Volunteer Speedway
Hill tops 10-car field for $5,000 at Bulls Gap
By Robert Walden
Volunteer Speedway
Vic Hill is closing in on 100 career victories at Bulls Gap. (rpmphotos.net)
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (July 9) — If anyone knows the fast-route around the high banks at Volunteer Speedway it’s five-time track champion Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn.. Closing in on 100 career feature victories at the track, the 47-year-old racing veteran Hill added one more notch to his belt along with $5,000 to his bank account by winning Saturday's unsanctioned Summer Sizzler Shootout 50. | Video
”This is what it’s all about – winning,” Hill said after topping a 10-car field. “After running another racing chassis brand for the past several years, back over the winter we switched to running Warrior Race Cars for 2011.
"We’ve really had a good car at most all races this season, but just crazy circumstances have either caused us to have problems or drop out of races. Our race results really aren’t indicative of how well we’ve run. So it’s really a good deal here tonight to be able get the victory."
Eric Jacobsen of Seacliff Beach, Calif., was second followed by fast qualifier Austin Dillon of Lewisville, N.C. Brett Miller of Greeneville, Tenn., and Mark Douglas of Knoxville, Tenn., rounded out the top five in the small field.
Dillon led the opening lap over Hill followed by Jacobsen, Douglas and Miller. Only 10 laps in, Dillon had powered out to 12-length advantage over Hill and Jacobsen, who were battling for second.
Closing to the back of the running order on lap 15 to begin lapping a trio of cars, Dillon got trapped behind them and Hill and Jacobsen quickly closed in. Racing off the fourth turn on lap 16, Hill pulled the trigger and shot past Dillon to take a lead he would never relinquish.
With the race running clean-and-green, Hill began to separate himself some from Dillon and Jacobsen. As the raced reached halfway, Hill was setting a blistering pace in command out front over Dillon, while Jacobsen and Douglas were battling for third.
With 10 laps remaining, Hill was on cruise control, but a lap-45 caution erased Hill’s advantage over Dillon. But Hill stayed in control the rest of the way for the victory.
Notes: Hill's Warrior is powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine and sponsored by Landair Transport, Pilot Travel Centers and Preferred Sandblasting. ... Hill thanked crew member Shawn Gage along with engine-shop employees Jason Lawson, David Smith and Wade Ayers. ... The track drew 41 cars in four divisions, including 10 Super Late Models. ... Dale Ball won the Fastrak-sanctioned Crate Late Model feature. ... Volunteer's specials-only schedule continues July 16 with a $4,000-to-win Ultimate Super Late Model Series event and July 22 for a $5,300-to-win Schaeffer Oil Southern Nationals event.
Summer Sizzler Shootout 50: (1) Vic Hill, (2) Eric Jacobsen, (3) Austin Dillon, (4) Brett Miller, (5) Mark Douglas, (6) Chad Ogle, (7) Kerry Jones, (8) Jeff Neubert, (9) Travis Greer, (10) Bryan Hendrix. Fast qualifier (among 10 cars): Dillon, 12.259 seconds.
