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Robert Walden
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (July 18) - When things are going your way, ride it for all it's worth, because sooner or later the ride's going to come to a screeching halt. But for now, Vic "The Thrill" Hill of Morristown is hanging on for an unbelievable ride.
Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway, Hill, a four-time (1997, 1998, 2000 and 2005) track champion, captured yet another $3,000 "TSC Cars" Super Late Model victory - his fourth straight feature win of the season. Hill's four victories alone have deposited $13,000 into his bank account, including the Primetime Designs Race Decals Challenge $1,000 bonus.
Hill toured the high-banked oval in qualifying with a fast-lap of 12.210-seconds (117.940 mph) to earn the pole position for the Pizza Plus "Wing Zinger" 50. At the drop of the green flag Hill sped into a lead he would never relinquish over Kerry Jones, Mark Vineyard, Chad Ogle and Bobby Mays. The event's first caution waved on lap 4 when Michael Smith spun in the fourth turn.
The top five remained the same on the restart, and Hill quickly began to put some real estate between his Landair Transport Inc./Pilot Travel Centers/Miller Brothers Coal Inc./American Racing Tire South/VP Racing Fuels/Dan Estes Construction/Ohlins/Peterson Fluid Systems/Comp Cams/Edelbrock/CP Pistons/Gary Williams Fuel Systems/Lunati Cranks/CV Racing Products/Joe Gibbs Driven Performance Synthetic Racing Oil/Jesel/Manley/Simpson/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Fastlane Signs & Graphics/Real Wheels/Team GRT Race Cars/No. 1 Chevrolet Impala SS, and his closest challengers Jones, Vineyard, Ogle and Mays.
Before the race reached halfway, two caution periods for spins waved - on lap 11 for Mark Douglas, and on lap 14 for Jeff Maupin. Both had their top-10 qualifying times disallowed for weight infractions and were relegated to the tail of the field for the initial start of the 50-lapper.
With Hill on cruise control out front, behind him Jones was being pressured for position by Vineyard, while behind them Mays was sticking his nose under Ogle each circuit in the corners. With the leaders beginning to work lap traffic, Hill got through cleanly and maintained his advantage. Just behind Hill on lap 29, Jones got trapped by the car he was attempting to lap - thus enabling Vineyard to capitalize and make the pass for second in the running order.
Over the final 10 laps the yellow appeared three times. A strong fourth-place run for Mays ended on lap 41, when suspension issues caused him to spin in turn two sending him into the infield hooked to the wrecker. Jeff Neubert, Bryan Hendrix and John Tweed tangled in the fourth turn to bring out a caution. And 18-year-old Cody Barnett, making his first-ever start at "The Gap" also brought out the yellow when he took a wild spin in turn two.
But the race belonged to Hill, as he held on with a deflating rear tire to beat Vineyard, Jones, Ogle and Dale Ball for the $3,000 payday.
Completing the top 10 finishers were Chris Chandler, Smith, Barnett, Neubert and Dusty Carver.
"Tonight we had a very good car once again, but we also had a little luck riding with us as well … because I don't know if the rear tire would've stayed-up (inflated) much longer," said a smiling Hill following the race. "I talked with Mark (Vineyard) and he told me he was hoping that last caution would last just a few laps more, because he could see my rear tire was almost flat. Fortunately for us we were able to get out fourth victory. This place was just bad-fast tonight. Fast qualifying times this season have generally been in the 12.4's, 12.5's and 12.6's. The track was in great condition tonight, and I knew qualifying times would be quick. But when I looked up on the scoreboard and saw 12.210, I knew we had laid-down a good lap.
"I really want to thank track owner Joe Loven for holding these $3,000-to-win Super Late Model races. It's a great thing for all local racers in East Tennessee. Take a look around and you won't find another track in the United States that pays the kind of money all us guys are racing for weekly here at Volunteer Speedway. We'll (crew) go over the car really well next week back at the race shop and hopefully we can get us a big win next Friday night in the O'Reilly Southern Nationals Series show. We won the first race in the series last Monday night at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., and I'd definitely like to win at my home-track."
Brandon Umberger of Rural Retreat, Va., led all 25 laps in winning the "Courtesy Chevrolet" Pro Late Model feature. On the initial attempt to start the race, pole-sitter Jerry Broyles and Umberger tangled on the backstretch, with Broyles slamming hard into the concrete wall. Also collected in the melee were Jackie Hughes, Allen Carrier and Tommy Eastridge.
The second go at green saw Umberger grab the lead over Bobby Mays, Dale Ball, Kip Pearson and Ricky Moore. While battling Mays for the runner-up position, on lap 4 between turns three and four Ball looped his mount to bring out the caution.
Back under green, Umberger began to put some distance between himself and his challengers. While it was clear sailing out front for Umberger, Mays held a slim advantage over Pearson, who was making his first start of the season. Even though a late race caution on lap 20 tightened the field back up for a five-lap dash to the checkers, Umberger would not be denied a trip to victory lane as he won over Mays, Pearson, Vic Chandler and Moore.
Dale Reed of Whitesburg captured his second consecutive "McDonald's" Hobby Stock feature win by holding off Ray Jarnigan, Jamie Whitt, Mark Sturgill and Chuck Johnson.
"TSC CARS" SUPER LATE MODEL (50 laps)
1) Vic Hill #1; 2) Mark Vineyard #4; 3) Kerry Jones #6; 4) Chad Ogle #10; 5) Dale Ball #7; 6) Chris Chandler #8; 7) Michael Smith #4s; 8) Cody Barnett #18; 9) Jeff Neubert #30th; 10) Dusty Carver #9; 11) Bryan Hendrix #5; 12) John Tweed #5T; 13) Bobby Mays #25; 14) Jeff Maupin #0; 15) Mark Douglas #52; 16) Paul Blackston #B4 - Did Not Start: Herman Goddard #22
"COURTESY CHEVROLET" PRO LATE MODEL (25 laps)
1) Brandon Umberger #54B; 2) Bobby Mays #19; 3) Kip Pearson #00; 4) Vic Chandler #88; 5) Ricky Moore #75; 6) John Harrell #H19; 7) Tony Trent #18; 8) Greg Burchett #99w; 9) Todd Brooks #T1; 10) James Cole #5; 11) Dale Ball #2; 12) Richard Adkins #73; 13) Allen Carrier #57; 14) Jerry Broyles #72; 15) Jackie Hughes #27; 16) Tommy Eastridge #37
"MCDONALD'S" HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)
1) Dale Reed #52; 2) Ray Jarnigan #73; 3) Jamie Whitt #1j; 4) Mark Sturgill #4; 5) Chuck Johnson #17; 6) R.J. Mayes #6m; 7) Devin Helton #17H; 8) Bobby Reed #54; 9) Mike Kelley #8; 10) Patrick Flannery #88; 11) Craig Schmalzried #6; 12) Tracy Wolfe #11; 13) Jesse Wilder #79; 14) Roger Hunter #7-11; 15) Blake Kelley #K5; 16) Stan Gordon #34; 17) Tony Reed #71; 18) Dennis Metcalf #55; 19) Robbie Wood #16; 20) Phillip Gentry #33; 21) Eddie Adams #9; 22) Chris Long #75; 23) Thomas Cook #00; 24) Charlie Bates #27
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