Along with an unsanctioned Super Late Model main event, 411 Motor Speedway staged racing action in the Sportsman, Street Stock and Mini Stock classes on Saturday night. At the end of the evening, Jesse Helton, Chris Rickett and John Byers earned trips to the Seymour, Tenn. track’s Victory Lane.
Jesse Helton scored the win in the Sportsman class.
Terry Poore set the tone early in the going for the Sportsman class when he grabbed the pole for the feature by posting a lap of 14.747 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval in time-trials. The 14 car starting lineup was set entirely by qualifying which placed Helton, Clyde Stanton, Kip Sawyer and Wayne Rader just behind the fast qualifier on the starting grid.
During the early laps of the Sportsman feature, Poore and Helton ran side-by-side for several circuits before Helton finally emerged with the race lead.
Early cautions kept the field tightly bunched during the first half of the race. And the restarts following those yellow flags allowed Poore and the remainder of the pack to take shots at the lead held by Helton.
The top spot was very much in question on lap 12 when Poore moved around Helton as the No. 57 car was trapped behind a slower machine. However, that same slower car then moved down the track and forced Poore into the infield, which allowed Helton to retake first place.
On lap 15, the second and third running cars of Poore and Brian Courtney came in contact with each other in turn two, sending Poore for a spin. Track officials made the decision to re-place Poore in the runner-up position while Courtney was sent to the rear.
Helton pulled away to capture the checkered flag over the final ten laps ahead of Poore, Sawyer, Rader and Courtney.
Chris Rickett drove away to win the Street Stock feature
In the Street Stock division, Gary Blanken and Chris Rickett earned front row starting spots for the feature by winning their respective heat races.
At the start of the feature, the two front row starters raced side-by-side early on before Rickett eventually pulled ahead of the field. While the leader was extending his advantage, Blanken fell back into a fight for second with Dwayne Fox, who ultimately emerged with the position.
Rickett dominated in a race that ran caution free. Dwayne Fox, Gary Blanken and Tracy Wolfe followed the eventual winner to the finish line.
John Byers won the Mini Stock feature by a wide margin
Kyle Courtney and John Byers won the two heat races in the Mini Stock class. However, Courtney did not roll out for the feature.
Once the main event took the green flag, Byers drove away from the pack and won in dominating fashion ahead of Shannon Raley, Tommy Metler and Mike Townsend.
