InsideDirtRacing.com was on the scene for the Carolina Clash touring series race this past weekend at the Volunteer Speedway(Story here).
Here are a few post-race notes from that event:
Austin Smith was among the drivers who unloaded lat in Bulls Gap after the Florence cancellation.
1. After the Spring Nationals race at the Florence(KY) Speedway was called off on Saturday due to unworkable track conditions, several drivers hurriedly made their way to Volunteer Speedway for the Carolina Clash event. Chris Madden, Donald McIntosh, Walker Arthur and Austin Smith made the dash to east Tennessee for some impromptu racing.
Madden qualified third overall and looked like a potential winner until mechanical issues sidelined the South Carolina star’s efforts with 12 laps remaining in the feature. He was credited with 16th place in the final rundown.
McIntosh qualified in the top-10 despite it being only his second ever trip to the track and not having any hot laps due to his late arrival. A spin while racing within the top-5 hampered his run but the Dawsonville, GA native sill managed a 9th place result.
Luck was not on Arthur’s side as the Virginia driver dropped out early to record a 20th place finish.
Smith started the feature from just outside the top-10 and the Georgia driver methodically moved forward until he ultimately ended the evening with a solid 7th place effort.
Chad Ogle’s Rocket Chassis
2. Both the first and second place finishers in the Carolina Clash race had just recently changed brands of chassis. Eventual winner Chad Ogle switched from CVR Race Cars to Rocket Chassis over the winter. He set fast time in qualifying then led all 40 laps of the feature to collect the $4,000 first prize.
Riley Hickman’s Club 29 racer.
3. Riley Hickman rolled a brand new Club 29 machine out of his hauler at Volunteer Speedway. This was the first time the car had been on track for competition. Hickman qualified 7th in the new ride then went on to record a 2nd place finish in the main event.
Former NASCAR driver Joey Coulter entered the race at Volunteer.
4. Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular Joey Coulter was on hand to do some dirt racing in Bulls Gap. The Miami native and winner of one CWTS event began the Carolina Clash race from the 12th spot and worked his way up to 8th by the time of the checkered flag.
5. It was announced on Saturday that Carolina Clash will sanction another race at Volunteer Speedway on April 18th. That date, which coincides with the NASCAR weekend in Bristol, had originally been set aside for sprint cars to race on the dirt oval but that was changed to a $6,000-to-win Super Late Model affair.
