Crabtree, Henry, Fultz, Clark, Juhl visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway

Crabtree, Henry, Fultz, Clark, Juhl visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (April 28, 2018) — Fans who braved the cool last weekend in April nighttime temperatures were treated to a great five division Championship Points Racing program Saturday at Volunteer Speedway.

David Crabtree of Maryville captured the Steel Head Late Model victory, while Josh Henry of Newport recorded the Crate Late Model win, with Travis Fultz of Harrogate bringing home the Sportsman Late Model victory.

David Clark of Tazewell captured the Modified Street victory, while Tom Juhl Jr. of Rogersville recorded the Classic win.

Crabtree powered out into the lead over Austin Neely, Jason Cardwell, John Tweed and Gary Crittenden at start of the 25-lap Steel Head Late Model feature. With Crabtree setting a blistering pace out front, he and Neely began to separate themselves from their closest challengers.

Jason Cardwell retired from the race on lap 20, and just three circuits later caution waved for an incident in the fourth turn involving Michael Smith and Lynn Leach. While under yellow, second-running Neely slowed to a stop on the track and also Tweed entered the pits for attention from his crew.

Back under green for a two-lap run to the checkered flag, Crabtree would not be denied his first victory at “The Gap” since winning the Super Late Model season-opener back in 2001. Crabtree was followed by Crittenden, Eric Webber, Ellery Leake and young Addison Cardwell.

Third generation racer Henry was shut out of victory lane last season. With some strong runs notched in his belt early in 2018 he was hopeful of finally being able to seal the deal and bring home a win. Henry started from the pole position in the Crate Late Model feature, and at the start he and Trevor Sise battled side-by-side on the opening lap before Henry grabbed the lead on the second lap racing off turn two.

Behind Henry and Sise in the running order were Rusty Ballenger, Tim Byrd, Bobby Mays, Tim Maupin, Jesse Lowe and Eli Beets. Lowe quickly got around Maupin, and on lap 4 he passed Mays for the fifth spot.

With Henry in control running strong out front, behind him Sise was being pressured for second by Ballenger. Ballenger finally got by Sise for the runner-up position five laps from the finish, and right behind them Lowe was overtaking Byrd for the fourth spot.

But the race belonged to Henry as he won over Ballenger, Sise, Lowe and Byrd. However, Lowe failed post-race technical inspection due to a tire infraction, which moved Byrd into fourth and Mays to fifth.

Fultz jumped out to the lead over Zach Sise, Heath Alvey, Jed Emert and Chris Coffey at start of the 20-lap Sportsman Late Model feature. Behind them the action was intense involving Bradley Lewelling, Jake Whitehead, Brad Seagle, Warren McMahan, Jesse Helton and Vic Chandler.

With Fultz in command leading from the start, behind him Alvey seized the moment following a late race restart to get around Sise for second. Fultz would hold on to get the win over Alvey, Sise, Emert, and Whitehead recording his best finish in fifth.

Clark took the lead over Dustin Ratliff, Wayne Rader, Gary Blanken and Shannon Emery at start of the 20-lap Modified Street feature. Ratliff stayed glued to back bumper of Clark hoping the leader would make a mistake. But Clark never opened the door for Ratliff as he captured the flag-to-flag victory, his first-ever at Volunteer Speedway. Finishing behind Clark and Ratliff were Blanken, Kurt Owens and Rader.

The first attempt to start the Classic feature saw the red flag quickly wave before one lap was completed for a multi-car incident which saw Clyde Mincey get upside down in the fourth turn. Following cleanup by track safety crew, with the race finally under green Tony Trent grabbed the lead and stayed on the point until the final lap.

Trent and Tom Juhl Jr. raced side-by-side down the backstretch into the third turn, and coming off the fourth turn to the flag stand the duo were dead-even. Juhl narrowly edged Trent by the slim margin of .049 seconds to get his first win. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Will Carey, Charles Bates and Quincy Arnwine.

VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – BULLS GAP, TN – SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 – OFFICIAL RESULTS

STEEL HEAD LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1. David Crabtree #C5
2. Gary Crittenden #18
3. Eric Webber #25
4. Ellery Leake #34
5. Addison Cardwell #07A
6. Michael Smith #4
7. John Tweed #5
8. Lynn Leach #22
9. Austin Neely #3
10. Jason Cardwell #07
11. Adam Pressley #07P

CRATE LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1. Josh Henry #B00
2. Rusty Ballenger #29
3. Trevor Sise #73
4. Tim Byrd #24
5. Bobby Mays #25
6. Tim Maupin #3
7. Chad Ogle #68
8. Justin Smith #7
9. Matthew Smith #7S
10. Eli Beets #109
11. Jody Horton #56J
12. Gary Crittenden #18
13. Grant Corum #49
14. Tyler Smith #32
15. Chris Long #75
16. Taran Hurst #22
17. Jonathan Miracle #52
18. Adam Tolliver #28
19. Nathan Martin #21
20. Dale Reed #52

Did Not Pass Post-Race Technical Inspection (tire infraction): Jesse Lowe #5J
Disqualifed (crew member on track): Ryan Winchester #51
Did Not Start: James Cole #5

SPORTSMAN LATE MODEL (20 laps)

1. Travis Fultz #T0
2. Heath Alvey #7
3. Zach Sise #9
4. Jed Emert #98
5. Jake Whitehead #116
6. Bradley Lewelling #10B
7. Chris Coffey #97
8. Brad Seagle #31
9. Jesse Helton #25
10. Warren McMahan #33
11. Vic Chandler #88
12. Floyd Branham #53
13. Adam Mitchell #50
14. Nicholas Shelton #9
15. David Bullington #20
16. Joe Bray #76
17. Richard Adkins #73
18. Jason Sizemore #22
19. Donovan Long #15
20. Dakota Holt #13
21. Brandon James #J1

MODIFIED STREET (20 laps)

1. David Clark #13
2. Dustin Ratliff #10
3. Gary Blanken #05
4. Kurt Owens #14
5. Wayne Rader #01
6. Shannon Emery #M2
7. Nick Presley #69
8. Tracy Wolfe #11
9. Bubba Long #10
10. Jason Rawlings #01R
11. Chris Hickman #7

CLASSIC (20 laps)

1. Tom Juhl #17
2. Tony Trent #501
3. Will Carey #58
4. Charles Bates #27
5. Quincy Arnwine #1A
6. Nicholas King #66
7. Hayston Collett #3C
8. Todd Beeler #23
9. Tim Moore #42
10. Chris Worsham #3
11. Brandon Crawford #00
12. Ryan Bailey #28
13. Lee Merritt #14
14. Richie Overholser #9
15. Clyde Mincey #14M
16. Brad Dyer #20

Did Not Start: Rusty Welch #1W

Volunteer Speedway (Recording Only): 423-235-5020  www.VolunteerSpeedway.com
Volunteer Speedway (General Manager): 865-257-7223
Joe Byrd (Tech Official): 865-776-1798