“The Concrete Jungle” is about to roar again.
Kingsport Speedway’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series opener, the Food City Race Night, is scheduled for Friday.
Five divisions — Late Model Stock, Sportsman, Mod 4, Pure 4 and Street Stock, which replaces the Pure Street division — will be racing at the three-eighths-mile concrete oval. There also are hopes the low-cost Banshee/Enduro class featured in a 100-lap race on March 16 will also gain a good following.
Like other tracks across the country, an ongoing issue is tire shortage, particularly for the top classes. Kingsport Speedway is putting limits on new tires; that information to be found on the track’s Facebook page and website.
Track champions for the 2021 season were Nik Williams (Late Model Stock), Rusty Clendenin (Sportsman), Kevin Canter (Mod 4), Bruce Crumbley (Pure 4) and Billy Walters (Pure Street).
Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday. Following practice and qualifying, racing is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
MUDDY CREEK RACEWAY
Johnson City’s Adam Britt won the 450 A/B All-Star race and finished second in the 250 A/B All-Star class during Sunday’s Thor Mega Series opener at Muddy Creek Raceway. The race at the Blountville track featured all KTM riders.
Johnson City rider Isaiah Osborne swept motos in the VetMX Warrior class. Local second-place finishers included Kingsport’s Logan McConnell in the 25+ race and Johnson City’s Haley Ball in the Women’s division.
Limestone’s Austin Milhorn was the 85cc (9-15) winner and Aiken Milhorn swept the 65ccD (6-11) motos. Norton’s Alex Colley outpaced 24 other riders in 125 2-Stroke Amateur class.
Muddy Creek Raceway hosted the Hot Summer Nights Supercross Series season opener last Saturday. Britt finished second in the Pro race and Ball was runner-up in the Women’s race.
The Model City was well represented: Yamaha rider Dawson Ball of Kingsport won both 450C and 250C races and Kaleb Jobe was the Unlimited B winner and runner-up in CollegeBoy Am class.
A pair of young Johnson City riders — Tianna Holsclaw (Girls division) and Anson Osborne (Stacy C) — placed second in their respective classes. Wise riders Canaan Spears (85cc Beginner class) and Ryan Adkins (40+) also pocketed wins. Among the four-wheeler crowd, Jonesborough’s Chris Furches finished second in the ATV Amateur class.
Muddy Creek hosts an AMA Monster Energy National Motorcross Championship Area Qualifier this weekend.
CHEROKEE RACE PARK
Joey Greene (Pro), Matt Lovett (No Box) and Brandon Nuttall (Junior Dragster) were winners at the season-opening “Budget Races” at Cherokee Race Park.
The first IHRA Summit SuperSeries points races are scheduled for Saturday at the eighth-mile Rogersville dragstrip. The Summit SuperSeries is the largest and most prestigious national championship in bracket racing with nearly 100 tracks in North America participating. The program crowns world champions in Box, No Box, Sportsman and Junior Dragster.
An IHRA member driver can qualify for the IHRA World Finals in October by winning the track championship of an IHRA Summit Team Finals main event class.
Cherokee Race Park IHRA World Finals qualifiers in 2021 were track points champion Dustin Light (Box), Corey Smith (No Box) and Rachel Williams (Junior). Randy Blazer (No Box) and Jada Davis (Junior) also won points titles.
B.R.A.K.E.S. BACK AT BRISTOL
The B.R.A.K.E.S. free national teen defensive driving program is returning to Bristol Motor Speedway on April 23-24.
B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) was founded in 2008 by drag racing star Doug Herbert following a tragic highway crash involving his two sons. The program reached a major milestone recently: More than 100,000 individuals — 50,000 teens and 53,000 parents — have learned advanced driving skills through the program.
Motor vehicles crashes are leading cause of death for teenagers.
Herbert, who was inducted into the IHRA Hall of Fame in 2021, made a major impact as a racer at Bristol. The son of drag racing pioneer Chet Herbert beat Kim LaHaie for the Top Fuel final in 1992. He went on to win the IHRA championship that season and three more from 1994-96. He later won 10 NHRA national events.
B.R.A.K.E.S. is a three-hour program that partners a teen driver with a professional driving instructor, also offering parents an opportunity to experience the same courses. Cars are supplied, but a $99 refundable deposit is required because space is limited. Email register@putonthebrakes.org or call (704) 720-3806 for more information.
Email Jeff Birchfield at jbirchfield@johnsoncitypress.com.