Sise, Byrd and Estes capture ‘Walter Ball Memorial’ victories at Volunteer Speedway

Trevor Sise of Knoxville won Steel-Head Late Model, Tim Byrd of Jonesborough won Sportsman Late Model, and Greg Estes of Jonesville, Va., won Modified Street “Shootout” at Volunteer Speedway at the fourth annual Walter Ball Memorial.

Sise, Byrd and Estes capture ‘Walter Ball Memorial’ victories at Volunteer Speedway

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (May 9, 2015) — Volunteer Speedway held the fourth annual Walter Ball Memorial on Saturday night, an event which honored one of East Tennessee’s true racing legends. Trevor Sise of Knoxville recorded his second-ever victory at “The Gap” in winning the Steel-Head Late Model feature, while Tim Byrd of Jonesborough won the Sportsman Late Model event, with Greg Estes of Jonesville, Va., winning the Modified Street “Shootout.”

Ball, from Johnson City, won over 400 Late Model feature races during his career plus he captured track championships at the old Sportsman Speedway in Johnson City, Appalachian Speedway in Kingsport, Davy Crockett Raceway in Rogersville, Newport Raceway, Cedar Hills Raceway in Richlands, Va., and at Volunteer Speedway. Walter Ball and his son Dale Ball, they hold the distinguished honor of being the only father-son racers to have been crowned Late Model champions at Volunteer Speedway. Between Walter (1977), Dale (1999, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012), and Dale’s son-in-law Tim Maupin (2014), that’s a combined seven Volunteer Speedway track championships for the Ball family at “The Gap.”

Drew Kennedy grabbed the lead over Trevor Sise, Josh Henry, Stanley Donahoo and Chase King at start of the Steel-Head Late Model feature.

Sise powered his way past Kennedy to take the lead on lap 4 racing off the fourth turn, and once out front he began setting a blistering pace. Henry followed Sise in getting past Kennedy to take over second in the running order, but his run there proved to be short-lived as the car suddenly slowed on lap 8 and he entered the pits with a broken rear lift-bar.

With the race running clean-and-green, Sise, driving the Diamond Shine Pressure Washing/Kistner Knives/B & M Concrete/Harrison Construction/Jones Termite & Pest Control/McClain’s Speed Shop/The Bed Store/High Velocity Heads/Fast Lane Signs & Graphics/American Racing Tire South/Vic Hill Race Engines/Warrior Race Cars/AR Bodies/Sise Brothers Racing/No. 73 Chevrolet Camaro SS, was in control comfortably cruising out front as he stretched his lead to over a full-straightaway over Kennedy and Donahoo.

After battling for several circuits with Donahoo trying to make the pass for third, finally on lap 26 Barrett Lowe was able to grab the position. Sise saw his advantage wiped away when second-running Kennedy tangled with a slower car on lap 28 to bring out the caution.

Lowe, grandson of legendary former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman/Busch Series competitor Bosco Lowe, was glued to the rear bumper of Sise for the restart. The young Sise knew he had to hit his marks and drive mistake-free if he was to win his second career race at Volunteer Speedway, and that’s what the 19-year-old did in winning over Lowe, Donahoo, Chase King and Bobby Mays.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Mike Weeks, Kennedy, Jason Bowers, Eddie King Jr. and Brent Hensley.

With 28 Sportsman Late Models present, the top 18 from qualifying were locked into the 30-lap feature while a 10-lap Last Chance Qualifier would transfer the top-six finishers into the main event.

Jody Horton and Tim Byrd brought the 24-car starting field to green from the front row, with Jody Horton jumping out to the lead over Byrd, Tim Maupin, Jerry Broyles and Travis Fultz. Broyles got under Maupin between turns three and four on the second circuit to take away the third spot.

Up front Byrd was all over Jody Horton trying to take over the lead, and on lap 5 racing off the fourth turn Byrd grabbed a lead he would never relinquish. Up-on-the-wheel and taking no prisoners, hard-charger Jordon Horton was smashing the loud pedal in working his way forward from his sixth starting position. Caution waved on lap 16 for a hard crash in the fourth turn by Josh Evans.

Byrd led Broyles and Jordon Horton on the restart, and back under green the trio was putting on a show battling for position. While Byrd was in control on the point driving the Charles Byrd & Son Logging/Unaka Forest Products/RDM Trucking/Grace Salon/Team Afco Racing Products/Hoosier Racing Tire/Hy-Tec Specialty Coatings/Weld Racing/AR Bodies/Allstar Performance/FK Rod Ends/TNT Race Cars/Tim Byrd Motorsports/No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Broyles had a fight on his hands with young Jordon Horton.

Jordon Horton threw a slide-job on Broyles between turns one and two on lap 26 to take over second place. But with only four circuits remaining there would be no catching Byrd, who captured his second Sportsman Late Model victory of the season over Jordon Horton, Broyles, Rex Coffey and Jody Horton.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Maupin, Glary Blanken, Warren McMahan, Marty Calloway and Wayne Rader.

Greg Estes and Kurt Owens led the 21-car field to green from the front row for the $1,000-to-win Modified Street “Shootout,” with Estes jumping out into the lead over Owens, Gary Blanken, Vic Chandler and Shannon Emery.

During the first 10 laps of the race the front-running trio of Estes, Owens and Blanken had fans on the edge of their seats as they battled for real estate around the high banks. While working lapped traffic on lap 11 between turns one and two, Owens dropped inside of Estes to momentarily pull ahead. But Estes wasn’t about to lose the lead and he got back around Owens at the opposite end of the track between turns three and four. Heartbreak for Owens as he slows on lap 14 to bring the caution out and he slowly enters the pits ending a strong run.

With Estes showing the way out front on the restart, Brad Davis got around Blanken to take over second. Just behind Blanken in the running order, Emery, Westley Lester, Chandler, Robbie Buchanan, Bartley Grant, Michael Woods and James Crow were racing hard for position. Emery and Blanken got to mixing it up and tangled on lap 21, with Blanken spinning in the fourth turn. While under caution smoke began coming out from underneath Blanken’s car and he pulled into the pits.

Back under green for a run to the checkered flag, Estes, driving the Powell Valley National Bank/Boone’s BP/Estes Construction/Vic Hill Race Engines/No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS, went on to take the Modified Street “Shootout” victory over Lester, Grant, Davis and Woods.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Emery, Chandler, Crow, Dave Smith and Jon Cook.