Twin Late Model features were on the agenda at the 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. on Saturday night as the track’s regular Limited Late Model class shared the stage with the visiting Crate Late Models. In the end, the Mitch and Tanya McCarter owned facility produced one frequent winner and one first time victor in the main event races. Each of those races would pay $1,000 to the winner.
Jason Cardwell led all the way to claim the Limited Late Model feature
Former 411 Motor Speedway track champion Jason Cardwell led the way in qualifying for the Limited Late Model class as he posted a time of 14.140 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval to best the field of eight cars that had signed in for competition. Bobby Mays, Josh Henry, Trevor Sise and Layne Clifton rounded out the top-5 as the starting grid for the main event was set entirely via time-trials.
Cardwell wasted no time in putting his No. 07 machine out front at the start of the 25-lap feature race. The Knoxville driver lead all the way, but not without at least some drama in route to his wire-to-wire run.
Henry quickly moved to second as he passed by Mays on the second lap of the race and immediately set out to erase the lead initially built by Cardwell as his primary competitors battled behind him. On lap 6, Henry closed the gap on the front runner and by lap 10 he was right on Cardwell’s rear spoiler. However, that is as close as the #B00 car would get to the eventual winner.
Behind the top-2 cars, the battle was joined by Mays, Sise and Clifton who fought over the remaining top-5 positions for much of the event. At times, the three cars were in near three-wide formation as they worked their way around slower racers in a feature that would run caution free throughout its distance.
Sise ultimately emerged with third place as he moved around Mays on lap 16. At that time, the No. 73 quickly began to close the distance on the top-2 drivers. Eventually, Sise would regain the time he had lost to Cardwell and Henry but would never be in a position to make an attempt on the lead.
In the end, Cardwell took the checkered flag ahead of Henry, Sise, Clifton and Mays.
Cardwell in 411 victory lane
In the Crate Late Model division, a first time winner would emerge rather than a former track champion.
Josh Fields came into Saturday’s action without a major win to his credit but the Tazewell driver would end the night $1,000 richer as a result of his efforts.
Josh Fields earned his first Crate Late Model win on Saturday
Fields led the way in qualifying when he laid down a lap of 14.287 seconds. Greg Martin, Ross White, Jason Cardwell, Ryan King and Josh Henry first three rows on a starting grid that would be set entirely by time-trial results.
The 19 car field took the green flag at the start of the 25-lap feature with Martin getting the jump on the pack followed by Fields, White, Cardwell, Henry and King. However, King quickly set about the task of improving his position when he went to work on Henry for the fifth position on the second circuit.
A lap 6 caution for a spin slowed the action and set up a couple of key moments in the race. On the first attempt at a restart from that yellow period, Cardwell spun in turn two to immediately bring out a second caution. The No. 11 ride was eventually sent to the tail of the field by track officials, which all but ended any chance the driver had at collecting his second feature win of the evening.
On the second attempt at a restart, Martin had his car jump out of the racing groove in turn two and fall well back into the pack. Fields seized on the opportunity created by Martin’s bobble and went to the race lead. From that point, the No. 11 would lead the rest of the way, but not without challenges.
White closed the rear spoiler of the Fields car by lap 10 and began to apply pressure. That heat was intensified as the cars caught the tail of the field a few laps later. However, Fields would prove himself up the challenge as he drove on to the win ahead of White, King, Henry, Jesse Lowe, Eddie King, Jr. and Martin.
Josh Fields in 411 victory lane
