Along with the Southern Nationals race for Super Late Models, 411 Motor Speedway staged racing in the Crate Late Model and Sportsman Late Model classes on Tuesday night in front of a big crowd. Cory Hedgecock and Brad Seagle came away with victories in those respective divisions as part of the special event on the Seymour, Tenn. track.
With there being 18 Crate Late Models and 15 Sportsman Late Models signed in for competition, it was decided that both classes would line their features up based on time-trial results in order to allow the show to meet the curfew time.
Cory Hedgecock won the Crate Late Model feature
Ross White established the fast time in Crate Late Model qualifying when he turned a lap of 14.278 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval. He was followed by Cory Hedgecock, Jason Welshan, Jesse Lowe, Kyle Courtney, Greg Martin, Pierce McCarter, Jason Trammell, Rusty Ballenger and Shane Tankersley.
Hedgecock took advantage of his outside front row starting spot and charged to the lead at the start of what was scheduled to be a 30-lap main event for this class. White, Welshan, Lowe and Martin followed the leader during the early laps of the race.
A pair of early cautions slowed the action. A lap 2 spin by Jason Manley brought out the first yellow flag of the night. Then on the ensuing restart, the intensity level picked up as White made a brief bid for the lead while Welshan, Lowe and Martin battled three-wide for the third place. Welshan emerged from that fight with the position and went of the attack against White as he grabbed second.
Martin moved around Lowe to take fourth on lap 4.
The most serious incident of the night occurred on lap 5 when the car of Jerry Green hit and then climbed the outside wall at the exit of turn four and had to be restrained by the catch fence. A red flag had to be brought out as track officials worked to repair the catch fence. The Sevier County Rescue Squad tended to a couple of fans who received minor injuries as a result of the mishap.
When the red flag was rescinded, it was announced that the race would be shortened to 20 laps to accommodate the track’s curfew.
Once the race went back to green flag conditions, Hedgecock and Welshan broke away from the pack. White spent the remainder of the feature beating back a challenge from Martin. That race was eventually joined by Lowe as well.
At the finish, Hedgecock proved to be unbeatable as he picked up the win and the $1,200 first prize.
Feature Finish: 1. Cory Hedgecock, 2. Jason Welshan, 3. Ross White, 4. Greg Martin, 5. Jesse Lowe, 6. Pierce McCarter, 7. Shane Tankersley, 8. Kyle Courtney, 9. Josh Henry, 10. Jason Trammell, 11. Jason Manley, 12. Floyd Turner, 13. Ruben Mayfield, 14. Johnny Ridings, 15. Rusty Ballenger, 16. Cameron Skinner, 17. Gary Crittenden, 18. Jerry Green
Brad Seagle was the Sportsman winner
Zach Sise earned the pole position for the Sportsman Late Model feature by setting fast time in qualifying with a lap of 14.355 seconds. He was followed by Jed Emert, Drew Deaver, Brad Seagle and Adam Mitchell on the starting grid.
Sise took the early lead when racing commenced in the 20-lap feature with Emert, Seagle, Self and Deaver close behind. However, a series of cautions slowed the action during the early portion of this race a multiple spins and mishaps took place.
When green flag action resumed, Deaver made a move when he went to the outside and took third away from Seagle. However, Seagle would fight back as he moved back alongside Deaver. The two cars raced each other hard over the next couple of laps until Seagle came away with the position on lap 6.
At the race’s halfway point it appeared as if Sise would drive away to an easy victory as he separated hemself fromt eh pack while Seagle moved in to challenge Emert for second. Eventually the No. 31 would take the spot as he swung around Emert on the high side at lap 13.
Sise found himself caught up in slower traffic which then allowed Seagle to close in before the race’s final caution flag would wave on lap 16.
On the ensuing restart, Seagle made his move as he went inside of Sise and the two cars made contact with each other. Seagle came away with the position while Deaver was challenging Emert for third a bit further back.
Seagle would charge on to the finish to score the win. On the cool down lap, Sise drove up to the Seagle machine to show his displeasure with the race winning move.
Feature Finish: 1. Brad Seagle, 2. Zach Sise, 3. Jed Emert, 4. Drew Deaver, 5. Zach Shannon, 6. Floyd Self, 7. Shane Taylor, 8. Bubba Long, 9. Adam Mitchell, 10. Brandon Starnes, 11. Jason Sizemore, 12. Grant Corum, 13. James Cole, 14. Walls Ray, 15. Kevin Lewis
