Smoky
Mountain Speedway Mourns the Loss of Dustin Dunlap
(December
1, 2021) Dustin Dunlap, age 38 of Walland, passed away
Tuesday, November 30, 2021, unexpectedly at home. He was a faithful
member and treasurer of Keebles Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.
He was employed by Lazydays RV where he was the business office
manager. He also was the assistant manager and promoter at Smoky
Mountain Speedway and was a former assistant manager at Food City.
Dustin was an avid race fan and UT Sports fan. He was a strong
Christian and was always saying a good word for Jesus. He will
be missed by his family and friends.
Preceded in death by: grandparents, Cledith Martin and Virgil
and Selva Lou Dunlap; aunt and uncle, Glenda Bryant and Kenny
Dunlap. Survived by: parents, Ronnie & Sylvia Dunlap; grandfather,
Wade Martin; aunts and uncle, Missy Martin, Yvonne & Mike
Dunlap; special cousins, Janet (Jason) Hutsell, Lindsey (Wesley)
Huskey, April Bryant, Robbie (Heather) Bryant, Caleb (Emily) Compton,
Isabella & Kamden Hutsell, Jackson, Martin & Marlee Huskey,
Hunner & Kortnie Bryant, Levi & Clint Compton; best friends,
Casey, Robby, and Conor Moses. Family will receive friends from
5:00 until 7:00 PM, Friday, December 3, 2021 at Smith Trinity
Chapel. Funeral service will be at 7:00 PM with Rev. Tim Martin
officiating. Family and friends will assemble for interment at
11:00 AM, Saturday, December 4, 2021 at Rocky Branch Missionary
Baptist Church Cemetery. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service,
Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneralandCremation.com.
'22 Tennessee
Tip-Off Classic at Smoky Mountain Scheduled for March 5
(November 12, 2021)
The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series is pleased to announce
an addition to the 2022 Southern Series schedule as the tour,
along with the Ultimate Super Late Model Series, will co-sanction
the 9th Annual Tennessee Tip-Off Classic at America’s Special
Event Late Model Track, Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville,
TN, on Saturday March 5, 2022. The event will pay $12,000 to win
and $1,000 to start and will see 24 cars start the event!
Prior to the 9th Annual Tennessee Tip-Off Classic on Saturday
March 5, 2022, the track will host an Open Practice on Friday
evening March 4. Other divisions that will be competition at the
event will be 604 Crate Late Models and KMSA Mini Stocks while
gate times, start times, and prices for the practice on March
4 and Tennessee Tip-Off Classic event on March 5 will be released
at a later date. A discounted pre entry form, amount and info
will be released along with the purse very soon.
Previous Tennessee Tip-Off Classic Champions:
2014- Dale McDowell (Chickamauga, GA), Chris Madden (Gray Court,
SC)
2015- Casey Roberts (Toccoa, GA)
2016- Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN)
2017- Event Not Held
2018- Chris Madden (Gray Court, SC), Dale McDowell (Chickamauga,
GA)
2019- Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN)
2020- Mike Marlar (Winfield, TN)
2021- Chris Madden (Gray Court, SC)
Cory Hedgecock
Dominates for $5,000 All-Star Win
(October
16, 2021) Cory Hedgecock dominated in every fashion to
win Saturday’s American Pro Late Model All-Stars race. Hedgecock
set fast time, won the fast car dash, and led all 40 laps to win
the $5,000 first place prize.
Hedgecock took the lead in the first turn of the first lap over
Cameron Weaver. Logan Roberson, Dillon Brown, and Mack McCarter
battled hard for the third position. Near the halfway point of
the race, Weaver was able to move to the rear bumper of Hedgecock
as the leader caught slower traffic. Hedgecock showed patience
picking his way through the slower cars, then pulled away from
Weaver.
The second place running Weaver brought out a caution on lap
34. That set up a big battle among Roberson, McCarter, and Brown
for second place. McCarter would take second from Roberson on
the restart. Following a caution on lap 36, Brown got by Roberson
for third. Roberson’s fourth place finish sealed the series
title for the Virginia driver. |
full story
Torrential
Rain Cancels Mountain Moonshine Classic at SMS
(October
7, 2021) Due to the torrential rain currently falling
and an unfavorable forecast for Friday, Smoky Mountain Speedway
and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials have canceled the
Mountain Moonshine Classic. The event will not be made up. The
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to Smoky Mountain
Speedway in 2022.
For those who have General Admission tickets and Pit Passes,
you can mail tickets and/or wristbands back to the speedway for
a refund within 30 days, including any holidays, from today's
date. Any tickets and/or wristbands mailed back and not postmarked
within 30 days, including any holidays, from today's date will
not be honored for a refund.
