Lowe, Maupin, Rickett, Cobb visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway

Lowe, Maupin, Rickett, Cobb visit victory lane at Volunteer Speedway By Robert Walden Volunteer Speedway Media/Public Relations BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Sept. 24, 2016) — On a day when many people were paying attention to a big Southeastern Conference rivalry football game being played in Knoxville between the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida Gators (which the Vols won by score of 38-28), a good crowd came out for an exciting night of dirt-track racing Saturday at Volunteer Speedway. Barrett Lowe of Fletcher, N.C., had come oh-so-close to getting his first career Steel Head Late Model win back in mid-summer. He had set fast-time in qualifying and led the whole race, right up to the final lap in the fourth turn with the checkered flag in sight, when what appeared to be a sure victory was taken from his grasp. But the 26-year-old grandson of former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman/Busch Series driver Boscoe Lowe learned a very valuable lesson in racing that night – it’s never over until it’s over. Once again Lowe was fastest in qualifying for tonight’s 30-lap feature, and at drop of the green he powered out into the lead over Chris Chandler and Chris Barton. With the race running caution-free, Lowe was setting a blistering pace out front and pulling away from those behind him in pursuit. With Chandler and Barton working to get around the slower car of Jason Bowers on lap 16, both Barton and Bobby Mays got around Chandler. But Barton’s strong run ended on lap 20 when smoke began coming out from underneath his car and he pulled into the pits, thus putting Mays in the second spot followed by Chandler. Chandler got back around Mays for second on lap 21, but there would be no catching Lowe out front. Lowe cruised to victory over Chandler, with Ellery Leake, Mays and John Tweed rounding out the top five finishers. The 2016 racing season has been one of change for Tim Maupin of Johnson City, as the 2014 Volunteer Speedway Crate Late Model champion left his former team back at the first of May. Contemplating what direction he wanted to take with his racing going forward, after talking with his father (Tim Maupin Sr.), father-in-law (Dale Ball, five-time Volunteer Speedway Late Model champion) and sponsors, the 33-year-old bought his own ride to campaign. Right off with the new car the results were promising, and over the past three races Maupin had reeled off two runner-up finishes and one third-place run. Maupin set fast-time in Sportsman Late Model qualifying in a field of 26 competitors, with Heath Alvey second quickest to nail down the outside front row starting berth in the 25-lap feature. Maupin grabbed the lead on the start over Alvey and Jensen Ford. While both Alvey and Ford were having good runs, Maupin was on a mission out front as he quickly began to put some distance between himself and his closest challengers. But neither Alvey or Ford would be around for the finish as...