Broyles and Whitt capture feature wins in weekly season finale at Volunteer Speedway

By Robert Walden

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Sept. 4) — The 2010 weekly season finale was held Saturday at Volunteer Speedway, with Jerry Broyles of Jonesborough capturing his second Fastrak Racing Series-sanctioned Pro (Crate) Late Model feature win of the year, while Jamie Whitt of Wise, Va., recorded the Hobby Stock victory.

With the Super Late Models not in action over the Labor Day holiday weekend that meant Jeff Maupin of Greeneville had already secured his second Super Late Model track championship. Maupin recorded seven top-five finishes along with three feature wins en route to the title, having also won the championship in 2008.

Dale Ball of Johnson City, on the strength of nine top-five finishes and one feature win this season, captured his second Pro Late Model track championship, having also won the title in 2008. Ball also has the 1999 Super Late Model championship to his credit, making him and his late father, Walter Ball, the only father-son duo to win Late Model track titles at “The Gap.”

Whitt is always a front runner in the Hobby Stock division. Having finished top-five in points previously, Whitt had never earned the championship. But a stellar season which saw Whitt bring home eight top-five finishes and five feature wins, earned him Hobby Stock honors as class champion.

Special awards were presented to Ricky Moore of Mosheim for Best Appearing Car, with Keith Helton of Kingsport earning overall track Rookie of the Year, while 65-year-old veteran racer Roger Hunter of Mars Hill, N.C., was named track Sportsman of the Year.

Back on April 10 at the weekly opener, Shanon Buckingham set a new Pro Late Model track qualifying record of 13.205-seconds (109.054 mph). Jensen Ford came close to breaking Buckingham’s record on May 9 by running a fast-lap of 13.208-seconds.

On a cool Saturday night in East Tennessee and the track in perfect condition, Jerry Broyles lowered the standard with a quick tour around the high banks at 13.192-seconds (109.454 mph) to establish a new track record during Pro Late Model qualifying.

Broyles powered into the lead over John Harrell at the drop of the green and never looked back in the 35-lap main event. In the early going behind the lead duo, battles were waging among Todd Brooks, Ricky Moore, Michael Smith, Weston Gantte, Dale Ball and Jackie Hughes for position.

Brooks settled into third place on the second circuit with Moore riding on his rear bumper, but on lap 3 Smith got around Moore to move into fourth in the running order. Smith got to working Brooks over trying to take third, and on lap 7 racing off fourth turn he pulled the trigger and secured the position. Brooks, who entered the night only 16 points behind Ball in the battle for the divisional championship, saw his hopes of winning the title end when he retired on lap 8 with an overheating engine.

With Broyles in command out front, behind him Harrell had a rearview mirror full of a hard-charging Smith in a battle for the runner-up position. Smith got under Harrell racing off the fourth turn on lap 11 and at the flagstand moved into second place, setting his sights ahead on race leader Broyles.

Wanting to be cautious in overtaking a couple of slower cars, Broyles momentarily allowed Smith to close to within two car lengths. But once around the lapped cars he once again began to distance himself from his closest challengers Smith and Harrell.

After having won the Pro Late Model championship last year, Broyles ended this campaign by romping to a convincing flag-to-flag victory worth $1,000. Finishing behind Broyles were Smith, Harrell, Ball and Gantte. 

With a stellar field of Hobby Stocks present double features were held, with the fastest half of qualifiers locked into the A-Hobby main and the slower half of the field making up the B-Hobby race.

Shannon Emery grabbed the early lead in the 25-lap Hobby Stock showcase event over R.J. Mayes  (2005 division champ making his first start of 2010), Jamie Whitt, Dennis Metcalf and Mike Mays. Emery showed the way out front until retiring from the event on lap 10 with right-front suspension damage, thus moving Mayes to the point.

Many believe the number ‘13’ to be unlucky, and if you’d ask Mayes he’d probably agree as his hopes of winning ended when he slowed and pulled into the pits on lap 13, calling it a night and moving Whitt into the lead.

With a hooked-up and tacky track surface, fans were treated to one of the best Hobby Stock races of the season as the cars were on rails, running up high in the banking and all the way down to the bottom apron in the corners.

Wanting to win his first championship in style, Whitt rolled to the popular victory over a hard-charging duo of Mays and Jon Cook. Finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, were Metcalf and Roger Hunter.

Rick Fillers of Greeneville captured his first-ever Hobby Stock victory in outrunning Patrick Flannery, Chris Long, Jesse Wilder and Josh Atkins in the second race.

Demolition Derbies are always popular with the fans, and they weren’t disappointed in the “crash ‘em up, smash ‘em up” action which saw Phil Crittenden of Bulls Gap receive the trophy and $400 for winning. 

PRO LATE MODEL (35 laps)

1) Jerry Broyles #72; 2) Michael Smith #4; 3) John Harrell #H19; 4) Dale Ball #2; 5) Weston Gantte #14; 6) Pierce McCarter #71; 7) Ken Wilkerson #21; 8) Ricky Moore #75; 9) Hugh “Wishbone” Scalf #56; 10) Jackie Hughes #27; 11) Keith Helton #5; 12) Richard Adkins #73; 13) Tyler Dean #R3; 14) Todd Brooks #T1 - Did Not Start: Jake Teague #117

HOBBY STOCK #1 (25 laps)

1) Jamie Whitt #1; 2) Mike Mays #30; 3) Jon Cook #0z; 4) Dennis Metcalf #55; 5) Roger Hunter #7-11; 6) Sue Curl #5; 7) Robbie Woods #2; 8) Bud Kelly #21; 9) Charlie Bates #27; 10) R.J. Mayes #6m; 11) Tracy Wolfe #11; 12) Shannon Emery #m2; 13) Danny Helton #88; 14) Dale Reed #54; 15) Mike Kelley #8; 16) Blake Kelley #K5

HOBBY STOCK #2 (15 laps)

1) Rick Fillers #21; 2) Patrick Flannery #38; 3) Chris Long #75; 4) Jesse Wilder #79; 5) Josh Atkins #m20; 6) Terry Dean #47; 7) Eddie Adams #9; 8) Chuck Killian #96; 9) Dustin Heinz #57; 10) Emery Harvey #74; 11) Bobby Shelton #5

DEMOLITION DERBY (Winner): Phil Crittenden
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