By Tim Owens
The fans packed the bad fast Taz expecting some hot racing action and they got just that. One week from the Schaeffer Oil Southern Nationals rolling into town, regular racing took center stage on this night.
The night’s racing action started off with a 20 lap Modified Street feature. With only 3 cars were signed in, the race saw the defending Modified Street champion Robby Buchanan start on the front row along side Mitchell Burke. Burke was able to keep pace with Buchanan for several laps but Buchanan began to pull away from the pack. He would go on to dominate the remaining laps in route to his third consecutive victory.
1. P21- Robbie Buchanan
2. 54- Mitchell Burke
3. 11- Tim Stevens
Bubby Braden and Rufus Collett lead the 4 Cylinder feature to the green. Joey Allen jumped out to the early lead, but it didn’t take long for Chuck McMahan to work his way up from the 4th starting spot. When the field had circled around to lap 3, McMahan had already moved his 99 machine into the second position. The race took a sour turn for leader Joey Allen as his #A00 machine went up in smoke on lap 6 ending his night early. Danny Pennington made his move on the following restart woking himself up into the 3rd position in chase of McMahan and Braden. Time ran out on his charge to the front as McMahan went on to score another victory in his impressive season.
1. 99- Chuck McMahan
2. B7- Bubby Braden
3. 21- Danny Pennington
4. 72- Rufus Collett
5. 11- Tyler Haynes
6. A00- Joey Allen
The Tazewell Late Models took to the track next and what a show they put on. Steve Smith and Jody Horton lead the pack into turn one to start the 30-lap feature. However, back to back jumped starts led to Smith being inverted back into row two and Bryan Hendrix onto the pole position. Once the race was officialy underway, Horton put his #56 machine on the point and set a blistering pace. Hendrix gave chase and pulled to the inside several times but had to fall back in line. The caution waved as Tony Horton spun in turn two allowing Hendrix to close the gap. Back under green, Josh Henry made his move to get by Steve Smith and take over the 3rd position. Horton was pulling away but the gap was erased on lap 18 as the caution waved for Brian Shockley. Steve Smith took his #3 car into the pit area during the caution with mechanical problems along with Josh Collins. Back under green Hendrix refused to be denied as the seven time Tazewell Speedway Super Late Model champion powered past Horton to take the lead. Josh Henry saw his impressive run derailed as a right rear tire exploded bringing out another caution. Horton had one last shot at Hendrix but it wasn’t meant to be on this night.
1. 5- Bryan Hendrix
2. 44- Josh Collins
3. 56J- Jody Horton
4. 22- Matthew Holt
5. B00- Josh Henry
6. 17- Brian Shockley
7. 18- Michael Rutherford
8. 12- Craig Gregg
9. 28- Jerry Williams Jr.
10. 15- Wade Howerton
11. 3- Steve Smith
12. 11- Anthony Arnwine
13. H1- Tony Horton
The classic cars took to the track next. This class has had some of the best racing action of the season but this race was dominated by one driver. Josh Chesney and Eli Keck started on the front row but the night ended quickly for Keck as he retired from the race early with damage. Chesney showed early on he was the car to beat as he began to pull away just a handful of laps into the race. Joel Wolfenbarger had taken over the second position by the halfway point of the event and set his sights on the leader. However, this night belonged to Chesney as he dominated the rest of race picking up the victory.
1. XXX- Josh Chesney
2. 13J- Joel Wolfenbarger
3. 33X- Cameron Skinner
4. 2- Chris Evans
5. 99- Justin Overton
6. C74- Cliff Lane
7. 59- John Stevens
8. 88- Richie Overholser
9. 8- Eli Keck
The green waved over the Sportsman 20 lap feature and Josh Fields took the early lead. After being involved in a major crash several races back, Anthony Burchett moved himself into the second position and gave chase to Fields. Points leader Jordan Horton, who started in the 7th position, quickly moved himself up into the top-5. The laps ticked down and Burchett slowly closed on the leader until a caution waved on lap 8 for Dustin Hoover. Back under green Horton again flexed his muscle as he powered inside Overholt to try and take the 3rd spot. After a late caution, Fields stretched his lead out and scored the victory.
1. 11- Josh Fields
2. 18- Anthony Burchett
3. 4- Clyde Overholt
4. 56H- Jordon Horton
5. 2- Steve Smith
6. G7- Billy Gordon
7. 24- Andy Wilder
8. G71- Dustin Hoover
9. 34V- Jason Varner
10. 39- Wade Howerton
11. D00- Josh Driskill
12. 22- Lance Petty
DNS 25- Justin Beeler
DNS 21- Bryan Howerton
The Pure Street class put a cap on the action for the night. The yellow would wave quickly as Austin Neely had a terrible crash on the front stretch. The car got up on the wall and rolled over several times in front of the packed crowd. Thankfully, Neely was uninjured as track officials helped him out of his destroyed machine. Back under green Jonathan Miracle set sail and pulled away. By lap 13 Miracle had pulled out to a full straight away lead and went on to pick up the victory.
1. 26- Jonathan Miracle
2. C5- Daniel Carpenter
3. 5- Jason Saylor
4. 12H- Eddie Collett
5. 92T- Travis Crosby
6. G2- Austin Neely
DNS 58- Kevin Smith
