BULLS GAP, Tenn. — With COVID-19 restrictions eased in Tennessee, Volunteer Speedway opened the gates in impressive fashion Friday night, with a big crowd present for the start to 47th exciting season of dirt-track racing on the legendary high banks.
One of the track’s largest car counts (143) ever assembled in the pits for the second annual Mayhem in the Mountains, a doubleheader showcasing the American Crate All-Star Series presented by PPM Racing Products and Topless Outlaws Dirt Late Model Series.
The nearly packed grandstands were treated to some awesome racing action, with a couple of Knoxville drivers finding their way to victory lane. Michael Courtney earned $2,500 for his Topless Outlaws win and Trevor Sise pocketed $2,000 for the American Crate All-Star triumph.
Cory Hedgecock was fastest in Topless Outlaws qualifying at 12.742 seconds, but following draw for starting positions among the top six qualifiers Mack McCarter and Jed Emert led the 23-car starting field to green from the front row.
Emert took the lead over McCarter and Hedgecock but caution quickly waved on the third lap when Jason Trammell and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame driver Ronnie Johnson got together and spun at exit of the fourth turn onto the front straightaway. During the caution period McCarter pulled into the pits with power steering issues.
Attempting to get the race back under green, the caution waved before one lap could be completed when Ryan King spun off turn four.
Finally back up to speed, Emert led Hedgecok, Austin Neely, David Crabtree and Chase King. Hedgecock was pressuring Emert for the point and between turns three and four on lap 12 he made pass for the lead. The event’s third caution waved on lap 18 for a three-car incident collecting Jason Cardwell, Jason Manley and Clyde Overholt, ending each driver’s race. King also pulled into the pits with issues.
With a clear view ahead Hedgecock began clicking off some very fast lap times to allow him to pull out to almost a half-straightaway advantage over Emert and Neely. But behind the front-running trio attention was being focused on Courtney as he was working his way to the front after starting 13th.
The 29-year-old Courtney was up-on-the-wheel getting around Kenny Collins for fifth on lap 21 and on the following circuit passing Crabtree for the fourth spot. Next in his sights was Neely and he quickly disposed of him and then zeroed in on Emert. After overtaking Emert he began to reel in leader Hedgecock.
Courtney closed in behind Hedgecock on lap 30 and started to feel him out. Getting a strong run off (turn) two down the backstretch on lap 35, Courtney drove deep into turn three inside of Hedgecock to take the lead.
Courtney would not be denied a trip to victory lane as he captured the win over Hedgecock, Neely, Collins and Crabtree. Completing the top 10 finishers were Jesse Lowe, Derick Quade, Drew Kennedy, Aaron Guinn and Emert.
The American Crate All-Star Series saw their largest car count ever with 49 competitors’ signing-in.
It was a drag race between Hedgecock, who was doing double duty, and Ford down the front straightaway with the green flag waving as they battled for the lead. Back around to the stripe completing the first lap Hedgecock led Ford, Williams, Sise and White.
Sise passed Williams for third just three laps in racing off turn two. Eighth-starting Beets got around White for the fifth spot on lap four. By lap 10 the front-running trio of Hedgecock, Ford and Sise had caught tail of the field to start lapping. Sise used the slower cars to his advantage and passed Ford for second on lap 14.
Josh Henry was on a mission from his 12th starting spot. White and Henry drove around Williams on lap 15 racing off the fourth turn, advancing into the fourth and fifth positions and dropping Williams back to sixth in the running order. Caution waved on lap 21 when Anthony White slowed with a flat tire high in the fourth turn.
Going back green Hedgecock was all alone out front, with Sise and Ford side-by-side behind the leader. With the field back up to speed Hedgecock was on the point followed by Sise, Ford, Henry and Ross White.
Hedgecock had his hands full with archrival Sise and on lap 18, the 24-year-old South Doyle High School graduate Sise pulled the trigger and passed Hedgecock for a lead he would never relinquish. The quartet of Sise, Hedgecock, Ford and Henry were right together, setting a blistering pace around “The Gap.”
With Sise in command out front, the battle for second between Hedgecock, Ford and Henry was worth the price of admission. Caution waved on lap 28 for Tim Maupin after contact from Clay Coghlan forced him into the backstretch wall. The 2014 track champion Maupin came to a stop near the turn three pit gate.
On the restart, Sise powered back out ahead, with Ford getting advantage over Hedgecock to move into second. A strong run for Henry ended on lap 33 when his car suddenly (jumped) out of gear on the front straightaway.
Carson Ferguson slammed wide-open into back of Henry entering the first turn, sending Henry careening hard into the outside guardrail. Both Henry and Ferguson’s race cars sustained significant damage. The red flag stopped the race so emergency and track personnel could quickly get to Henry and Ferguson. After both drivers had a few moments to collect their thoughts and catch their breath, they were able to climb from their cars to cheers from the crowd.
The field was poised for a seven-lap sprint to the finish. Just as he had done on previous restarts, Sise smashed the loud pedal as the green flag waved. Behind him Hedgecock took second over Ford. That’s how they would finish the race with 2018 Crate Late Model track champion Sise capturing the $2,000 win. Coming home in the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, were Beets and Ross White.