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Hot action and hot stars in “The Scorcher”
By admin | August 22, 2008
By Richard Allen
Some of the biggest names in racing made their way to the Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee on Thursday for the second of the two nights which made up “The Scorcher presented by Alltel Wireless”.
There was plenty of excitement even before the racing action began as fans who arrived early were treated to a parade of helicopters which ferried the likes of Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, legendary car owner Richard Childress and driver Clint Bowyer to the east Tennessee track.
Not to be outdone, some of the nation’s most prominent dirt track stars paraded into the speedway with an impressive array of haulers. Among these drivers was the winner from the previous night, Newport’s Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Shane Clanton, and Childress’ grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon.
The action only got better once the racing began.
A full field of 26 cars competed in the Crate Late Model division. Ty Dillon held off his fellow Richard Childress Racing development driver Ryan Gifford to claim victory in the 25 lap race. It was his second win in as many nights on the high banked dirt track. The younger of the Dillon brothers celebrated by receiving a hug from his famous grandfather in victory lane.
After single car runs for qualifying and a series of heat races and a B-main race the field of 27 cars was set for the 60 lap feature, “The Scorcher presented by Alltel Wireless”, for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
The Wednesday night winner of the two night series, Jimmy Owens, was unable to race on Thursday due to mechanical problems incurred during qualifying. However, with the likes of Newman, Bloomquist, Clanton and others, the field was not short on star power.
The car #44 driven by Chris Madden took the early lead in the feature race but was passed by Clanton before the halfway point. The Locust Grove, Georgia driver found the track to his liking as he drove on to the win, followed by Wisconsin’s Brady Smith and New Yorker Tim Fuller. As for east Tennessee drivers, Bloomquist of Mooresburg finished 6th and Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville came home 7th.
Ryan Newman managed only a 21st place result.
Clanton had finished 3rd on Wednesday night to give him the best average finish over the two nights.
Richard Allen is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association. His weekly column appears in The Mountain Press every Wednesday.
Topics: ET Racing |
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