Please mail tickets and/or wristbands including a self-addressed
stamped envelope with contact phone number on the inside flap
of envelope to receive a refund.
Smoky Mountain Speedway
P.O. Box 6136
Maryville, TN 37802
The events at the Red Clay at Woodstock - Historic Dixie Speedway
on Saturday, October 9th and Rome International Speedway on Sunday,
October 10th are still on as scheduled.
Dale McDowell
Dominant in King of the Mountain Win
(September
25, 2021) Dale McDowell has been a frequent visitor to
victory lane during Southern All-Stars competition at Smoky Mountain
Speedway. He backed that up with a dominating win in Saturday’s
King of the Mountain Fall Classic. Payton Freeman and Ricky Weiss
were the front row starters for the 50-lap race. Each driver was
the fast time qualifier in their respective heats. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Freeman quickly shot to the lead going into turn 1. The series
points leader went up high in front of Weiss. That move allowed
McDowell to quickly move into second. Freeman was quickly under
fire from McDowell. The lead duo raced side-by-side for several
laps until McDowell secured the lead on lap 5. Freeman tagged
along in second as the lead pair pulled away from the rest of
the field.
Dalton Cook, Eli Beets, and Zack Mitchell spent much of the race
battling for third place, swapping spots back and forth throughout
much of the race. Back up front McDowell sliced through traffic
as he pulled away from Freeman. McDowell lapped up the 5th place
until the race’s first caution came out on lap 40. Mitchell
had to fight off Beets and Cook on the restart. Mitchell held
onto the position as Beets and Dalton battle for fourth. Beets
and Cook made contact on lap 46 that sent Cook into the turn 1
wall. On the final restart, Beets made a late pass to take third
as McDowell cruised to victory and Freeman finishing second.
| full story
Cory Hedgecock
Holds On for Summer Showdown Win
(August
7, 2021) Smoky Mountain Speedway roared back into action
by welcoming the American Pro Late Model All-Stars for a $10,000
to win event. Thirty-three drivers from across the region signed
in. Following a wild fast car dash, Cory Hedgecock earned the
pole position for the 60-lap race. Hedgecock would lead the field
to the green flag and quickly jumped to the lead over Matt Henderson.
Mack McCarter and Zach Sise would battle for third behind the
front duo. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Henderson stayed locked onto the rear of Hedgecock's machine.
Henderson eventually challenged Hedgecock for the lead. Hedgecock
used the momentum of the outside line to hold off Henderson until
a caution on lap 18. On the restart, Henderson had to fight off
McCarter to maintain second. Hedgecock put some distance between
himself and Henderson until the pair caught heavy, slower traffic.
Following a caution on lap 40, Henderson again had to fight off
McCarter for second. McCarter made contact with the backstretch
wall that ended his night. This moved Eli Beets up to third. Beets
battled Henderson for second on the next restart, but Henderson
quickly maintained the spot and set his sights on Henderson. In
the closing laps, Henderson made several challenges for the lead.
Henderson could not get far enough even with Hedgecock to wrestle
away the lead. Hedgecock held on to win the Summer Showdown.
| full story
Hudson
O'Neal Powers his Way to Iron-Man Classic Victory
(June
19, 2021) Hudson O’Neal used a slide job on a restart
to win Saturday’s Iron Man Classic for the Valvoline Iron
Man Late Models. O’Neal joins his father, Don, as an Iron
Man Classic winner. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Ross Bailes set fast time in group A qualifying to win the pole
position for the 40-lap race. He was joined on the front how by
Spencer Hughes who was the fastest qualifier in group B. As the
green flag waved, Hughes used the outside line to quickly grab
the lead. Bailes was immediately under fire from Mike Marlar in
a battle for second. A series of quick cautions in the first 7
laps slowed the pace of the field. After each restart, Hughes
would maintain his lead as a battle for second took place between
Marlar, Bailes, and O’Neal. Bailes eventually fell out of
the race and left the battle for second to be fought between Marlar
and O’Neal.
Following a caution on lap 12, Marlar chose the outside line
which put O’Neal on the inside line for the restart. When
the green waved, O’Neal dove to the bottom of the track
and pulled his huge slide job in front of Hughes and Marlar. Hughes
tried to power back up to retake the lead, but O’Neal was
already on the gas and maintained the lead.
| full story
King and
Henderson Win on a Night of Mayhem
(May
29, 2021) The 3rd annual Memorial Day Mayhem in the Mountains
lived up to the billing on another night of racing at Smoky Mountain
Speedway. The first feature of the night was the Topless Outlaw
series where 25 drivers were signed in for the $3,000 to win race.
