Jimmy Owens took the lead with just three laps remaining
Jimmy Owens made the most of racing close to home this weekend. After earning a second place finish on Friday night in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at 411 Motor Speedway the No. 20 Ramirez Motorsports team took on the WoO Late Model regulars along with some high profile drop-ins at the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. Trailing series points leader Chris Madden most of the way, Owens secured the victory with a slide job pass late in the going and collected $10,000 for his efforts.
It was Owens second WoO Late Models triumph of 2018. He collected $25,000 for winning at Fayetteville(NC) Motor Speedway earlier this season.
Madden led the way in qualifying by touring the 4/10 mile clay oval in 13.085 seconds. That bettered the efforts of Owens, Michael Chilton, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Ferguson and David Breazeale.
Madden won the first heat race of the evening by beating out Brandon Sheppard, Mike Marlar and Brent Larson while Owens took the win in the night’s second preliminary ahead of Chase Junghans, Ferguson and Rick Eckert.
Chilton beat out Dale McDowell, Breazeale and Casey Roberts to capture the third and final heat race of the night.
Chilton was awarded the pole position via the WoO Late Models redraw with Madden, Owens, Sheppard, McDowell and Junghans lining up in his wake.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it would be Chilton who shot out to the early lead with Madden, Owens, Sheppard and McDowell trailing. McDowell quickly challenged Sheppard for the fourth position while at the same time Marlar and Junghans wrestled for sixth place.
By lap 7 Madden was ready to assert himself as he began to challenge Chilton for the top spot as Owens lurked just behind the lead duo waiting to strike. Finally on lap 13 Chilton surrendered the lead to Madden. Just one lap later Owens and Sheppard split Chilton with one going high and the other low to shuffle the pole sitter back two more positions.
McDowell(17) and Sheppard do battle on the high banks
The race would ultimately run caution free which meant that the leaders would be forced to combat slower traffic much of the way. That in turn kept the front runners tightly bunched throughout the second half of the feature.
McDowell began to flex his muscle on lap 18 when he passed by Chilton to take fourth and then two laps later when he sailed by Sheppard for the third spot.
Just past the halfway point, Owens began a harassment of Madden that would last for most of the remainder of the race. For that matter, the top-5 of Madden, Owens, McDowell, Chilton and Sheppard would not lose contact with one another for the rest of the way.
Owens and Madden race in tight quarters at Volunteer
With just three laps remaining, the time finally came for Owens to make his move. As the cars roared into turn one, the No. 20 machine executed a bold slide job maneuver that garnered Owens the lead of the race. Madden was unable to retaliate which left the ‘Newport Nightmare’ alone to thunder under the checkered flag.
Feature Finish: 1. Jimmy Owens, 2. Chris Madden, 3. Dale McDowell, 4. Michael Chilton, 5. Brandon Sheppard, 6. Chase Junghans, 7. Mike Marlar, 8. Casey Roberts, 9. Shanon Buckingham, 10. Chris Ferguson, 11. Shane Clanton, 12. Tyler Erb, 13. Cory Hedgecock, 14. Brent Larson, 15. David Breazeale, 16. Rick Eckert, 17. Devin Moran, 18. Benji Hicks, 19. Chicky Barton, 20. Morgan Bagley, 21. Robby Moses, 22. Chad Ogle, 23. Ray Cook, 24. Brandon Overton
Owens in victory lane
