Kennedy captures $3,000 ‘Showdown at The Gap’ Steel Head shootout win at Volunteer Speedway

Kennedy captures $3,000 ‘Showdown at The Gap’ Steel Head shootout win at Volunteer Speedway BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 25, 2018) — Drew Kennedy of Wartburg banked $3,000 Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway for winning the Steel Head Late Model “Showdown at The Gap.” The 28-year-old Kennedy captured his first-ever win at the track in impressive fashion, as he powered into the lead by executing a slide-job between turns one and two to steal the lead from Jordon Horton on lap 24. “Wow, it’s great to be able and win a big race here at Volunteer Speedway,” said a smiling Kennedy, hearing cheers from the crowd on the front straightaway in victory lane. “I knew I had an awesome race car if we could ever stay green long enough for me to pass some of those cars ahead of me. After we really got to rolling picking positions off and I moved into second place, I contemplated if it was too early in the race to slide Horton. But I got such a good run off that restart I knew I had to try it.” Jason Trammell of Knoxville earned the $137 Schubert Monument Sales fast-time pole award with a lap of 13.190 seconds around the high banks. Trammell, Barrett Lowe and Chase King respectively won the three heat races, with Ellery Leake winning the B-main. Lowe, the grandson of former NASCAR Late Model Sportsman (Busch Series) driver Bosco Lowe, jumped into the lead at start of the 51-lap Steel Head Late Model main event over Trammell, King, Horton and Jason Manley. Caution waved on lap 5, when Eric Webber spun down low between turns one and two. With Lowe on the point for the double-file restart, little did he know what was getting ready to happen behind him as Horton timed waving of the green flag to perfection and rocketed down the front straightaway and dove to the inside of Lowe, throwing a slider to stronghold the lead. Behind Horton and Lowe, Trammell and Manley were battling for the third spot. The intensity ratcheted up a notch and on lap 12, contact was made with Trammell spinning. Track officials decision was to put Trammell back in his position and Manley was forced to restart from the rear for initiating the contact. Back under green Horton was leading Lowe, Trammell, Mike Weeks and King. Kennedy was riding a rocket and on the way forward, passing King for the fifth spot on lap 18 between turns one and two. Just three circuits later he blasted around both Trammell and Weeks to advance into third. When you’re chauffeuring a fast ride, you drive it for all it’s worth and indeed that’s what Kennedy was doing as he was having the ride of a lifetime. Kennedy passed Lowe for second place on lap 22, and closing right in behind Horton he set him up for what would prove to be the race-winning pass for the lead. Kennedy drove deep and hard into the first...