Hedgecock records Volunteer Speedway ‘Fast Friday’ victory with last lap pass

Hedgecock records Volunteer Speedway ‘Fast Friday’ victory with last lap pass

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (June 17, 2016) — There’s a saying in sports that “it ain’t over until it’s over,” and did that ever ring true at Volunteer Speedway on Fast Friday @ The Gap. Cory Hedgecock of Loudon muscled his way past race-long leader Barrett Lowe between turns three and four on the final lap to capture the Steel Head Late Model $1,200 victory.

Lowe, from Fletcher, N.C. and the 26-year-old grandson of former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman/Busch Series driver Boscoe Lowe, was fastest in qualifying with a time of 12.883 to earn the pole position for the 30-lap feature, with Dakotah Knuckles second quickest at 12.893.

Lowe and Knuckles led the 17-car field to green from the front row and Lowe immediately jumped out into the lead over Knuckles, Hedgecock, Greg Estes and John Tweed. Tweed got around Estes for the fourth spot on the second circuit, while just outside of the top five Jason Trammell, Josh Henry, Ellery Leake, Layne Clifton and Bobby Mays were racing hard around the high banks.

With the race running clean-and-green, Lowe was setting a blistering pace out front leading the trio of Knuckles, Hedgecock and Tweed. The leader Lowe caught the tail of the field to begin lapping a couple of cars on the tenth lap, and while he maneuvered his way past them with ease, his challengers Knuckles, Hedgecock and Tweed had a tougher time getting past the slower traffic.

Caution waved on lap 24 when Clifton’s car slowed high between turns three and four with smoke under the machine.

Back under green off the restart, Lowe appeared to have matters in control as behind him Knuckles and Hedgecock battled for second place. But the caution came out again on lap 27 when Matthew Holt spun in turn two.

Just as he had done a few circuits earlier, Lowe powered back out ahead over Knuckles and Hedgecock who were racing hard side-by-side for the second spot. Hedgecock got to the inside of Knuckles racing down the backstretch into the third turn and as the duo raced off the fourth corner, Hedgecock passed Knuckles and set his sights ahead on Lowe. But, the caution would wave one final time on lap 28 when Knuckles spun in turn two as he tried to get back around Hedgecock.

Ready to go back green, Lowe had Hedgecock glued to his back bumper for a two-lap sprint to the finish. While Lowe was searching for his first-ever victory at “The Gap,” Hedgecock was going to make him earn it. As the duo raced off turn two down the backstretch on the final lap, Hedgecock drove his ride off hard into the third turn and the momentum carried him up the track directly in front of Lowe’s car.

Both Hedgecock and Lowe were within sight of the checkered flag, but a disappointing end for Lowe after leading the whole race as he spun to the inside pit opening in the fourth turn and Hedgecock went on to record the victory. Hedgecock was followed across the stripe by Trammell, Estes, Henry and Mays.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Tweed, Knuckles, Lowe, Leake and Chris Barton.

Philip Thompson of Morristown had made his mark in local racing around East Tennessee over the past few seasons with several Classic victories, but if anyone was wondering if he could wheel a dirt late model, he answered that with a resounding “yes” as he led the Sportsman Late Model feature flag-to-flag to capture his first-ever victory.

Thompson sped to top of the scoreboard in qualifying over a total of 26 entrants with a fast-time at 13.233 seconds to earn the pole position, with Gary Crittenden second quickest at 13.288.

Thompson grabbed the lead over Crittenden and Josh Henry on the start, while back through the rest of the field cars were jockeying for position two- and three-wide at times. The 25-lap event saw the caution flag wave on three occasions, but on each ensuing restart Thompson would get up in the banking and ride the cushion to stretch his advantage over those in pursuit.

Thompson cruised to the win over Crittenden, Henry, Andy Ogle and Tim Byrd.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Jason Trammell, Josh Fields, Warren McMahan, Eric Webber and Brandon Miller.

Kurt Owens of Newport passed Chris Rickett for the lead on lap 14 in the Modified Street feature and would go on to capture the victory over Rickett, Brad Davis, Austin Neely and Cody Thompson.

Bill Curl, Shannon Emery, Austin Atkins, Dale Reed and Parker Estes completed the top 10 finishers.

The next race scheduled at Volunteer Speedway will be on Friday, July 1 when the Iron Man Mountain Championship Super Late Models headline the show with running of the $3,052-to-win fourth annual Scott Sexton Memorial. Also in action will be the American Modified Series paying $2,000-to-win, Sportsman Late Model ($800-to-win), and Modified Street ($500-to-win).

STEEL HEAD LATE MODEL (30 laps)

1. Cory Hedgecock #23
2. Jason Trammell #90
3. Greg Estes #31
4. Josh Henry #B00
5. Bobby Mays #25
6. John Tweed #5
7. Dakotah Knuckles #21k
8. Barrett Lowe #72
9. Ellery Leake #34
10. Chris Barton #144
11. Matthew Holt #22
12. Layne Clifton #23
13. Lynn Leach #22
14. Heath Alvey #7
15. Drew Kennedy #k37
16. Chris Chandler #8

Did Not Start: Brian Shockley #17

SPORTSMAN LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1. Philip Thompson #24
2. Gary Crittenden #18
3. Josh Henry #B00
4. Andy Ogle #68
5. Tim Byrd #24
6. Jason Trammell #97
7. Josh Fields #11
8. Warren McMahan #33
9. Eric Webber #25
10. Brandon Miller #89
11. Bryson Dennis #15
12. Michael Boyd #3
13. Taran Hurst #22
14. Ray Jarnagin #73
15. Floyd Self #3
16. Tyler Smith #32
17. Richard Adkins #73
18. Chuck McMurray #00
19. Mike Kelley #X
20. Charlie Harris #2
21. Steve Best #68
22. Kyle Cole #18
23. James Cole #5

Did Not Start: Ryan Carey #555, Cody Brake #58, Adam Tolliver #28

MODIFIED STREET (20 laps)

1. Kurt Owens #14
2. Chris Rickett #36
3. Brad Davis #88
4. Austin Neely #3
5. Cody Thompson #83
6. Bill Curl #57
7. Shannon Emery #69
8. Austin Atkins #14
9. Dale Reed #52
10. Parker Estes #31
11. Kaleb Trent #3
12. Jeff Ferguson #24
13. Jeffrey Melton #4
14. Jon Cook #0z
15. David Bullington #00
16. Chuck Kilian #96

Volunteer Speedway (Recording Only): 423-235-5020 www.VolunteerSpeedway.com
Phyllis Loven (Track Owner): 423-676-9081
Vic Hill – Race Promoter (Vic Hill Racing Engines): 423-312-4206