Volunteer Speedway
Martin pockets $5,000 for Volunteer victory
By Robert Walden and Richard Allen
DirtonDirt.com correspondents
Mark Martin salutes the Volunteer crowd. (Chad Wells)
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 16) — On a night when the pits were crowded with 51 drivers, fast qualifier Mark Martin of Baxter, Tenn., came out on top Friday at Volunteer Speedway’s Steel Head Late Model Championship presented by Vic Hill Racing Engines. Martin earned $5,000 for the 40-lap victory. | Slideshow
“This is the first time I’ve come to a racetrack in a long time where I didn’t have to do anything,” the winner said in his postrace interview. “I just told them (his crew) what I wanted and they gave it to me.”
Martin took the checkers ahead of Ethan Hunter of Tiger, Ga., while Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., finished third. Ross White of Knoxville, Tenn., and Matt Henderson of Loudon rounded out the top five finishers.
Martin took command at the outset with Hunter, White, Hedgecock and Henderson in hot pursuit. Martin’s bright silver machine used the high line on both ends of the track to stretch out a relatively comfortable lead as the race ran caution-free through the early laps.
However, Hunter, White and Hedgecock were able to close down on the leader as traffic became a factor after 15 laps. Nonetheless, Martin was able to maintain the lead as those cars being lapped gave way to the frontrunners.
Cautions on lap 24 and lap 26 bunched the field, but also removed the threat of race traffic, allowing Martin to jump out on the ensuing restarts and build a working margin over the field which he would never give up.
Notes: Martin’s No. 90 is sponsored by Total Control, Vic Hill Racing Engines and Old Man’s Garage. ... The event was co-promoed by engine builder Vic Hill and Volunteer Speedway owners Joe and Phyllis Loven. ... Sixteen drivers were locked into starting spots through time trials while consolation races set the rest of the 24-car field. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Ruben Mayfield, Chris Chandler, Jason Welshan, Mark Leach, Mike Smith, Heath Hindman, Shannon Bearden, Roger Best, Anthony Arnwine, Perry Delaney, Brad Hall and Greg Estes. ... Volunteer’s turnaround is brief before the Aug. 22 Scorcher, a $10,000-to-win even on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
Steel Head Late Model Championship presented by Vic Hill Racing Engines: (1) Mark Martin, (2) Ethan Hunter, (3) Cory Hedgecock, (4) Ross White, (5) Matt Henderson, (6) Mack McCarter, (7) Trevor Sise, (8) Anthony White, (9) Josh Henry, (10) Jason Trammel, (11) Bryan Hendrix, (12) Allen Champ, (13) Todd Morrow, (14) Jason Cardwell, (15) Kevin Gill, (16) Barrett Lowe, (17) Steve Smith, (18) Ryan King, (19) Josh Collins, (20) Bobby Mayse, (21) Kennie Compton Jr., (22) Brad Lowe, (23) Chris Chandler, (24) Dean Bowen, (25) Dan Tipton. Fast qualifier (among 51 cars): Martin, 13.014 seconds. Consolation race winners: Smith, Lowe.
