Elizabethton racer Jesse Edens has piled up the winnings over the past few months. So has young Hampton racer Luke Hutchinson over the last two weeks.
Edens parked his red Mustang in the Bristol Dragway winner’s circle after winning the Super Pro final at Saturday’s DER Bracket Series race. He had a better reaction time at the start and went down the track in 6.649 seconds at 102.27 mph to beat Kentucky racer Allen Owens in the final round.
He won the $10,000 prize for capturing the Top ET (Box) class at the Charlie Short Memorial Race at London (Ky.) Dragway last month. He scored the Pro win at the NHRA Summit Racing Southeast Division Finals last October and won an IHRA Ironman Classic at Gleason Raceway Park weeks later.
Edens, a two-time DER Series champion, has won major races in NHRA, IHRA and WDRA competition, the three leading bracket racing organizations in America, over the last nine months. He was modest when asked about his success.
“The car makes me look good. It’s much better than I am,†Edens said. “I guess my reaction times have been good, but it takes a lot of luck too. I’m just trying to enjoy it. If you take it too serious, you’re not going to turn the win light on.â€
Hutchinson, the son of 2022 DER Super Pro champion Felix Hutchinson, has put together a winning streak even the adults could envy. In a two-week span at Bristol Dragway, he won a second straight title at the Mike Bos Junior Dragster Nationals, his age bracket at the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals and Saturday’s Junior Dragster Division 1 race in the DER Series.
He won on a massive holeshot against runner-up Brayden Starnes from Kingsport in the final round.
Another Carter County racer, Chris Johnson from Elizabethton, was the Motorcycle winner over Vance Houston from Bristol.
FATHER-SON BATTLE
Heath Walters from Bluff City bested his father, Randy, in Saturday’s Pro final. Heath fired up his 1972 Dodge Demon to the victory when Randy red-lighted at the start in his Plymouth Duster. The all-family and all-Mopar battle ended with a winning time of 7.314 seconds and 96.24 mph for Heath.
Dustin Dean from Mount Carmel raced his 1970 Chevelle to the win over Mike McMillan from Castlewood, Va., in the Trophy final. Justin McMillan raced his red Chevy S-10 to the Sportsman win over John Isom.
Autumn Wright Shipley won over Aubrey Gardner in a battle of Blountville racers in Junior Dragster (Division 2). Reed Houston from Newland, N.C., was the Division 3 winner and Brendan Nuttall from Rutledge captured the Junior Street victory.
Cherokee Race Park had a day WDRA points racing last Saturday. Shane Gibson topped Ronnie Cline in the Pro final. Corey Smith was the No Box winner with Michael Armstrong the runner-up.
The Lumpkins Excavating Race at the 1/8-mile Rogersville takes place this Saturday with a $2,500-to-win Pro race and a $1,500-to-win No Box race.
WELCOME BACK TO THE JUNGLE
Racing returns to Kingsport Speedway this Friday night after a two-week hiatus.
Twin 40-lap features for the Late Model class highlights the action at the track nicknamed the “Concrete Jungle.†The Street Stock, Super Street, Pure 4, Mod 4, Beginner FWD and Crown Vic classes are also slated to compete on the 3/8-mile concrete oval.
Grandstands open at 5 p.m. with practice and qualifying to take place followed by racing at 8 p.m.
LONESOME PINE MP
Jacob Porter, grandson of former NASCAR Busch Series racer Mike Porter, won the first of twin 30-lap Sportsman features at Lonesome Pine Motorsports Park last Saturday night. His black No. 3 Chevrolet held off the No. 00 of Kyle Barnes and the No. 26 of Joseph White for the win at the Coeburn, Va., track.
Barnes and White wrecked on the 3/8-mile oval and their crews fought in the pits in the second race, which saw Shelby Stanley score her first-ever win. Barnes was runner-up again and Porter third in the nightcap.
Jeremy Draughn from Gray was fourth in both features. Stanley was fifth in the first race and Scott Salmons from Fall Branch rounded out the top five in the second race.
Tristen Barnes, the younger of the Barnes brothers, won the Super Street race ahead of Jamie Whitt and Greg Story. Joey Owens from Clintwood, Va., won the Street Stock race with Rusty Clendenin from Church Hill second and Rob Austin third.
Kingsport driver Frank Womack won for the fourth time this season in Pure 4. Kalob Woodruff and William Hale rounded out the top three. Braxton Dean bested Tyler Swecker for the Beginner 4 win, while North Carolina racer Anthony Freedie swept Legends features.
Hunter Morgan and Mason Roberts split Bandolero victories. More racing is scheduled Saturday with the Late Model Stock, Limited Sportsman, Super Street, Street Stock, Mod 4, Pure 4 and Beginner 4 classes on tap.
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS
Consistency carried Clay Hively from Crossville to Saturday’s Pro win at the Hot Summer Nights Supercross Series race at Muddy Creek Raceway.
The Kawasaki rider was runner-up in both motos to finish ahead of Cory Cooper from Pennington Gap, Va., who won the second race. Austin Johnson, who won the 250 A race, finished third. Matt Burkeen won the first moto, but was outside the podium after not finishing the second race.
Matt Blevins from Hampton rode his Husqvarna ahead of Bristol veteran Eddie Branch to the 40+ victory. Noah Roy from Jonesborough won the 125cc, 2-Stroke class and was runner-up in Schoolboy.
Jayden Hefner from Telford and Joseph Taylor from Kingsport finished 1-2 in the 51cc, 7-8 race. Hefner was also runner-up in the 51cc Open motos. Other local winners included Keiralynn Deal from Kingsport in Girls 9-14 and Mason Liddle from Jonesborough in 65 cc, 7-9.
Pazlee Roark was runner-up in the Women’s race and fellow Kingsport rider, Knox Richmond, finished second in 51cc, Multi-Speed.
