April 25
Smoky Mountain Speedway,
Maryville, TN
Sanction: Schaeffer's Spring Nationals (Tennessee Tipoff Classic) - $6,000
Information provided by: Richard Allen and series reports (last updated April 27, 10:39 am)
Roberts ascends Smoky Mountain, earns $6,000
Tennessee Tipoff Classic
- Casey Roberts
- Jimmy Owens
- Dale McDowell
- Mike Marlar
- Chris Madden
- Donald McIntosh
- Billy Ogle Jr.
- Roger Best
- Jeff Wolfenbarger
- Mark Dotson
- Joey Coulter
- Ryan King
- Stacy Boles
- Skylar Marlar
- Tommy Kerr
- Chris Wilson
- Chad Ogle
- David Payne
- Skip Arp
- David Crabtree
- Mark Vineyard
- Jason Welshan
- Austin Smith
presented by
Michael Moats/mrmracing.net
Casey Roberts (101) battles with Tommy Kerr (4T) on the first lap.
What won the race: Polesitter Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga., held off Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., on Saturday at Smoky Mountain Speedway as the Old Man’s Garage Spring Nationals finally outlasted the weather. Roberts, who took the lead from outside front-row starter Tommy Kerr on the 11th lap amid traffic, earned $6,000 for his fourth special event victory of the season while the rain-plagued Ray Cook-promoted tour completed its first race after eight attempts.
Quotable: "I'd like to thank Randy Weaver for not coming tonight," Roberts said in victory lane. Weaver won Friday's Southern All Star race at Smoky Mountain for his sixth victory in six 2015 starts, but decided to head home instead of entering Saturday's race.
Key notes: Roberts has two career Spring Nationals victories; the first came in 2013 at Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C. ... Four cautions flew at Smoky Mountain, the first on lap 19; another on lap 42 when Kerr was knocked from contention with a flat tire; on lap 44 for Stacy Boles; and finally on the lap-44 restart for a Skylar Marlar-Mark Dotson incident. ... Runner-up Jimmy Owens arrived at Smoky Mountain after the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rainout in Hagerstown, Md.; he went to a backup car after having engine problems in hot laps. ... Chris Madden had a flat tire in time trials, leaving him with a seventh-row starting spot in the feature. ... Joey Coulter hit the wall in time trials but was able to tag the tail for the feature. ... A $1,500-to-win Crate Late Model event is on the undercard.
On the move: Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., rallied from 13th to finish fifth.
Winner's sponsors: Roberts's Jim and Ann Cushman-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Custom Race Engine and carries sponsorship from Cushman Paint & Body, Hoosier Racing Tire, M&S Concrete, Schaeffer Oil, Starrette Trucking and VP Racing Fuels.
Car count: 23
Fast qualifier: Mike Marlar
Time: 16.533 seconds
Polesitter: Casey Roberts
Dash winner: Casey Roberts
Consolation race winners: Jimmy Owens, Dale McDowell
Provisional starters: Joey Coulter
Next series race: May 1, Cleveland Speedway (Cleveland, TN) $4,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.
