Blount Motorsports teammates Billy Ogle, Jr. and Tommy Kerr talking strategy.
Whenever one of Dirt Late Model racing’s national touring series’ comes to an east Tennessee track it provides fans of the area an opportunity to see drivers who they only get to watch once in a while. At the same time, it provides drivers from the area an opportunity to race against, and potentially beat some of the sport’s best known stars.
That will be the case this Saturday night at the Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. when the World of Outlaws Late Models Series makes their second trip of 2014 to the Volunteer State. Nationally known drivers such as Darrell Lanigan, Rick Eckert, Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith and the 2013 winner of this race, Shane Clanton, will be on hand to take on a number of racers from this area for the first place prize of $10,000.
Among those regional hopefuls will be Maryville-based Blount Motorsports teammates Billy Ogle, Jr. and Tommy Kerr. Both drivers hope to protect their home turf from the traveling invaders.
“It always pumps me up when I get to race against the best because that kind of measures where you’re at,” Ogle said in a recent interview. “I’ve always felt like we’ve been able to line up against the Lucas guys or the World of Outlaws guys. I know I’ve got the car. (Team owner)Larry Garner gives us the tools to win races. It’s just up to us. He buys whatever we would need or whatever it would take. He gives us what we need to get the job done, and it’s my job to get the car up front. I’ve got a good crew. I feel like we’ve got what it takes.”
Ogle believes that familiarity with the unique tracks of east Tennessee offers a distinct advantage to racers from this area when those marauders come to town. As a matter of fact, he used that familiarity to beat back the top drivers of the Lucas Oil Late Models Dirt Series in the 2012 ‘Scorcher’ at the Volunteer Speedway. Furthermore, east Tennessee standout Mike Marlar won in Tazewell when the World of Outlaws last visited the area.
“We’re lucky to have the tracks that we have,” Ogle declared. “I think east Tennessee has probably got the best tracks in the country as far as all those red clays around. I definitely think it’s an advantage to get to race close to home when these guys show up. They probably don’t see high banks like what we see. The Outlaws in particular see a lot of black racing surfaces and it’s a different style of driving. I struggle a little bit with that when I go run those places. I definitely like running the banked clay tracks the most.”
Ogle and Kerr each hope to run up front this Saturday night.
Kerr shares the viewpoint of his Blount Motorsports teammate when it comes to racing against touring series drivers and teams.
“When those guys come in to our home town it just makes you want to strive that much harder to race with them and outrun them,” Kerr said. “When those guys come through the gate at one of our local tracks, I’m sure they know there are some drivers around here they’ll have to work hard to beat. Billy Ogle, Tommy Kerr, Vic Hill and lot more of these guys that run around here every week know these tracks and how to get around.”
But Kerr points out that this area is not unique when it comes to local drivers wanting to beat the biggest names in the sport of Dirt Late Model racing. The nationally known stars wear a target on their backs wherever they go.
“Whether those guys run at Eldora or West Plains, Missouri or wherever they know there are some locals who are looking to beat them,” the Maryville native said. “And it can be done. Billy won that Lucas Oil race at Bulls Gap a couple of years ago.”
Kerr has had his own moments in terms of beating drivers considered to be at the top of the sport.
“A few years ago when I won that Ray Cook deal(2009 Southern Nationals) at Bulls Gap, Jimmy Owens ran second to me and Scott Bloomquist was there as well. That was a big highlight of my career to win a race against those guys.”
But winning isn’t the only measure of success when racing against the regulars of the World of Outlaws Late Models Series or either of the other national tours.
“When those guys come in, you just try to do your very best,” Kerr explained. “If you can get a top-10 finish with them, you’ve accomplished something. And if your luck is right, you might get a top-5 or a top-3. That’s something that motivates every local driver. If you can run with them and be competitive, it helps your program.
