Ford leads flag-to-flag for $2,000 American Crate All-Star Series victory at Volunteer Speedway
Ford leads flag-to-flag for $2,000 American Crate All-Star Series victory at Volunteer Speedway
By Robert Walden
Volunteer Speedway – Media/Public Relations
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Sept. 4, 2020) — The Labor Day holiday weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and you can expect cooler temperatures with fall looming in the near future. But rest assured the racing action Saturday at Volunteer Speedway was heated with the American Crate All-Star Series making its third visit this season.
The night turned out to be a clean sweep for Jensen Ford of Johnson City, as he brought out the broom to do a little housecleaning in setting fast-time, winning the Quick Six Dash to earn the pole starting position, and leading all 40 laps in picking up the $2,000 victory.
With a stellar 38-car field of American Crate All-Star Series competitors present, the 32-year-old Ford was fastest in qualifying at 13.810 seconds. The top six qualifiers locked in on time, while four heat races and two B-mains determined the remainder of the 24-car starting field.
Eli Beets of Knoxville won the first 8-lap heat, while Drew Kennedy of Wartburg took the victory in the second heat. The third heat race win went to Logan Roberson of Dooms, Va., with Jason Welshan of Maryville winning the fourth heat. … Rusty Ballenger of Seymour and Michael Bland of Pineville, W.Va., respectively won B-mains.
With the green flag waving Ford and Trevor Sise raced side-by-side down the front straightaway into the first turn, and coming off (turn) two down the backstretch Ford moved into the lead. Back around to the flag stand completing the opening lap Ford led Sise, Adam Ahl, Jeremy Shaw and Josh Henry.
Track owner Landon Stallard had spent considerable time over the days leading up to the event working on racing surface and competitors found the famed, legendary high banks at “The Gap” groomed to perfection, as cars were able to run top-to-bottom in the turns, with a lot of three-wide action back through the highly competitive field.
With the race running clean-and-green, Ford pulled out to about 10 car-length advantage over Sise, with Ahl, Shaw and Henry battling for position. Just outside the top five in running order, several drivers were jockeying for real estate including Jesse Lowe, Beets, Kennedy, Roberson, Welshan, defending series champion Tyler Arrington, Brad Dyer and Tim Maupin.
Ford caught rear of the field around lap 15 and Sise began cutting into Ford’s lead, closing to within a couple of car lengths at the halfway distance on lap 20. But Ford got up-on-the-wheel and maneuvered his way around the lap cars and maintained his advantage out front, not about to allow Sise opportunity to trap him behind a slower car and make pass for the lead.
It appeared the race just might run caution-free, but on lap 31 Beets slowed at end of the front straightaway down low with a flat rear tire and the event’s first caution waved.
Ford was all alone out front for the restart, with Sise and Ahl lined up side-by-side behind him. Ford smashed the loud pedal and left Sise and Ahl to battle with one another over the final nine circuits.
Ford earned the $2,000 payday with the American Crate All-Star Series win over current series points leader Sise, with Ahl, Henry and Shaw rounding out the top five. Completing the top 10 finishers were Lowe, Roberson, Welshan, Arrington and Kennedy. … The victory was Ford’s third at Volunteer Speedway this season, with him having won two weekly races.
Addison Cardwell jumped out to lead in the 20-lap Sportsman Late Model race over Adam Mitchell and Clyde Stanton, followed by Austin Atkins, David Bullington, Warren McMahan and Joe Bray. The third generation racer Cardwell, from Knoxville, was in command out front while Mitchell and Stanton battled for the runner-up position. Stanton passed Mitchell for the spot on lap 12 and set his sights ahead on Cardwell. But there would be no catching the the leader as Cardwell cruised to his second straight and third overall win on the season over Stanton, Mitchell, Atkins and McMahan.
Bobby Mays of Jonesborough grabbed the lead on opening lap of the Classic race and never looked back en route to capturing his second straight win. But behind him the action was heated as John Stevens held off Josh Chesney, Will Carey and Shaun Sise over the final couple of laps to secure second place.
Tony Trent of Morristown was a three-time Street Stock feature race winner last year and he started this COVID-19 abbreviated campaign off parked in victory lane back the third weekend in May. The veteran racer jumped out to lead on the start over Wayne Rader and led all 20 laps in recording his second win of the season. Finishing third through fifth, respectively, were Donavan Long, Logan Cobb and Colby Long.
Zack Walton of Blountville rolled to his fifth Front Wheel Drive win on the season over Jason Ketron, Keven Sexton, Jacob Sharp and John Ketron.
VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – BULLS GAP, TN – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 – RACE RESULTS
AMERICAN CRATE ALL-STAR SERIES (40 laps)
Showing Finishing Position, Starting Position In Parentheses, Driver, Car #, Hometown
1. (1) Jensen Ford #83-Johnson City, TN
2. (2) Trevor Sise #73-Knoxville, TN
3. (5) Adam Ahl #7-Morristown, TN
4. (4) Josh Henry #B00-Newport, TN
5. (3) Jeremy Shaw #72-Millport, AL
6. (6) Jesse Lowe #5J-Crossville, TN
7. (9) Logan Roberson #12-Dooms, VA
8. (10) Jason Welshan #01-Maryville, TN
9. (11) Tyler Arrington #002-Lebanon, VA
10. (8) Drew Kennedy #K37-Wartburg, TN
11. (13) Tim Maupin #3-Johnson City, TN
12. (16) Cameron Weaver #16-Crossville, TN
13. (22) Greg Martin #24-Oliver Springs, TN
14. (24) Terry Poore #2-Seymour, TN
15. (7) Eli Beets #109-Knoxville, TN
16. (18) Bradley Lewelling #10B-Seymour, TN
17. (21) Shannon Emery #52-Morristown, TN
18. (17) Michael Smith #4-Rogersville, TN
19. (12) Brad Dyer #17-Mosheim, TN
20. (14) Carder Miller #69-Salem, VA
21. (19) Rusty Ballenger #29-Sevierville, TN
22. (15) Brad Lowe #16-Knoxville, TN
23. (23) Colton Proffitt #617-Crossville, TN
24. (20) Michael Bland #2B-Pineville, WV
Quick Six Dash (6 Laps)
1. Jensen Ford #83-Johnson City, TN
2. Trevor Sise #73-Knoxville, TN
3. Jeremy Shaw #72-Millport, AL
4. Josh Henry #B00-Newport, TN
5. Adam Ahl #7-Morristown, TN
6. Jesse Lowe #5J-Crossville, TN
Heat #1 (8 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Eli Beets #109-Knoxville, TN
2. Tyler Arrington #002-Lebanon, VA
3. Brad Lowe #16-Knoxville, TN
4. Rusty Ballenger #29-Sevierville, TN
5. Jamie Stanley #5-Coeburn, VA
6. Ross White #0-Knoxville, TN
7. Tyler Collins #11-North Vernon, IN
8. Kerry King #KB-Delmar, DE
Heat #2 (8 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Drew Kennedy #K37-Wartburg, TN
2. Brad Dyer #17-Mosheim, TN
3. Cameron Weaver #16-Crossville, TN
4. Michael Bland #2B-Pineville, WV
5. Greg Martin #24-Oliver Springs, TN
6. Terry Poore #2-Seymour, TN
7. Josh Fields #11-Tazewell, TN
8. Chicky Barton #144-Middlesboro, KY
Heat #3 (8 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Logan Roberson #12-Dooms, VA
2. Tim Maupin #3-Johnson City, TN
3. Michael Smith #4-Rogersville, TN
4. Shannon Emery #52-Morristown, TN
5. Chris Chandler #8-Weaverville, NC
6. Tyler Smith #32-Kingsport, TN
7. David Pangracio #136-Elba, NY
8. Austin Glass #34-Jonesville, VA
Heat #4 (8 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Jason Welshan #01-Maryville, TN
2. Carder Miller #69-Salem, VA
3. Bradley Lewelling #10B-Seymour, TN
4. Nathan Martin #3N-Bean Station, TN
5. Colton Proffitt #617-Crossville, TN
6. Ruben Mayfield #00M-Lenoir City, TN
7. Ted Johnson #22-Athens, WV
8. Joseph Zutanick #57J-Pineville, WV
B-Main #1 (10 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Rusty Ballenger #29-Sevierville, TN
2. Shannon Emery #52-Morristown, TN
3. Ross White #0-Knoxville, TN
4. Jamie Stanley #5-Coeburn, VA
5. Chris Chandler #8-Weaverville, NC
6. Tyler Collins #11-North Vernon, IN
7. Tyler Smith #32-Kingsport, TN
8. Austin Glass #34-Jonesville, VA
9. Kerry King #KB-Delmar, DE
10. David Pangracio #136-Elba, NY
B-Main #2 (10 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
1. Michael Bland #2B-Pineville, WV
2. Greg Martin #24-Oliver Springs, TN
3. Nathan Martin #3N-Bean Station, TN
4. Terry Poore #2-Seymour, TN
5. Colton Proffitt #617-Crossville, TN
6. Ruben Mayfield #00M-Lenoir City, TN
7. Chicky Barton #144-Middlesboro, KY
8. Ted Johnson #22-Athens, WV
9. Joseph Zutanick #57J-Pineville, WV
10. Josh Fields #11-Tazewell, TN
SPORTSMAN LATE MODEL (20 laps)
1. Addison Cardwell #25
2. Clyde Stanton #C11
3. Adam Mitchell #50
4. Austin Atkins #14
5. Warren McMahan #33
6. David Bullington #20
7. Joe Bray #76
8. Nicholas Shelton #9
9. Ray Jarnagin #773
10. Mason Bare #24
11. Kyle Manis #25K
12. Dylan Morgan #13
13. Lucas Fuller #77
14. Kris Pauley #B54
15. Richard Cox #28
16. Aaron Jones #7J
17. Artie Larson #12
18. Conner Pate #13P
CLASSIC (20 laps)
1. Bobby Mays #5
2. John Stevens #7
3. Josh Chesney #XXX
4. Will Carey #16
5. Shaun Sise #J16
6. Chuck Kilian #96
7. Charles Bates #27
8. Marcus Mays #12M
9. Mark Sise #35
10. Shane Taylor #37
11. Jeff Mays #38
12. Chris Worsham #18
13. Ethan Hansard #22H
14. Tim Bounds #11
15. Richie Overholser #88
16. Logan Dukes #6
17. Michael Millsap #515
STREET STOCK (20 laps)
1. Tony Trent #18
2. Wayne Rader #B01
3. Donavan Long #15
4. Logan Cobb #C4
5. Colby Long #10
6. Tim Stevens #11
7. Mike Eickleberry #81
7. Wendell Williams #71
9. Nicholas Anderson #27
10. Marvin Green Jr. #15
11. Jon Cook #0z
12. Josh Driskill #7
FRONT WHEEL DRIVE (20 laps)
1. Zack Walton #38
2. Jason Ketron #28
3. Keven Sexton #9K
4. Jacob Sharp #1
5. John Ketron #26
6. Amelia McClain #717
7. Justin McClain #171
8. Cody Bean #2
9. Jesse Hurst #7
10. Hunter Shults #21