Skip Arp and Matt Henderson were fast time qualifiers in their
respective groups. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Henderson took the lead over Arp as the field came out of turn
2. Cory Hedgecock settled into third as Chase King and Ronnie
Johnson battle for fourth. Hedgecock passed Arp for second a few
laps later and pressured Henderson for the lead. As the field
caught slower traffic, Arp reeled in the top 2. Hedgecock dove
under Henderson on lap 10 coming out of turn 4. Hedgecock tried
to maneuver around a slower car, then was collected by Henderson
that sent all three cars spinning going into turn 1. Hedgecock
rolled up to Henderson’s car and began a yelling match.
Hedgecock would be disqualified from the race due to verbal threats
to Henderson and track officials.
Arp inherited the lead and looked to be on cruise control as
King and Johnson battled for second. Johnson briefly gained second
and tried to dive under Arp for the lead. King would move past
Johnson only to see the hall of famer retake the position before
a lap 32 caution. King got a tremendous jump on the restart to
take second behind Arp. As the checkered flag waved, Arp would
cross the line in first. But Arp was light at the scales and King
collected the win. | full
story
Jimmy Owens
Dominates Smoky Mountain Spring Shootout
(May
8, 2021) Jimmy Owens won the Spring Shootout Spring Nationals
race in dominating fashion on Saturday night. Owens led flag-to-flag
and lapped up to 7th place in securing the win. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Owens led the field to green over Dale McDowell. Owens quickly
sprinted to the lead with McDowell and Brandon Overton to battle
for second. After a pair of early cautions, Owens remained in
control with Overton remaining in his tracks by a few car lengths.
The pair left the rest of the field behind as they maneuvered
through slower traffic. Meanwhile, McDowell, Donald McIntosh,
and Mike Marlar battled for third.
As the lead duo was sorting through lapped traffic, Overton would
close up to a couple of car lengths behind Owens. But Owens was
untouchable in scoring the win worth $10,053.
| full story
Jensen
Ford Powers to Southern All-Stars Victory!
(April
17, 2021) Jensen Ford picked up his first Southern All-Stars
victory by fending off some of the best dirt late model drivers
in the sport. Ford began the night by capturing the pole position
for the 40-lap race by setting fast time in group A qualifying.
He was joined on the front row by Dale McDowell who lead group
B qualifying. (MRM
Racing Photos)
Ford and McDowell battled for the lead on the opening lap. Ford
was able to wrestle away the lead and the field went into turn
3. Ricky Weiss grabbed the third spot over Sam Seawright. As the
leaders caught slower traffic, Ford stretched out his lead over
McDowell. Cory Hedgecock took fourth from Seawright.
A caution on lap 14 slowed the field for a restart. Ford maintained
his lead when the race went back to green. Weiss would use the
outside line to take second away from McDowell. Weiss would close
in on Ford in the closing laps. Ford had no problem in negotiating
lapped traffic to take the win over Weiss. Hedgecock finished
third. McDowell edged Seawright for fourth.
| full story
Chris Madden
Earns Redeeming Tennessee Tipoff Win!
(March
6, 2021) Everything in racing can be going right until
the unexpected creates heartbreak. Flashback to one year ago,
when Chris “Smokey” Madden was leading at Smoky Mountain
Speedway. That’s when power steering issues sidelined him
for the night on Lap 25. One year later, he got his redemption,
leading every lap of Saturday night’s Tennessee Tipoff en
route to his 29th World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Feature win,
and second at Smoky Mountain. (MRM
Racing Photos)
The win makes Madden only the second driver in World of Outlaws
history to win multiple Feature events at the track. While leading
all 50 laps seemed like a dominant performance, Madden held off
challenges from last year’s winner Mike Marlar, and Jonathan
Davenport in heavy lap traffic, to take home the $12,000 prize.
Madden got the jump at the initial green flag, powering to the
number one spot outside of Davenport in Turn 2. He would hold
that position easily through the only two cautions of the race,
the first for debris on Lap 5, the other for a collision between
Cade Dillard and Sam Seawright on Lap 7.
After the final re-start, Madden had to fight through a long
green flag run and heavy lap traffic. The driver of the Drydene
#44 machine caught the tail end of the field on Lap 16, and five
laps later, he’d face his first challenge from Marlar. The
2018 Series champion consistently got a run on Madden into the
corner and poked his nose under him each corner. That’s
when Madden made a switch to the bottom of the racetrack, blocking
Marlar’s runs low line runs. |
full story
