Tommy Kerr and Shon Flanary Split Iron-Man Victories at Smoky Mountain Speedway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tommy Kerr Takes 13th Annual Iron-Man Classic Victory at Smoky Mountain Speedway
-Shon Flanary Tops in Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series Competition

By Michael Despain

MARYVILLE, TN – June 3, 2017 – The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series would present the 13th Annual Iron-Man Classic on Saturday evening at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. and Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn. would score the win after inheriting the lead on lap 35 and leading the remainder of the forty lap contest to claim the $5,000 payday. In companion Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series action, Shon Flanary of Surgoinsville, Tenn. would lead the entire distance and claim a $1,500 payday.

The win for Kerr would be his first-career victory with the series and would come aboard the Blount Motorsports owned Old Ben Franklin Motors/Massey Electric/Stowers CAT/Blount Excavating/Cherokee Millwright and Mechanical/DR Investments/Tennessee RV sponsored #4T Rocket Chassis, Vic Hill Race Engines powered entry. This would also be Kerr’s first victory in over four years.

Vic Hill would jump to the initial race lead at the drop of the green flag only to see the caution wave with one lap scored when Craig Greer made contact with the backstretch retaining wall and slowed on the track. Back underway, Hill would motor away from the field, while Ricky Weiss and Mike Marlar dueled for the runner-up spot as Hill would start working slower traffic on lap six. Marlar would work past Weiss for second on lap eight and start the process of reeling in the race leader as was right on Hill’s heels when caution waved on lap fourteen for Craig Greer looping his mount exiting turn two. The restart would see fifth place running Shanon Buckingham get sideways and get collected by Austin Arnold, Jeff Neubert, and Joey Standridge, resulting in a red flag situation as the track would be blocked just before the start/finish line. The restart would see Hill hold the point, with Marlar second, while Weiss, Chris Combs, and Skip Arp completed the top five. A caution debris would wave on lap eighteen and third place running Weiss would pit with a flat left-rear tire, but would return to competition. The restart would see Tommy Kerr begin to mount his charge toward the front and he would move into the fourth position just prior to the halfway signal.

As Hill continued to hold the lead over Marlar, Arp would drive by Kerr for the fourth positon on lap twenty-six and one trip later, Arp would take third from Combs. Marlar’s night would come to an end on lap thirty when mechanical problems would slow his mount on the backchute and he would roll to a stop in turn three and have to be pushed pitside with his night finished. Hill would now hold the lead over Arp, with Kerr, Dakotah Knuckles, and Weiss having battled back to fifth giving chase. Kerr would motor to the highside and take second from Arp on lap thirty-two and gave chase to Hill. However, disaster would strike Hill entering turn one to begin lap thirty-five when he had suspension issues on the right-front of his machine and Hill would contact the outside retaining wall and his night would be done. This turn of events put Kerr on the point and he would lead the final six circuits to claim the victory, with Arp claiming second, while ninth place starting Donald McIntosh would finish in the third position. Weiss would recover from his flat tire to finish fourth, with Combs settling for the final spot in the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Billy Ogle, Jr., Knuckles, Bobby Giffin, Carder Miller, and Gary McPherson.

In the 20 lap, $1,500 to win Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series main event, Shon Flanary would jump to the lead at the drop of the green flag and lead all the way in the caution-free event behind the wheel of his NAPA of West Liberty/FAST Trucking/Custom Suspensions/Casva Angus Farms/Will Kinzer Foundation for Autism Research/Penske Shocks/Hypercoils/Auto Body Specialists sponsored #98 MB Customs Race Car, Mullins Race Engines powered mount. Jeff Hamby would claim runner-up honors in the contest, with the final podium finishing position going to Mikah Reams. Blake Brown and Amos Bunch would complete the top five finishers.

The next event for the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series will Saturday June 10 at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, Ky. as the tour will sanction the 2nd Annual Big Daddy Classic, paying $3,088 to win.

