Works Continues to Roll with Hobby Championship Win

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (May 10) Tanner Works continued his winning ways Saturday night as the Cleveland, Tenn. lead foot took the A-Hobby Mid-Season Championship laurels with a flag-to-flag win.

Works, who won the North Georgia Speedway Mid-Season Hobby Championship, led flag-to-flag to take the Cleveland A-Hobby Mid-Season Championship and take over the point lead from defending champion Todd Hernandez. Works, who toured the tricky third mile with a qualifying time of 16.285, started on the pole, took the lead on the first lap and kept first Donnie Farmer and then Greg Ledford at bay for the win. Ledford would come home second and was followed across the line by Farmer, Chuck Cooper and David Brown.

Rounding out the top 10 were Robbie Greene, Kenny Pierce, Tommy Miller, Stacy Wright and Gary Johnson.

Qualifying fourth, Kevin Gibson won his heat and started on the outside front row along side pole sitter Morrow in the Super Late Model feature. With the drop of the green Gibson took the lead followed by Todd Morrow, Riley Hickman and Randy Burrows. Using the high groove Gibson was in a class of his own. In the waning laps there were no challenges to Gibson's lead as Morrow, Hickman nor anyone in the field had anything for leader. Morrow would finish second, Hickman third with last weeks winner Burrows finishing fourth and Ruben Mayfield fifth.

Morrow was fast qualifier with a time of 14.401.When the checkered flag fell Gibson by virtue of his win and a fourth place finish at North Georgia Speedway the night before picked up an additional $100 bonus as high point man.

The Limited/Crate Late Model feature was won by John Ownbey, which was not a surprise as Ownbey is a regular visitor to victory lane in this ultra competitive division. However, the fact that the 20-lap feature was run without a caution flag flying made it a once in a life time event.

Ownbey would out run pole sitter Justin Litchford, who qualified with a time of 14.811, to take the lead on the first lap and never look back as he led every lap for the win. Litchford would shadow his every move, but have to settle for second. Craig Burrows was third, Chris Beavers fourth and Matt Steward fifth.

Patrick Harvey made it two B-Hobby feature wins in a row and three for the year. While Harvey was in the lead the battle for second between Chuck Heling and Michael Anderson waged. Anderson took the second spot from Heling on lap eight and held it for eight laps. When Anderson pitted on lap 16 Heling regained the spot and held it to the finish, Chad Collins, John Muse and Sean Sims rounded out the top five.

Danny Burnette took the Pony feature win leading all 20 laps. On his way to the win he first held off Mark True Love, then the red hot Jimmy Elliott and finally Nick Webb. Donnie Lowe would finish third, Elliott fourth and Corey Green.

How they crossed the line in the Front Runners was how they were paid for the first time in a number of weeks. Jason Whitt took first place honors and money. Dustin Cansler was second, John Burger third, Tim Campbell fourth and James Breland fifth.

This Saturday night is the SAS 31st Annual Coca Cola Tennessee Memorial. The event will pay $5,000 to win plus there will be racing in all divisions, Limited/Crate Late Models, A and B Hobby, Pony and Front Runners.

Racing every Saturday night from March to November Cleveland Speedway is East Tennessee's finest clay oval. The track is located on US Hwy 11 (Lee Highway) just north of the US 64 bypass in Cleveland, Tenn. For more information call the track (423) 479-8574. Or visit www.clevelandspeedway.com