Tyler Crowder in victory lane at 411
The Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series made its second east Tennessee stop in as many nights on Saturday when it contested a $3,000-to-win feature at 411 Motor Speedway. Florida’s Tyler Crowder stayed ahead of some fierce racing that took place behind him all throughout the feature to score the win and extend his lead in the series points standings.
Crowder began the night by setting fast time in qualifying when he posted a lap of 14.098 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval. With the top-8 being locked into the feature via time-trials, Crowder was joined by Matt Henderson, Jadon Frame, Cory Hedgecock, John Ownbey, Brandon Williams, Jake Knowles and Ruben Mayfield on the starting grid for the feature event.
Ryan King and Ronnie Johnson won the two B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
The fourth starting Hedgecock, who has won multiple features at 411 and was considered to be a favorite in this event, pulled off track even before the green flag waved due to mechanical issues on his car.
Crowder jumped to the early lead at the start of the 50-lap feature with Henderson, Ownbey, Frame and Williams in pursuit. Ownbey, who won Friday night’s Chevy Performance Series race at I-75 Raceway, began to pressure Henderson for the runner-up spot almost immediately during the early going. At the same time, tenth starting Johnson moved up to the seventh position by lap 5 and was looking to go even further forward.
Crowder built a relatively big lead over those jockeying for position behind him but found himself in heavy traffic by the ninth circuit. However, the front runners would be given a reprieve from the slower machines when a lap 15 yellow flag waved due to the slowing car of Tony Thompson.
The ensuing restart from that caution period gave Williams the opportunity to move around Henderson to grab second while Johnson continued his climb through the pack by passing Frame for the sixth spot.
The second of six caution flags to wave over the race came out on lap 28 when Henderson spun as he and Ownbey battled for position in the midst of slower traffic.
Once the race made its way through multiple caution between laps 31 and 34, Crowder drove out to a comfortable working margin while Johnson and Ownbey staged an epic battle for second during the event’s closing laps. Ultimately, Crowder took the checkered flag ahead of the field as Johnson and Ownbey settled for the other podium spots.
Feature Finish: 1. Tyler Crowder, 2. Ronnie Johnson, 3. John Ownbey, 4. Jake Knowles, 5. Oliver Gentry, 6. Rodney Martin, 7. Zach Pilcher, 8. Austin Smith, 9. J.R. Moseley, 10. Barry Goodman, 11. Doug Smith, 12. Brandon Williams, 13. Ryan King, 14. Ruben Mayfield, 15. Jadon Frame, 16. Trey Wood, 17. Pierce McCarter, 18. Josh Henry, 19. Matt Henderson, 20. Mack McCarter, 21. Tim Busha, 22. Doug King, 23. Cory Hedgecock, 24. Forrest Trent
