Volunteer Speedway Limited (Steel-Head) Late Model engine questions, contact Vic Hill at (423) 312-4206.