Hoosier takes lead in tire-war series at Mountain Raceway
From Staff ReportsOriginally published: June 22. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: June 21. 2009 11:43PM
William Thomas of Phenix City, Ala., gave Hoosier the early advantage in the Hot Summer Night Tire Fights with a victory Saturday night in Round 1 of the eight-race series at The Mountain Raceway.
Blount County native Mark Rosner started from the pole on Hoosier tires and led the first half of the race before Thomas, who started on the outside pole, took control.
Two-time track champion Jason Welshan, running on American Racer tires, edged Rosner for second place. Hunter Best finished fourth on Hoosiers, and Greg Huskey came in fifth on American Racers. The tire-war series will continue Saturday and throughout the summer before concluding with a 54-lap feature Aug. 15.
The Tennessee Thunder Series also made its season debut Saturday night, with Vic Hill winning from the pole and claiming the $3,000 winner's purse. Hill battled only lapped traffic on the way to a dominating victory. Billy Ogle started and finished second, several lengths behind Hill.
The hard racing was for the next four spots.
Chattanooga veteran Ronnie Johnson held off Joe Armes for third place. Crossville's Randy Weaver and Blount Motorsports driver Tommy Kerr put on the best show, running side-by-side for more than 20 laps before Weaver pulled ahead for fifth. Kerr maintained his Thunder Series points lead with a sixth-place finish.
Points leader Tony Dunkley won the pure-mini feature from the pole. Angie Young finished second, and Ronnie Bibbins was third.
Jason Carter started and finished first in the modified-mini feature. Tommy Newton fought Kendall White for most of the race before taking second, and White settled for third.
Jonathan Sims passed pole sitter Jeff McLemore for the victory in the street-stock division. McLemore held on for second, and reigning champion Quinn Bender came in third. Larry Rudd and Frank Webb rounded out the top five.
Brian Courtney snapped Tom Vann's winning streak in the mini-stock race. Courtney, the 2007 champion, won from the pole, holding Vann to a second-place finish. Bo Allison was third, followed by Greg Muse and David Benson.
The largest ovation Saturday night was for second-generation driver Chris Ritchey's first career win in the NeSmith Late Model feature. Ritchey, who started on outside of the front row, sped away from pole sitter Jacob Grizzle for the crowd-pleasing victory. Grizzle came in second, and Josh Henry finished third.
Devin Canter came from the rear of the field to win a wreck-marred mini-late-model feature.
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