Hedgecock, Ford, Rickett, Dukes capture ‘Fan Appreciation Night’ victories at Volunteer Speedway
Hedgecock, Ford, Rickett, Dukes capture ‘Fan Appreciation Night’ victories at Volunteer Speedway
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 5, 2016) — Fan Appreciation Night at Volunteer Speedway is always one of the most popular race nights of the season, because fans enjoy the opportunity getting go down onto the front straightaway prior to the start of racing and visit with drivers and look up-close at the race cars.
Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Jensen Ford of Jonesborough, Chris Rickett of Morristown, and Logan Dukes of Knoxville each visited victory lane Friday at “The Gap.”
Jason Trammell set fast-time to earn the pole position for the 30-lap Steel Head Late Model feature, with Hedgecock second quickest to nail down the outside front row starting berth. Hedgecock powered to the lead on the opening lap over Trammell and John Tweed.
With Hedgecock setting a blistering pace out front, the racing action behind him involving Trammell, Tweed, Dakotah Knuckles, Barrett Lowe, Greg Estes, Chris Chandler, and Trevor Sise was worth the price of admission.
Caution periods on laps 12, 15 and 26 were the only things slowing Hedgecock down.
Trammell mounted a couple of serious charges on the leader Hedgecock when they worked lapped traffic. But once clear of the slower cars Hedgecock would quickly put some distance back between himself and Trammell.
Hedgecock cruised to the $1,200 win over Trammell, Tweed, Lowe and Sise.
The first attempt to get the Sportsman Late Model feature started saw a multi-car wreck at end of the front straightaway leave Cody Brake upside down on his lid (top). With emergency personnel and track officials quickly on the scene, Brake was able to climb from his car uninjured.
The next go at green saw Tim Byrd jump out to the lead over Ogle, Ford, Rex Coffey and Mack McCarter. Hard racing for position was also taking place between Tim Maupin, Adam Tolliver, Gary Crittenden, Zach Sise, Terry Poore and Bryson Dennis.
With the front of the field catching the back of the pack, Ford sized the situation up to make his move around Byrd to take the lead on lap 8 as they raced off the fourth turn. Both McCarter and Maupin had worked their way past Coffey, and also managed to get around Ogle to settle into the third and fourth positions in the running order.
McCarter and Byrd got together between the third and fourth turns while jockeying for the second spot, and Byrd slowed on the front straightaway with a flat tire to bring the caution out.
Ford had McCarter on his tail back up to speed, with Maupin also having a strong run holding down third. But over the last five laps of the race, Ford began to pull away to record the win over McCarter, Maupin, Ogle and Coffey.
Rickett led the entire distance in winning the Modified Street feature over a hard-charging Austin Neely. Rickett grabbed the lead at start over Shannon Emery and Neely, while just behind them Jeffrey Melton, Gary Blanken and Cody Thompson were battling for real estate. A late race caution on lap 15, when Kaleb Trent spun in turn four set the stage for a five-lap sprint to the finish.
Back under green Neely got around Emery and set his sights ahead on leader Rickett. Neely closed to Rickett’s back bumper as they received the white flag, and racing down the backstretch into the third turn Neely drove to the inside of Rickett to mount a challenge to overtake him for the lead.
But racing up off the fourth turn headed to the checkered flag, Neely got sideways and had to reel his mount back in. Rickett recorded the victory over Neely, Blanken, Emery and Melton.
Dukes easily won the Classic feature over John Stevens, Josh Chesney, Bart Baxter and Matt Tharp.
VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – BULLS GAP, TN – FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 – “FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT”
STEEL HEAD LATE MODEL (30 laps)
1. Cory Hedgecock #23
2. Jason Trammell #90j
3. John Tweed #5
4. Barrett Lowe #72
5. Trevor Sise #73
6. Chris Chandler #8
7. Greg Estes #31
8. Eric Webber #25
9. Jason Bowers #18
10. Dakotah Knuckles #21k
11. Ellery Leake #34
12. Bryan Shockley #17
13. Kyle Manis #25
14. Joshua Evans #119
15. R.J. Mayes #7
16. Lynn Leach #22
17. Heath Alvey #7
SPORTSMAN LATE MODEL (25 laps)
1. Jensen Ford #83
2. Mack McCarter #51
3. Tim Maupin #3
4. Andy Ogle #68
5. Rex Coffey #222
6. Gary Crittenden #18
7. Adam Tolliver #28
8. Terry Poore #2
9. Josh Henry #B00
10. Taran Hurst #22
11. Warren McMahan #33
12. Brandon Miller #89
13. Danny Yoder #2
14. Floyd Self #3
15. Tim Byrd #24
16. Bryson Dennis #15
17. Richard Adkins #73
18. Tyler Smith #32
19. Zach Sise #9
20. Heath Alvey #7
21. Chris Coffey #97
22. Michael Boyd #3
23. Tyler Arrington #002
24. Cody Brake #58
Did Not Start: Jody Horton #56j, Donovan Long #15, Chuck McMurray #00, Tyler Pearson #00, Brad Lewelling #101
MODIFIED STREET (20 laps)
1. Chris Rickett #36
2. Austin Neely #3
3. Gary Blanken #5
4. Shannon Emery #m2
5. Jeffrey Melton #4
6. Cody Thompson #83
7. Austin Atkins #14
8. Dale Reed #52
9. David Bullington #20
10. Parker Estes #31
11. Landon Steele #18
12. Lewis Gordin #88
13. Kaleb Trent #3
14. Jeff Ferguson #24
15. Nick Presley #69
16. Robbie Buchanan #21
17. Brandon Crawford #00
CLASSIC (15 laps)
1. Logan Dukes #19
2. John Stevens #7
3. Josh Chesney #1
4. Bart Baxter #7
5. Matt Tharp #55
6. Quincy Arnwine #17
7. Jerry Acuff #98
8. Hayston Collett #5
Volunteer Speedway (Recording Only): 423 235-5020 www.VolunteerSpeedway.com
Phyllis Loven (Track Owner): 423-676-9081
Vic Hill (Vic Hill Race Engines): 423-312-4206
