BULLS GAP, Tenn. — Not even an extra lap could keep Jimmy Owens from topping Thursday night’s FloRacing Night in America event at Volunteer Speedway.
While an extra lap was run in the main event due to a scoring malfunction, it was still Owens who led all 51 circuits of the event to snare the win by a mere 0.002 seconds over sixth-starting Jonathan Davenport in front of a raucous crowd at the famed Tennessee, four-tenths-mile oval.
It was Owens first win of the year and the third in the history of the FloRacing Night in America miniseries.
“There with about 15 laps to go I got into the wall down there (turns 1 and 2) and I could feel the handle change on this racecar, and I was just hoping I hadn’t given away a chance at a win. I told Mitch (McCarter) earlier today that I was worried I might have my first year in a long time with no wins, but we got it done tonight and I just say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who continues to support me,” Owens said after claiming the $20,000 victory.
Owens and Chris Madden brought the field to the green flag for the main event. Owens outdueled Madden to the lead in the early going as the duo battled side-by-side for the top spot.
Just past the halfway mark, third-starting Benji Hicks raced into the runner-up spot and challenged Owens for the lead before Jonathan Davenport mounted a late-race charge to contest for the lead.
Despite Davenport’s best efforts, Owens claimed the win.
Davenport, eighth-starting Hudson O’Neal, Chris Madden, and 12th-starting Bobby Pierce completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (51 Laps): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[6]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[8]; 4. 44-Chris Madden[2]; 5. 32-Bobby Pierce[12]; 6. 17M-Dale McDowell[7]; 7. 1-Brandon Sheppard[4]; 8. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[15]; 9. 0X-Jake O’Neil[11]; 10. 17SS-Brenden Smith[17]; 11. 77-Earl Pearson Jr[13]; 12. 55-Benji Hicks[3]; 13. 10-Garrett Smith[14]; 14. 126-Kaede Loudy[10]; 15. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 16. T1-Todd Morrow[20]; 17. 72-Barrett Lowe[18]; 18. 157-Mike Marlar[16]; 19. 19R-Ryan Gustin[23]; 20. 58-Garrett Alberson[9]; 21. 99T-Dylan Thompson[22]; 22. 15-Noah Phillips[21]; 23. 9-Nick Hoffman[19]; 24. 0-Jeff Maupin[24]
