McDowell blisters field for $10,000 ‘Scorcher’ victory at Volunteer Speedway

McDowell blisters field for $10,000 Ultimate Super Late Model Series ‘Scorcher’ victory at Volunteer Speedway By Robert Walden Volunteer Speedway Media/Public Relations BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 17) — If you ask Dale McDowell what he thinks about racing at Volunteer Speedway, he’s liable to tell you he thinks about it being home-turf for him. Because over the years he’s captured several big-purse special event wins at “The Gap.” Before a huge midweek crowd Thursday, the 51-year-old from Chickamauga, Ga., wrote his name in the record book for a second time as winner of the Ultimate Super Late Model Series 13th annual Scorcher for a $10,000 payday. The run to his second $10,000 victory at the track this season was very impressive, as he led from start-to-finish. In preliminary action, Brandon Overton set fast-time overall during qualifying among the 31 entries with a quick lap at 12.098 seconds. McDowell, Casey Roberts, Shanon Buckingham and Ross Bailes won their respective heat races, with Jonathan Davenport and 13-year-old Carder Miller each winning B-mains. McDowell powered into the lead at start of the 50-lap feature over Bailes, Roberts, Buckingham and Dakotah Knuckles. Mike Marlar looked fast early on as he swept by Knuckles to claim fifth on lap 2 which also opened the door for Overton to move in on Knuckles for sixth place. After moving into the top five, Marlar quickly went to work on Buckingham for fourth. Meanwhile, Buckingham, Marlar and Overton were engaged in a fierce battle for position. On lap 12 they went three-wide out of turn four and bounced off of one another on the front straightaway while managing to keep going at full-speed. Ultimately, Marlar would gain the fourth position with Overton also moving around Buckingham. Overton grabbed fourth away from Marlar on lap 18. The first caution flag of the night waved on lap 20. On the ensuing restart, McDowell was able to get away from an intense fight for the positions behind him involving Roberts, Bailes and Overton. Another yellow flag appeared on lap 22. Bailes took advantage of the restart to take second away from Roberts while Marlar and Overton resumed their battle as they disputed the fourth spot. A hard charging Donald McIntosh, who started from the rear of the field moved forward during the race’s first half and pulled himself into a battle for sixth with five-time Volunteer Speedway Super Late Model champion Vic Hill and Jimmy Owens. Overton found trouble on lap 31 as his fourth-running machine banged off of the turn four wall causing damage from a flat right rear tire that ended his night. McIntosh and Owens brought out the event’s final caution of the night on lap 37 when they tangled racing off the fourth turn, with McIntosh getting turned across Owens’ nose into the outside wall while racing for sixth. McIntosh was able to continue while Owens retired from the race. Back under green for a run to the checkered flag, McDowell remained in control driving the Textron...