With a large crowd on hand for Cleveland Speedway's Return to Saturday night weekly racing, Lil' John Ownbey of Cleveland continues to come up big in the “W” column and this weekend was no exception for the former Cleveland Speedway Track Champion.
Ownbey and his JRC Motorsports #44 “Auto Depot, Sam’s Restaurant Equipment, M&S Motors, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Outlaw Racing Southern” sponsored Chevrolet Impalla SS / Longhorn chassis team made a mid-week motor change back to their Steel-head powerplant and didn’t miss a beat in competition. Starting from the pole after out qualifying his sponsor Sam Durham’s $100 Fast Time Challenge (against 22 other Late Model teams), Ownbey held back a stout challenge from Justin Litchford (and the LitchMob followers) from Tullahoma and also Kevin “The Axe” Gibson of Ringgold to win the 30 lap $1,500 feature race.
Behind Ownbey and Gibson (whom collected the hefty $1,000 2nd place money) was Jeff Coffman of Soddy Daisy, Litchford and Johnny Cloer Jr. of Chatsworth.
In the Crate Late Model feature Ethan Hunter of Tiger, Ga. put the Big Red Machine in A-1 Towing Victory Lane for the first time this season as the # 3H “Spangler Sheet Metal, Ron’s Car Wash, Steven Hogan Fabrication, Pritchard Homes, T1MCo Graphics, Stealth Racing Carburators” sponsored Mastersbilt 604 GM powered team held off two-time former Cleveland Speedway Track Champion Jamie Perry.
The lead duo separated from the rest of the pack and battled nose to spoiler for 25 laps. In the B-Hobby Mid Season Championship Ricky Wagner of Ringgold won the $300 payday. The A-Hobby’s stepped up big-time and saw 16 cars take the green flag.
With three lead changes Ocoee's Jason Brown in the # 42 “White Water Grill, Affordable Garages & Sheds” sponsored racecar not only picked up his first A-hobby feature win, but won a free pit pass for next weekend, for assisting with track prep when called out after the drivers meeting early Saturday evening.
In the Pony Koty Campbell of Birchwood was the winner and in the Road Warrior division debut Soddy Daisy’s Patrick Harvey was the winner. Next Saturday night, June 20, the Crate LM’s Mid-Season Championship will be contested. For more details visit www.ClevelandSpeedwayLLC.com or like them on Facebook.