Ricky Weiss was in the right place at the right time in Crossville
The Spring Nationals mini-series moved to the Crossville Speedway on Friday night to stage a $4,000-to-win event. When all was said and done, Canadian Ricky Weiss came away from the track located on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with the victory in the Ray Cook-promoted series after Brandon Overton surrender the lead within sight of the checkered flag.
Donald McIntosh set fast time in Group A qualifying and overall with a lap of 12.137 seconds around the third-mile clay oval. Pierce McCarter, Weiss, Jason Croft, Skylar Marlar, Robby Moses, Riley Hickman, and Carder Miller joined him in being locked into the feature lineup via time-trials.
Overton led the way in Group B qualifying with a lap of 12.165 seconds. Shanon Buckingham, Forrest Trent, David Payne, Michael Chilton, Richard Frost, Steve Smith, and Cory Hedgecock also locked into the feature from that group.
Billy Ogle, Jr. was the winner of the night’s only B-main race that was used to set the remainder of the starting grid for the main event.
The eventual winner of the race avoided what could have been a disaster on the initial attempt to start the race. As they cars roared through turns three and four for the first time at full speed the third starting machine of McCarter spun. Weiss was unable to avoid the prone car and made enough contact to inflict a small amount of damage to its nose piece.
McIntosh(7) and Overton battle through the first turn on lap 1 in Crossville
At the start of the 40-lap feature, it was Overton who went to the early lead with McIntosh, Weiss, Trent and Buckingham trailing close behind. Buckingham began an effort to move forward on lap 3 when he successfully passed by Trent to gain the spot. At the same time, Overton was setting a blistering pace as he put several car lengths between himself and McIntosh.
A lap 6 caution flag waved when the second running McIntosh tangled with a slower car as he attempted to keep pace with Overton and lap the other car. McIntosh, who started the feature from the pole, sustained minor damage from the incident but was sent to the tail of the field for the next restart because he had come to a complete stop on the racing surface.
The two lead machines of Overton and Weiss set sail after the green flag was again waved. They quickly caught back markers again by lap 10 due to the considerable difference in speed from those running up front and those compete near the rear of the pack.
While the leaders were working through traffic, Trent, Payne and Chilton were engaged in an intense battle for the 4th through 6th positions.
Payne(8) and Trent battle
Two more yellow flags before the race reached its halfway point interrupted the feverish pace being set by the front runners.
As the event entered into its second half, Overton looked as if he might smash the competition on his way to another 2017 win. However, three more cautions between laps 25 and 28 further interrupted the race’s rhythm.
Overton continued to lead as the laps wound down with Weiss staying close enough to strike should the opportunity present itself. On the final lap of the race, that opportunity did present itself when Overton’s car sputtered over the course of the final laps.
Buckingham(50) received some damage in one of the early incidents
Weiss would make the dramatic pass on the driver who had led the first 39 circuits of the race as the drivers literally had the checkered flag in sight. Overton was left to simply coast across the finish line.
Feature Finish: 1. Ricky Weiss, 2. Brandon Overton, 3. Shanon Buckingham, 4. David Payne, 5. Michael Chilton, 6. Forrest Trent, 7. Jason Croft, 8. Steve Smith, 9. Donald McIntosh, 10. Billy Ogle, Jr., 11. Kenny Cobble, 12. Jeff Neubert, 13. Carder Miller, 14. Skylar Marlar, 15. Robby Moses, 16. Pierce McCarter, 17. Cory Hedgecock, 18. Richard Frost, 19. Casey Turman, 20. Ronnie Choate, 21. Tim Damron, 22. Riley Hickman
Ricky Weiss and crew chief Shawn Gage celebrate their victory
