Byrd, Lewelling, Owens, Chesney, Henry visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway

Byrd, Lewelling, Owens, Chesney, Henry visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway By Robert Walden Volunteer Speedway – Media/Public Relations BULLS GAP, Tenn. (July 7, 2018) — The weather around East Tennessee over the past couple of weeks has been hot and dry, with temperatures in the 90s. But rain moved into the region mid-afternoon Friday and then continued overnight into Saturday morning, threatening to wash out racing at Volunteer Speedway. Track promoter Mitch McCarter is widely known and appreciated among fans and competitors for his willingness to hold racing if at all possible. Following all the rain that had fallen, just call the track crew magicians, because they worked their “magic” into getting the racing surface prepared throughout the daytime for racing on the high banks. Great fields of cars were present, with 26 Crate Late Model, 25 Sportsman Late Model, 18 Modified Street, and 13 Classics to entertain the good crowd in the grandstands. Tim Byrd of Jonesborough captured the Crate Late Model victory, while Bradley Lewelling of Knoxville recorded the Sportsman Late Model win. Jimmy Owens of Newport captured the Modified Street win, while Josh Chesney of Maynardville recorded the Classic victory, with Shawn Henry of Newport taking the 602 Street win. Three-time Crate Late Model track champion Tim Byrd was fastest on the clock at 13.919 seconds to earn the pole starting position, with current point leader Trevor Sise second quickest at 13.940. Byrd powered out into the lead on the start over Michael Courtney, Sise, Jensen Ford and Ahnna Parkhurst. Ford passed Sise for third on lap 3 and began working on Courtney for second place. Racing off the fourth turn on lap 8, Ford drove past Courtney and set his sights ahead on leader Byrd. Just outside of the top five in the running order, a whole gaggle of cars were battling for position racing two- and three-wide from fifth-place on back involving Jason Welshan, Ross White, Greg Martin, Adam Tolliver, Chase King, Josh Henry, Jason Cardwell, Ryan King, Rusty Ballenger, Bobby Mays, Andy Ogle, Chris Chandler and Gary Crittenden. Courtney dropped out while running in fourth, and while Welshan, White and Martin worked their way into the top five, the race for the win was between Byrd and Ford. Byrd has been fast this year, but due to circumstances with the car the results just weren’t up to his standard.  The race was Bryd’s to win, but should he make the slightest mistake Ford was waiting to pounce and capitalize. But the seasoned veteran Byrd stayed out front and captured his first win of the season over Ford, Welshan, White and Martin. Completing the top 10 finishers were Chase King, Henry, Sise, Cardwell and Ryan King. Zach Sise was fastest in Sportsman Late Model qualifying at 14.007 and Heath Alvey stopped the clocks second-quickest at 14.168. Sise jumped out to lead at the start over Bradley Lewelling, Jed Emert, Alvey and Dale Ball. The event’s first caution waved on lap 3 for a multi-car...