Forrest Trent was the winner in the Crate LM feature at Volunteer.
Not only was there a $4,000-to-win Steelhead Championship race as part of Volunteer Speedway’s ‘King of the Gap’ show on Friday night, but there were also features contested among the Crate Late Models and the Modified Hobby classes. Forrest Trent and Jamie Whitt emerged from those events with victories after the action had settled in Bulls Gap.
Jason Welshan has been dominant this season all over east Tennessee in the Crate Late Model division and it looked as if that might continue on this night. The Maryville driver posted the overall fastest time in qualifying with a lap of 13.586 seconds around the third-mile facility. However, Welshan would not be allowed to start any better than sixth due to the fact that he had won three consecutive features at Volunteer.
As a result of Welshan’s setback, the third qualifying Trent was elevated to the front row on the starting grid alongside Tim Byrd. Brad Coffey, Jerry Broyles and Keith Chapman rounded out the top-5 starters.
At the start of the 25-lap feature, Trent immediately bolted to the lead and set sail away from the pack. At the same time, a furious battle was joined behind him as Byrd bobbled at the drop of the green flag and fell to 6th right away.
Meanwhile, Welshan immediately began to move forward as he assumed the 3rd spot by the end of the fourth lap. Also, Broyles and Coffey moved into challenging positions. On more than one occasion during the main event, Broyles, Coffey and Welshan went three-wide for 2nd while Trent continued to motor away from the battle.
Only one caution(lap 20) interrupted the action. But once the green was shown again, Trent’s dominance continued and the battle for second raged on with plenty of paint swapping among four tightly bunched cars taking place.
At the finish, it was Forrest Trent, Brad Coffey, Jason Welshan, Tim Byrd, Jerry Broyles, Keith Chapman, Tim Maupin and Brian Courtney.
Jamie Whitt took the checkered flag in the Modified Hobby feature.
In the Modified Hobby class, former track champion Jamie Whitt proved to be the man to beat although it was Robbie Buchanan who would post the fastest speed in qualifying with a lap of 15.381 seconds on the high banks. Chris Rickett, Chad Manning and Gary Blanken rounded out the top-5 in time-trials.
The feature provided some great racing late in the going as Whitt and Rickett raced side-by-side for multiple laps as they battled for the win with Brad Davis and Dave Smith keeping watch just behind the lead duo.
At the finish, it was Jamie Whitt collecting the win with Chris Rickett coming home second ahead of Brad Davis, Dave Smith and Kaleb Trent.
