BULLS GAP, Tenn. – Apr. 22, 2017 – The Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV will make up the Fifth Annual Scott Sexton Memorial on Friday Night April 28th at the McCarter Family-promoted Volunteer Speedway. After afternoon rains knocked out racing action on April 22nd, track and series officials agreed to run the event on Friday Night April 28th. This event will set up a twin-bill of Super Late Model action in East-Tennessee as Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. will host a $7,500-to-win show on Saturday Night April 29th.
On Friday Night April 28th at Volunteer Speedway, the Crate Late Models ($1,500-to-win), Sportsman ($800-to-win) and Modified Streets ($700-to-win) will all be on the racing card. The pit gates open at 4:00 pm and the grandstand gates open at 5:00 pm while the drivers meeting will be at 7:15 pm with hot laps to follow. Adult grandstand admission is $25.00 while adult pit passes are $40.00. This will mark the seventh visit of the series to Volunteer Speedway, the most of any track on the tour. Previous Spring Nationals Series winners to The Gap include Dale McDowell and John Blankenship (2013), Jimmy Owens and Chris Madden (2014) & Mike Marlar and Chris Madden (2016).
This prestigious event on Friday Night, which is a must-see event for all race fans in the East Tennessee area, is being held in the memory of the late Scott Sexton, a mainstay in the East Tennessee racing scene for more than 25 years, who passed away in January 2013 at just 46 years of age. Scott began his racing career at the tender age of 6. Sexton was an 8-time World Karting Association World Champion before moving into Dirt Late Models in 1986, where he quickly became a fan favorite around East Tennessee, earning the nickname “Superman”. Between 1995 and 2005, Sexton won 10 SAS tour events between Atomic Speedway and Volunteer Speedway, and was the track champion in 1991 and 1995 at Volunteer Speedway, along with garnering many other special event wins. Scott was known as one of the most fan-friendly drivers in the area, always participating in charitable events and usually donating his winning trophies to children at the track. Sexton will always be remembered for giving back to the sport he loved so much.
Previous Scott Sexton Memorial winners include Chris Madden (2013), Brad Neat (2014), Ray Cook (2015) and Ricky Weiss (2016). The 2016 event saw Headingly, Manitoba, Canada’s Ricky Weiss take the $3,052 prize during the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Series sanctioned race over Shanon Buckingham, Skylar Marlar, David Payne and Stacy Boles.
Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga. currently leads the strong contingent of series regulars into this weekend’s events with a 24-point lead over Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Ga. Michael Chilton of Salvisa, Ky. is third in the series points, Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn. is fourth in the tour’s point standings while Ricky Weiss of Headingly, Manitoba, Canada is fifth. Robby Moses, Mike Marlar and Jason Croft round out the top-eight in the standings.
Friday’s Scott Sexton Memorial at Volunteer Speedway will feature Practice, Time Trials, Heat Races, Consolation Races and the 52-lap main event. The entry fee is $100 at all series events plus transponder rental that will be used to time and score the cars (per series rules). The tire rule for the Volunteer Speedway event will be as follows: Hoosier- 1350, 1600 and American Racer 48, 56. Tires will also be checked for soaking and by durometer for hardness before each car goes on the track for qualifying or any racing action.
The car and driver weight rules for this event will be as follows: 2350 lbs. for an Open Motor, 2300 lbs. for a Steel Block/Aluminum Head – Spec Motor Only (8″ spoiler allowed, 12″ sides), 2250 lbs. for a CT525 Motor (8″ spoiler allowed) and 2250 lbs. for an all Steel Motor or Crate Motor (8″ spoiler allowed, 12″ sides). There will be a pound per lap burnoff plus 5 lbs. in Heats, Last Chance races and in the Feature.
Directions to Volunteer Speedway: South on Interstate 81 from Tennessee/Virginia state lines, take Exit 23 (Bulls Gap/Greeneville), then turn right onto Hwy. 11-E at bottom of the exit ramp. Look for track entrance approximately 200 yards on left. North on Interstate 81 from I-81/I-40 split (East of Knoxville, TN), take Exit 23, then turn left onto Hwy. 11-E at bottom of the exit ramp. Continue underneath the interstate over-pass and track entrance approximately 300 yards ahead on left.
For more information on Volunteer Speedway, please call the track at (423) 235-5020, General Manager at (865) 257-7223 or log on to www.VolunteerSpeedway.com .
Further information on the Spring Nationals, Southern Nationals and Southern Nationals Bonus Series can be obtained by calling Promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353 or Series P.R. Coordinator Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or visit the official website located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com .
Volunteer Speedway Purse (52 laps): 1) $10,052, 2) $5,000, 3) $2,500, 4) $2,000, 5) $1,500, 6) $1,100, 7) $1,000, 8) $950, 9) $900, 10) $850, 11) $800, 12) $750, 13) $650, 14) $600, 15) $550, 16) $530, 17) $520, 18) $500, 19) $500, 20) $500, 21) $500, 22) $500.
Current Spring Nationals Series Points (after April 15th)
1. Brandon Overton-786 (Evans, GA)
2. Donald McIntosh-762 (Dawsonville, GA)
3. Michael Chilton-740 (Salvisa, KY)
4. Shanon Buckingham-698 (Morristown, TN)
5. Ricky Weiss-694 (Headingly, Manitoba, Canada)
6. Robby Moses-656 (Maryville, TN)
7. Mike Marlar-580 (Winfield, TN)
8. Jason Croft-488 (Woodstock, GA)
9. Dale McDowell-390 (Chickamauga, GA)
10. Michael Page-384 (Douglasville, GA)
10. Casey Roberts-384 (Toccoa, GA)
Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Winners:
Michael Page (Douglasville, GA) March 24th at Senoia Raceway
Donald McIntosh (Dawsonville, GA) March 25th at Senoia Raceway
Brandon Overton (Evans, GA) April 14th at Ponderosa Speedway
Brandon Overton (Evans, GA) April 15th at Florence Speedway
Upcoming Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Events:
Friday April 28-Volunteer Speedway-Bulls Gap, TN-$10,052 to win
Thursday May 4-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-$15,000 to win
Friday May 19-Crossville Speedway-Crossville, TN-$4,000 to win
Friday May 26-Boyd’s Speedway-Ringgold, GA-$4,000 to win
Saturday May 27-Dixie Speedway-Woodstock, GA-$5,000 to win
Sunday May 28-Rome Speedway-Rome, GA-$6,000 to win
-Michael Despain contributed to this article-
