Mud race draws
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TMRO president Chris Terry, who organized the event along with Hoot N? Holler owners Mike and Kim Pettrey, said a crowd of nearly 2,500 fans attended the event, showing an amount of local interest in the sport which came as a very pleasant surprise.
?Honestly, I was overwhelmed with the support we received,? Terry said. ?We put this thing together in five or six weeks, and got a lot of interest from drivers because it?s been so long since there?s been a race like this in this area.
?We were hoping for a good-sized crowd, but when we got started and I looked out at those packed bleachers, it was almost unbelievable. I know the drivers were impressed, and more than one of them told me this was the best crowd they?d ever raced in front of. We?re just so appreciative for everybody?s support, and we hope we put on a good race for them, and that they?ll come back for our next one.?
From toddlers to veteran pros, drivers in various classes of vehicles came out for Saturday night?s race, from kid-sized electric tractors to super-charged, alcohol-burning, nitrous-injected racing machines.
Trophies were awarded in two children?s classes, as well as two adult ATV groups and three ?stock? divisions. But when it came to true displays of speed, the professional drivers came through, thrilling the packed stands in the modified and pro-stock classes.
Doug ?Fat Cat? McClung won the modified class, completing his run down the 100-foot track in 1.729 seconds. His winning time was just 2/100th of a second ahead of Ronnie Dunsavage and local driver Carl Dodson, who tied for second place, while Justin Nelson took third.
In the pro-stock division, first place went to Travis Griffith, who completed his pass down the track in 2.144 seconds. Steve Carter was second at 2.153, while April Clay showed the crowd mud racing isn?t just a ?boys? club,? taking third with a time of 2.201.
Other top finishers in their respective divisions included:
Stock, 36-inch tires and below: Dewayne Penegraph, 3.367 seconds; Jimmy Morrow, 3.439; Bobby Priest, 3.839.
Stock, 37-inch tires and above: Rick Foster, 2.994; Barry Mix, 3.121; Dewayne Headrick, 3.126.
Diesel ?Run what you Brung?: Michael Stoner, 3.305; Randall Dunn, 3.728; A.J. Foxx, 5.042.
Kids? electric cars/ATVs: Alyx Smith, 17.137; Dakota Spitzer, 18.598; Aiden Grissom, 36.606.
Kids? gas-powered ATVs: Chase Thompson, 4.642; Landon Terry, 4.987; Triston Malone, 5.354.
Adult ?Utility? ATVs: Randall Dunn, 3.177; Wayne Newby, 3.260; Jason Fryar, 3.264.
Adult ?Racing? ATVs: Chris Mears, 2.962; Brian Emberton, 3.059; Jason Fryar, 3.289.
Terry expressed his gratitude not only to the local and regional drivers who entered Saturday?s race, but also to his sponsors and the volunteers who helped with the preparation and execution of the event.
?We?d like to thank the McMinnville Jaycees, who came out to help us, and also all of our sponsors and our friends who gave up their time to help make everything possible,? he said. ?We also had some really good sponsors, including Tim?s Motors and Window Tinting, Precision Auto Machine, Riverside Custom Accessories, Smartt?s Portable Toilets, McMinnville Trailer Sales, Mid-Tenn Honda, Rhino Linings of Cookeville, Fann?s Auto Parts and Mt. Leo Custom Paint and Frame Shop.
?I?m also so grateful to everyone who helped me get the word out on our race, and we?re hoping our next one will be even better.?
Plans are underway for TMRO?s next race at Hoot N? Holler, which is scheduled for Oct. 14. For more information, log on to tmromudracing.com.