The next event for the Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series will also be on Saturday June 10 at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, Ky. as the open-wheel warriors will be part of the 2nd Annual Big Daddy Classic, paying $1,288 to win.

Further information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series and Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series can be obtained by calling Promoter/Race Director Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or by visiting the official website located at www.CTPROMOTIONS.org

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series at Smoky Mountian Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. on June 3, 2017
1. Tommy Kerr-Maryville, Tenn.
2. Skip Arp-Georgetown, Tenn.
3. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
4. Ricky Weiss-Headingly, Manitoba, Canada
5. Chris Combs-Isom, Ky.
6. Billy Ogle, Jr.-Knoxville, Tenn.
7. Dakotah Knuckles-Ewing, Va.
8. Bobby Giffin-Maryville, Tenn.
9. Carder Miller-Salem, Va.
10. Gary McPherson-Dalton, Ga.
11. Phil Helton-Clinton, Tenn.
12. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.
13. Joey Standridge-Telico Plains, Tenn.
14. Mike Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
15. Shanon Buckingham-Morristown, Tenn.
16. David Crabtree-Maryville, Tenn.
17. Austin Arnold-Kosciusko, Miss.
18. Jeff Neubert-Rockford, Tenn.
19. Lamar Winkle-Knoxville, Tenn.
20. Craig Greer-Cleveland, Tenn.
21. Chad Ogle-Sevierville, Tenn.
22. Robby Moses-Maryville, Tenn. (Did Not Start)

Time of Race: 37 minutes, 52 seconds
Margin of Victory: 1.392 seconds
Yellow Flags: 5 (lap 2, 14, 18, 30, 35)
Red Flags: 1 (lap 14 restart)
Lap Leaders: Vic Hill (1-34), Tommy Kerr (35-40)
Entries: 22
Overall Top Qualifier: Vic Hill (Group A) 15.740 seconds
Provisional Starters: None

Heat One Finish (8 laps/all transfer)- Donald McIntosh, Carder Miller, Dakotah Knuckles, Craig Greer, Lamar Winkle, Bobby Giffin (DNS-Robby Moses)

Heat Two Finish (8 laps/all transfer)- Billy Ogle, Jr., David Crabtree, Jeff Neubert, Joey Standridge, Austin Arnold, Phil Helton (DNS-Phil Helton)

Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series Points:
1. Carder Miller-890
2. Joey Standridge-599
3. Craig Greer-595
4. David Payne-576
4. Billy Ogle Jr.-576
6. Donald McIntosh-532
7. Ray Cook-524
8. Levi Ashby-518
9. Kenny Collins-392
10. Chris Combs-372

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series at Smoky Mountian Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. on June 3, 2017
1. Shon Flanary-Surgoinsville, Tenn.
2. Jeff Hamby-Lancing, Tenn.
3. Mikah Reams-Mount Vernon, Ky.
4. Blake Brown-Corbin, Ky.
5. Amos Bunch-Wartburg, Tenn.
6. Billy Palmer-Knoxville, Tenn.
7. Jimmy Dalton-Powell, Tenn.
8. Wayne James-Cosby, Tenn.
9. Tyler James-Newport, Tenn.
10. Wade Rookard-East Bernstadt, Ky. (Did Not Start)

Time of Race: 6 minutes, 46 seconds
Margin of Victory: N/A
Yellow Flags: None
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Shon Flanary (1-20)
Entries: 10
Overall Top Qualifier: Shon Flanary 18.225 seconds
Provisional Starters: None

Current Brucebilt Performance Iron-Man Modified Series Points:
1. Shon Flanary-396
2. Brad Hall-392
3. Jimmy Dalton-376
4. Amos Bunch-368
5. Blake Brown-368
6. Billy Palmer-366
7. Wade Rookard-249
8. Clayton Miller-200
9. Jimmy Lennex-196
9. Jeff Hamby-196