Coach David Payne Wins At Tazewell $10,000; Eldora's Stream 100 Replaces Dream 100

Sunday, May 31, 2020
Steve Hixson

Six days post the Tazewell (TN) Speedway 2020 season opener Gary Hall and his family and staff welcomed the IRONMAN series to the Ultra-High Banks for the $10,000 to-Win "Toyota of Knoxville 50" Super Late Model event Saturday night. Another packed grandstands and live Internet broadcast on dirtondirt.com witnessed high school basketball coach David Payne (#8) of Murphy, N.C., lead from Green to Checkered the entire way holding off two of the three hottest racers in America in the process.

Jimmy Owens and Brandon Overton threw everything they had at "the Coach" but both would wane in the end of the 50-lapper.

Kentucky's Michael Chilton would grab the runners-up spot at the end with Virginia's Kyle Strickler third. Overton would fall to fourth with a tire going south on the final circuit, while Georgian Tyler Millwood rounded out the Top 5. Chickamauga's Dale McDowell would finish just ahead of Owens in 9th after transferring into the feature through a B-Main, while Dawsonville's Donald McIntosh would finish 18th overall.

In Dayton/Spring City, Randy "The Dream" Weaver (# 116) dominated the $1,100 604/Crate feature event at the new Mountain View Raceway 1/4 mile dirt track.

In Sweetwater, John Ownbey and 20-year-old Hayden Ownbey of Cleveland won their respective features Saturday at I-75 Raceway. Ownbey took back to back "W's" this weekend winning Friday's Topless LM race in Crossville.

Dalton's Jake Green (#41) won 411's Sportsman feature Saturday near Gatlinburg. The 18-year-old recent high school graduate plans to attend Georgia Northwestern in nearby Rock Spring.

As for the 3rd mentioned overall hottest racer in America: Illionois' Brandon Sheppard (#1) won both World of Outlaw Late Model series features over the weekend, pocketing over $16,000 in the process up in Iowa. Friday's win over Ricky Thornton Jr. (#20) was so close, it was met with much controversy as video shows it was too close to call at the finish.

At Alabama's Fort Payne Motor Speedway, local racer Kasey Hall (#38) of Geraldine bested his runner-up finish from last weekend by winning the 604/Crate feature. Hall is the current UCRA series points leader.

Next weekend the Super Late Model big dogs head to Ohio for the Eldora Speedway "Stream 100" Thursday through Saturday. It replaces the annual $100,000 to-Win annual "Dream 100" that was canceled earlier this season due to the COVID19 pandemic. The "Stream" pays $10,000 Thursday and Friday before Saturday's finale that'll pay $50,000 at NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart's track. Fans have until 11:59 p.m. Sunday to vote in the last four invitees to the race.

Closer to home, next weekend in Tennessee, Seymour's 411 Motor Speedway hosts 604/Crates for $5,000 to-Win and the Topless Outlaw Late Models take to Wartburg (TN) Speedway and I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater for a pair of weekend races for Steelhead Late Models.

Eldora Speedway's Invite List for Stream 100

Vote at Floracing.com

1. Shannon Babb

2. Brian Birkhofer

3. Scott Bloomquist

4. Jerry Bowersock

5. Kyle Bronson

6. Steve Casebolt

7. Shane Clanton

8. Jonathan Davenport

9. Zack Dohm

10. Tyler Erb