hill cruises to big payday at volunteer speedway

The largest weekly crowd of the season packed the grandstands Saturday at Volunteer Speedway for Ramey Ford Night at the Races.

Vic The Thrill Hill of Morristown, a four-time (1997, 98, 2000 and 05) track champion, set fast-time of 12.950-seconds to earn the pole position for the $2,000-to-win Gateway Ford Super Late Model feature. Jumping into the lead at the drop of the green, Hill never looked back en route to a very impressive flag-to-flag victory, his first this year.

After one lap was completed Hill led Mike Smith, Kerry Jones, Shane Roberts and Rodney Kiker. Working the bottom between turns three and four, Jones passed Smith for second-place on the fifth lap. In the early going Hill was setting a blistering pace out front, pulling out to right at a full-straightaway advantage over the tight-running trio of Jones, Smith and Roberts halfway into the 35-lap race distance.

With the leaders working lapped traffic, Hill picked his holes and kept applying the heat on his fellow competitors. Smith used slower cars to his advantage and made a move to overtake Jones for the runner-up spot on lap 20, and only one circuit later the event’s first caution waved when the fifth-running Jeff Maupin looped his mount in the fourth turn. Maupin, who was riding a three-race winning streak had to start the feature from the sixth position due to a track rule which states any driver, in any division who wins three races in a row, can start no better than sixth.

On the restart Hill had Smith and Jones riding in his shadow, with Roberts and Shanon Buckingham in tow. Just as he did at the start of the race, Hill quickly distanced himself from his closest challengers. Jones stayed glued to Smith’s rear bumper for a few laps before Smith managed to put some breathing room between himself and Jones.

But out front it was all Hill on cruise control, clicking off lap-after-lap headed towards the checkered flag and a $2,000 payday. Hill, driving the Landair Transport Inc./Pilot Travel No. 1 Monte Carlo, easily rolled to victory over Smith, Jones, Roberts and Buckingham.

Completing the top-10 finishers were Bryan Hendrix, Randy Davidson, Maupin, Brandon James and veteran Louis Hickey.

“We had a really good car tonight,” said Hill with a smile on his face following the race. “To be quite honest, I was kind of surprised at just how well we ran. I really believe the car drove the best it has all season long.”

“GATEWAY FORD” SUPER LATE MODEL (35 laps)

1. Vic Hill #1-Morristown, TN

2. Mike Smith #4-Rogersville, TN

3. Kerry Jones #6-Bristol, TN

4. Shane Roberts #32w-Bluff City, TN

5. Shanon Buckingham #22-Morristown, TN

6. Bryan Hendrix #5-Knoxville, TN

7. Randy Davidson #28-Morristown, TN

8. Jeff Maupin #0-Greeneville, TN

9. Brandon James #j1-Newport, TN

10. Louis Hickey #74-Whitesburg, TN

11. Dwight Sams #54-Marshall, NC

12. Dennis Alverson #71-Kingsport, TN

13. Barry Arnold #15-Max Meadows, VA

14. Herman Goddard #22-Knoxville, TN

15. Rodney Kiker #25-Greeneville, TN

16. Michael Jackson #Q-Greeneville, TN

17. DeWayne Pesterfield #22-Lenoir City, TN

18. Dale Ball #7-Johnson City, TN

LAWSON CHEVROLET ULTIMATE SURVIVOR CHALLENGE (35 laps)

1) Jeff Maupin #0; 2) Michael Jackson #Q; 3) Mike Smith #4; 4) Randy Davidson #28; 5) Bryan Hendrix #5; 6) Shanon Buckingham #22 – Eliminated: Herman Goddard #22g

RAMEY FORD” CRATE LATE MODEL (25 laps)

1) Bobby Mays #19; 2) Jensen Ford #83; 3) Brad Kenyon #98; 4) Rusty Fox #25; 5) Logan Hickey #16; 6) Ricky Moore #75; 7) Kelly Glass #01; 8) Larry Rowe #R0; 9) Tony Trent #18; 10) Todd Brooks #T1; 11) Warren McMahan #33; 12) Chris Manning #03; 13) Joe “Dirt” Good #911; 14) Van Lester #50; 15) James Cole #5c; 16) Josh Henry #B00; 17) Travis Trent #5; 18) Gerald Smith #12; 19) Dale Ball #2; 20) Jerry Broyles #72; 21) Shanon Buckingham #44 – Did Not Start: Anthony Arnwine #11; Hugh “Wishbone” Scalf #56

RUSTY WALLACE TOYOTA HOBBY STOCK (20 laps)

1) Jesse Helton #28; 2) Mike Mays #30; 3) Chuck Johnson #17; 4) Jamie Whitt #1; 5) Phillip Nichols #33; 6) Dale Reed #52; 7) Patrick Flannery #38; 8) Robbie Jones #29; 9) Roger Hunter #7-11; 10) Lester Massey #11; 11) Jon Cook #0z; 12) Robbie Woods #16; 13) Bobby Reed #54; 14) Rick Fillers #21; 15) Jesse Wilder #79; 16) Shorty Ledford #41; 17) Ray Jarnigan #31; 18) Ralph Mills #1; 19) Charles Allen #4; 20) Everett Cobb #13; 21) Terry Cobb #14; 22) Tyler Smith #32