Tyler Bare held off a late race charge from Ronnie Johnson to take the inaugural Steel Block Bandits Dirt Late Model and Vision Wheel Topless Outlaw Late Model Series “Shootout at the Gap” at Volunteer Speedway on Saturday night. The Rockbridge Baths, VA, native took the lead just past the halfway point and held off the “Chattanooga Flash” over the final eight laps to take the victory.
Barrett Lowe (72L) was fastest in qualifying followed by Chase King (44), Skip Arp (31), and Kyle Courtney (171).
The first of four Bandit heats race saw Skip Arp take the victory over Lowe and Ryan King. The second heat had Chase King over Tyler Bare, Walker Arthur, Rusty Ballenger and Robbie Emory.
The third of four heats was under caution before a lap was completed as Sammie Russell (F4) had a right front flat as the field headed into turn one. On the restart Jason Welshan (01) ran away from Mack McCarter, Johnson, Jason Trammell and Josh Collins
The final heat race of the evening saw Kyle Courtney take the checkered flag over Jeff Wolfenbarger, Derick Quade, Jed Emert and Philip Thompson.
The first of two Bandit Last Chance Qualifying race was a runaway as Noah Philips lead wire-to-wire over Robbie Emory, Donald McIntosh, Michael Batten and Dan Breur. The only incident was pole sitter Layne Ciflton, who suffered a flat tire on the initial start.
The second Bandit last chance qualifying race had Josh Collins also going wire-to-wire over Dustin Mitchell, Eddie King Jr, Brad Lowe and Brian Strickland.
The field of 24 cars took to the 4/10th’s high banked mile oval for the $11,000 to win 50-lap feature with Skip Arp on the pole and Mack McCarter alongside. At the drop of the green flag Arp jumped out to an early lead over McCarter and Jason Welshan and Chase King. The first caution of the night came on lap 11 as McCarter spun on the backstretch while battling Arp for the lead.
Just a lap after the restart Arp, Dustin Mitchell, and Derick Quade got together coming off turn four and brought out the second yellow flag of the night. The field was halted in turn four while cleanup ensured.
On the ensuing restart Welshan shot up thru the top five to take the lead by lap 13. The field began to log laps, until Welshan slowed in turn four and spun down the front stretch due to a broken rear end on lap 26. Tyler Bare assumed the lead on the restart and began to pull away from The yellow flag flew for the final time on lap 31 as Derrick Rankin spun in turn four.
Tyler Bare ran away from the rest of the field after the restart but Ronnie Johnson, who disposed of Chase King, began to run him down as the laps wound down. Despite the constant threat of lapped traffic Bare held Johnson’s furious charge off and scored his first win at “The Gap”.
VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY – BULLS GAP, TN – SATURDAY, AUG. 13, 2022 – “BANDITS VS. OUTLAWS” – RACE RESULTS
STEEL BLOCK BANDITS DIRT LATE MODEL CHALLENGE VS. VISION WHEEL TOPLESS OUTLAWS DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES – “SHOOTOUT AT THE GAP” ($11,000-to-win … 50 laps)
1. Tyler Bare #30
2. Ronnie Johnson #5
3. Chase King #44
4. Jed Emert #51E
5. Barrett Lowe #72
6. Ryan King #1G
7. Rusty Ballenger #29
8. Philip Thomspon #24
9. Jason Manley #55
10. Kyle Courtney #171
11. Jason Trammell #90J
12. Austin Neely #3
13. Robbie Emory #9
14. Michael Batten #21
15. Noah Phillips #15
16. Derrick Rankin #72R
17. Dustin Mitchell #32
18. Brad Lowe #16
19. Jason Welshan #01
20. Walker Arthur #87
21. Skip Arp #31
22. Mack McCarter #51
23. Derick Quade #74
24. Josh Collins #144
NON-QUALIFIERS ($600-to-win 15 laps)
1. Eddie King Jr. #39
2. Dan Breur #7
3. Cody Courtney #C11
4. Mitchell Childress #2
5. Cody Wright #11
6. Chad Alley #16
7. Luke Crass #00
8. Clint Hodges #83H
9. Lance Brassington #11L
Did Not Start: Layne Clifton #23, Donald McIntosh #32, Stacy Boles #11B, Bruce Kane #15, Jeff Wolfenbarger #28, Brian Strickland #B3, Sammie Russell #F4
