POSTED 8-17-08 HIGHLAND RIM SPEEDWAY RACE RECAP

Highland Rim Speedway Race Recap August 15, 2009 – It was a night of extreme racing action at Highland Rim Speedway on Saturday night. With 10 classes running, there was something for everyone! The Vintage Mini’s made their first appearance at the Rim with two feature races. The Vintage Mini’s are scaled race cars. The class is based out of Shelbyville , TN and was thrilled to be on the Rim’s high banks! Freddie Prosser, Jr. won his race in the 600 series. Prosser leaped out front early leaving the rest to be sorted out behind him. Prosser won the race with a half track advantage over the rest of the pack. Mike Reed, Fast Time Winner, Jeffrey Smith, and Troy Taylor had a close race all night as they jockeyed for the second spot. Reed took second with Smith inches from his bumper for third. Taylor faded at the end but still pulled off a fourth place finish. Fifth place went to Chad Locke. The Front Wheel Drive Modifieds and Rim Runner classes combined for a 40 lap shoot out sponsored by Shawn Jackson of Jackson Automotive. The winner of the race stood to win $300 for the race. The race ended up being a two in one race – each class had their own race within the race as well. The race was only slowed by a couple of cautions for minor incidents. One incident earned Paul Lambert a good sportsmanship nod as he pulled in behind the failed car of Justin Dickens to help him around into the pits after Dickens bounced off the outside wall coming out of turn four. Jerry Nuckols won the race in grand style. Nuckols was in a race all by himself beating Fast Time Winner, Dustin Goodwin by a full half track advantage! Harold Cole had a great run, coming away in third place. The race will be Cole’s last for a while as he will undergo Chemotherapy treatments starting this week for cancer. Bevin Wilson was fourth followed by Phillip Bilyeu for fifth. Wilson and Bilyeu are both Rim Runner cars. In the Vintage Minis 1000 race, Jeffery Smith was the man to beat. Smith launched himself into the top spot and never looked back. Only one caution slowed the race on lap six when another competitor spun in turn four. Smith put a lap on the third place car as he came down to take the checkers. Six car lengths back was Troy Taylor, the only other car on the lead lap for second. Third was Alan Sawyer. Matt and Mike Reed were fourth and fifth respectively. The Challenger race ran caution free. Fast Time Winner, Billy Schaffer took six laps to get around early race leader, Jason Baker for the lead. The pair had a great run going for those six laps. Neither was willing to give the other an inch. Schaffer finally took the top spot holding just out of Baker’s reach. Baker spent the rest of the race with Toby Tobitt on his bumper. Tobitt ran at Nashville earlier and made it up to the Rim just in time to race the feature. Schaffer took the trophy with Baker’s ride rolling home second. Tobitt was third. Kenny Newsom was posted as fourth place finisher. The Pro Truck race appeared to be a mix match race when it started. Seven trucks, two Challenger cars, and a Rim Runner car lined up to compete. The Rim Runner car was being commandeered by Taylor Woelk. Woelk had problems on his truck earlier in the day and borrowed the car to ride a couple laps to keep his points up. The Challengers, Billy Schaffer and Toby Tobitt just wanted to be able to race a bit more! Fast Time Winner Zach Evans grabbed the lead early. Just past the halfway point, Chuck Adkins caught Evans and began to challenge for the lead. Evans held strong but Adkins never gave up. With four laps to go, he tried to make another run on Evans but got a little loose in the corner. Adkins was able to gather it back up and keep going as Evans pulled away. Adkins caught Evans again on the final lap. Evans won the race by a fender. Roger Cunningham was the only other truck on the lead lap finishing third. Richard Hamilton and Doug Colbert were fourth and fifth respectively. The Super Stock race had a first time winner in it. Danny Johnson not only set the fast time of the night but he also won the race! Johnson has not run a full season but has been a strong contender each week that he has raced. Johnson took the top spot on lap six and began to open some track between himself and Daniel Barnes. The race was halted when the cars of Mike Forsythe and Bubba Turner got together coming out of turn four. Both had heavy damage. Turner slammed into the pit wall hard as he tried to enter pit road at near full speed. Tempers flared but neither driver seemed to be injured from the original incident. Back underway, Johnson rolled on to victory with Barnes finishing about five car lengths back for second. Travis Smith was third with Lance Steele finishing fourth. Roger Birdsong, Jr. had some early race mechanical problems but was able to come back out to finish fifth. During the post race interviews, Barnes showed true sportsmanship as he congratulated Johnson on the win and noted both driver’s hard work and dedication through the week on their cars. Matt Goodwin earned his first victory of the season in the Sportsman race. Goodwin jumped out front with the wave of the green flag and never gave it up. Fast Time Winner, Thomas Pannell and Tim Ezell had a hard race going for several laps. Both drivers were giving it everything that they had. On lap 17, the pair touched and Ezell’s car shot out towards the wall. Ezell held it just missing the wall as Goodwin rolled on. On the restart, another car looped it forcing an immediate caution. Goodwin, Ezell, and Jonathan Wilhite were nose to tail on the restart and all the way to the stripe. Goodwin nosed up to the front straight away wall for a royal burn out to celebrate his victory. Ezell and Wilhite were second and third. Ricky Goins was fourth with Thomas Pannell being posted in the fifth place. The Open Wheel race started out as a battle of Father and Son. Timmy Gay led the way for his dad Scott for the first couple of laps before the pair got together in turn four on lap two. Dad’s night was done, but Timmy was able to continue on. On the restart, Frankie Martin inherited the lead. Martin led the remainder of the race taking home the trophy. Martin has not competed at the Rim in several years. The win was a great way to mark his return to the high banked track. Timmy Gay came in second with Bradley Arms finishing third in the number 3 car. Scott Gay was credited the fourth place after being involved in the lap 2 jumble with his son. Michael Maynard lead early in the Taxi race. Charles Pruett, Jim Bork, and Tink Jackson had a tight race going just behind Maynard for second. Maynard got a bit loose on lap four letting Bork pull out into the top spot. Two laps later the yellow flew. Bork held the top spot on the restart as Jackson and Michael Oldham battled for second. As the laps ticked off, Jackson gobbled up Bork’s lead. Bork won the race by a car over Jackson . Oldham held on for third. Kenny Newsom. Sr. finished fourth with Willie Coats driving away in fifth place. This Saturday night August 22nd, will Poker Night at the Rim with a full night of racing excitement including the newest class of Vintage Mini’s. Come beat the heat with a night of excitement on the edge! Make plans now to see what’s happening at the Rim! Grandstand Admission is $10, Youth 6-11 is $7, Children 5 & Under are free with a paid adult. Racing starts at 6:00 pm. Pit gates open at 1:00 pm, grandstands at 3:00 pm. Qualifying at 4:30 pm. Highland Rim Speedway is a high banked 1/3 mile asphalt track competing weekly from March through October. For more information check the website www.highlandrim.com. Tammy Kelly Highland Rim Speedway