Jimmy Owens scored a home state win at SMS
Coming home to east Tennessee seems to always serve Jimmy Owens well and Friday night was no exception as the popular star drove to a World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series feature win at Smoky Mountain Speedway.
The Rocket Chassis driver from Newport, Tennessee earned $10,000 for his victory at the Maryville, Tennessee track.
A total of 31 cars were signed in for competition.
Qualifying Results: 1. Ryan Gustin(15.937), 2. Ricky Weiss, 3. Tanner English, 4. Brandon Overton, 5. Max Blair, 6. Chris Ferguson, 7. Dale McDowell, 8. Jimmy Owens, 9. Josh Richards, 10. Shane Clanton
Heat 1 Results: 1. Ryan Gustin, 2. Shane Clanton, 3. Dale McDowell, 4. Dennis Erb Jr., 5. John Blankenship, 6. Taylor Pucket
Heat 2 Results: 1. Jimmy Owens, 2. Ricky Weiss, 3. Hudson O’Neal, 4. Max Blair, 5. Payton Freeman, 6. Boom Briggs
Heat 3 Results: 1. Chris Ferguson, 2. Cory Hedgecock, 3. Tanner English, 4. Josh Richards, 5. Cameron Weaver, 6. Skip Arp
Last Chance Showdown Results: 1. Sam Seawright, 2. Brent Larson, 3. Brandon Overton 4. Dwight Falcon
WoO Redraw Results: 1. Owens, 2. Ferguson, 3. Clanton, 4. Weiss, 5. Hedgecock, 6. Gustin
Feature Re-cap: At the start of the 40-lap feature it was Owens who bolted to the front of the pack with Clanton, Ferguson, Hedgecock and Weiss following in his tire tracks. However, a lap 2 caution for a multi-car tangle that involved Weiss, McDowell, Gustin, O’Neal and Hedgecock with the caution being called on Weiss which placed all others back in their spots.
When the racing action resumed, series points leader Erb closed in to fight with Ferguson for fifth. Ferguson held the position while further ahead it was O’Neal who would take third away from Hedgecock on lap 5. Soon after, Ferguson moved around Hedgecock for fourth.
At the front of the field, Owens had begun to pull away until he encountered slower traffic which allowed second-running Clanton to close in just before a lap 15 yellow flag waved. On the restart, O’Neal blasted to second as Erb would soon rise to fifth.
Owens had built a lead of more than a straightaway by the halfway point while Erb, Hedgecock, Blair, English and Freeman were engaged in a fierce fight for positions at the back of the top-10.
On lap 29, Owens had a close call when a slower car he was lapping squeezed him into the outside wall at the flagstand. That brief mishap allowed O’Neal to close in until the No. 71 would bang the outside wall in turn four one lap later after appearing to have a tire go down.
O’Neal’s trouble lifted Ferguson to the runner-up spot for the lap 30 restart. However, Owens would jump out to a lead of approximately 10 car lengths and hold that advantage until he sailed under the checkered flag to score the victory.
Click on the play button below to hear our post-race interview with Jimmy Owens.
Feature Results: 1. Jimmy Owens, 2. Chris Ferguson, 3. Max Blair, 4. Dennis Erb Jr., 5. Ryan Gustin, 6. Cory Hedgecock, 7. Tanner English, 8. Josh Richards, 9. Boom Briggs, 10. Brandon Overton, 11. Payton Freeman, 12. Brent Larson, 13. Dwight Falcon, 14. Taylor Pucket, 15. Hudson O’Neal, 16. Shane Clanton, 17. John Blankenship, 18. Cameron Weaver, 19. Sam Seawright, 20. Ricky Weiss, 21. Skip Arp, 22. Dale McDowell
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