Volunteer Speedway
Kerr dukes it out for $3,000 Volunteer victory
By Robert Walden
Volunteer Speedway
Tommy Kerr shows off his winning belt. (mrmracing.net)
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (May 8) — Neither threatening nearby weather nor a stellar field of competitors could stop Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., at Volunteer Speedway as he raced to a $3,000 victory during the track's Friday Night Fights weekly event. | Tennessee's weekly results | Slideshow
Kerr inherited the lead on the sixth lap when Rick Rogers of Knoxville, Tenn., was caught up in a tangle of lapped cars and led the rest of the 50-lapper. Fast qualifier Chad Ogle of Sevierville, Tenn., was second followed by 15th starting Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn. David Crabtree of Maryville and Rodney Kiker of Greeneville, Tenn., rounded out the top five.
Rogers jumped out early on Kerr, but the slower cars of Bryan Hendrix and Jeff Neubert got together directly in front of the leaders in turn two, forcing Rogers to loop his mount to avoid making contact. The leader was sent to the tail, putting Kerr out front followed by Ogle, Joe Armes, Shon Flanary and Crabtree.
Kerr kept Ogle at bay the rest of the way for the victory, working through lapped traffic to keep his edge in the final laps.
Armes slowed to bring out a lap-nine caution and fell from contention and Flanary lost third after a tangle with Crabtree on a lap-nine restart. Hill picked up 12 spots in the event, overtaking Mark Vineyard and Crabtree in the final five laps to grab third.
Notes: Kerr's Rocket Chassis has a Custom Race Engine and sponsorship from Turner Industrial Supply, Explosive Specialists, Stowers CAT and Insurance Partners. ... The track's Super Late Model division is sponsored by TSC Cars. ... Drivers failing to make the feature lineup: John Tweed, Brandon James, Larry Blankenship and Daniel Baggerly. ... Jerry Broyles of Jonesborough, Tenn., won the Crate feature. ... The next Friday Night Fights at Volunteer is May 15 with another $3,000-to-win Super Late Model feature.
Friday Night Fights: (1) Tommy Kerr, (2) Chad Ogle, (3) Vic Hill, (4) David Crabtree, (5) Rodney Kiker, (6) Mark Vineyard, (7) Brandon Kinzer, (8) Michael Smith, (9) Dale Ball, (10) Shannon Thornsberry, (11) Kerry Jones, (12) Rick Rogers, (13) Chris Chandler, (14) Jeff Neubert, (15) Shon Flanary, (16) Joe Armes, (17) Anthony White, (18) Brad Coffey, (19) Steve Smith, (20) Chris Meadows, (21) Bryan Hendrix, (22) Jeff Maupin, (23) Mike Hill, (24) Randy Weaver. Fast qualifier (among 28 cars): Ogle, 12.530 seconds. Consolation winner: Smith.
