By Robert Walden

BULLS GAP, Tenn. — By all accounts the recently completed 2007 racing season at Volunteer Speedway will go down in the record books as the most successful ever in the track's storied history.

In March of this year "The Gap" hosted for the first time ever the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, and in June the American Motorcyclist Association Flat Track Series made its inaugural visit to the track. The Lucas Oil Late Model Series was in action for a $10,000-to-win event on July 7, while the Ray Cook-promoted Southern Nationals made a return appearance at the high-banked, 4/10-mile speedplant the last weekend in July.

The track's signature mega-event, the Scorcher 100 which pays $20,000-to-win and $3,000-to-start from a total purse of over $100,000, packed the facility in August for the fourth annual running of the show. The track also hosted the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in October for the $20,000-to-win Tennessee Fall Brawl 100, which drew drivers from 18 states.

With Crate Late Model racing continuing to grow in popularity all around the country, the track held four Fastrak Racing Series events this year, highlighted in mid-October by the finale event in the series' $250,000 national championship shootout.

But without a doubt, the track's weekly racing programs remain highly competitive and draw excellent crowds from all around the East Tennessee region every Saturday night from mid-March through the middle of October.

Kerry Jones of Bristol, driving the Kerry Jones Trucking/Bigfoot Enterprises - Used Trucks & Parts/VP Racing Fuels/Ohlins Shocks/Signs by Roach/Custom Race Engines/Scott Bloomquist Race Cars/No. 6 Monte Carlo, captured his second-ever "Gateway Ford" Super Late Model championship, his first coming back in the 2001 racing season. With the track holding 12 points events this season, Jones missed one night of racing ... yet amazingly he still managed to win the title on the strength of recording 11 top-five finishes, including winning four feature races.

Rounding out the top five in the point standings were Mike Smith of Rogersville, Bryan Hendrix of Knoxville, Jeff Maupin of Greeneville, and Shanon Buckingham of Morristown. Maupin matched Jones' four feature wins, while four-time track champion Vic Hill won three races, and Chad Ogle of Sevierville won one event.

Bobby Mays of Jonesborough had won championships before, winning Sportsman division titles in 1999, 2000 and '03; while also doubling-up in 2000 to win the Super Stock championship. Mays, driving the El Matador Mexican Restaurant/Mike McCroskey Trucking/Whynot Chiropractic of Johnson City/B & B Auto Repair/James Crouch Garage (Tractor Trailer Repairs)/TNT Race Cars & Parts/No. 19 Grand Prix, proved to be the class of the field in 2007 in the "Ramey Ford" Crate Late Model division, as he won five features and recorded a total of 13 top-five finishes en route to claiming his fifth overall track championship.

Rounding out the top five in the point standings were Kelly Glass of Jonesborough, along with Jonesborough's Jerry Broyles, Tony Trent of Morristown, and Brad Kenyon of Chuckey. Besides Mays' five victories, Buckingham also won five races (includes one Fastrak Racing Series event), Dale Ball winning four features (includes one Fastrak Racing Series event), with Kelly Glass, Jensen Ford and Warren McMahan each winning one feature.

Jesse Helton of Rogersville, an 18-year-old competing in his second season in the "Rusty Wallace Toyota" Hobby Stock division, captured a total of eight feature wins in 2007 while recording 15 top-five finishes en route to winning the track championship. Helton drove the Hooker's Trucking/Smith's Auto Parts/Heck's Fabrication/Holton Auto Parts/Smilin' Joe's Racing Engines/No. 28 Monte Carlo.

Rounding out the top five in the point standings were Dale Reed of Whitesburg, Dustin Shaver of Morristown, Jamie Whitt of Wise, Va., and Jon Cook of Jonesborough. Besides Helton's eight victories, Mike Hodges won four features, Shaver and Phillip Nichols each won three races, with Reed and Chuck Johnson each winning once.  

Shawn Henry of Newport sat the 2006 racing season out while his 16-year-old nephew (Josh Henry) captured the Mini Stock championship in his rookie campaign. But taking one year off failed to slow Shawn, who had won titles in 1999, 2004 and '05. Driving the Carson Springs Towing/B&B Bail Bonding Co./Phillips Plumbing/Punkin' Henry Trucking Co./Husky Racing Chassis/No. B00 Mustang, he captured a division-leading seven "Century 21 Masengill-McCrary Realtors" feature wins, including 12 top-five finishes en route to claiming his fourth track championship.

Rounding out the top five in the point standings were Toby Jones of Marion, Va., Kevin Atwell of Rural Retreat, Va., Brent Hensley of Russellville, and Allen Carrier of Bluff City. Besides Henry's seven victories, Atwell and Joey Allen each won four features, while Chuck McMahan visited victory lane once.

Plans are being finalized for the track banquet, with all details to be released later.

Volunteer Speedway: (423) 235-5020 www.VolunteerSpeedway.com

Track Office (Volunteer Tire): (423) 378-5942

Robert Walden-Public Relations Director: (423) 928-9644