(Nashville, TN) Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway was back at it on Friday night, June 27, and for the first time a few quarter mile divisions were able to race this season. Weather for the quarter-mile events was not good, creating this Friday night addition to the schedule in an attempt to get a night in. Friday’s action is night one of a doubleheader weekend of racing at the track.
The evening kicked off with the CP Race Wear Bandolero feature, where polesitter Lucas Harrison jumped to an early lead and paced the opening three laps. On the restart, however, fast qualifier and defending track champion Landon Thrasher powered around the outside to take control. Thrasher never looked back, cruising to the victory in impressive fashion. Jordan Bauer secured a solid runner-up finish, with Steven Scalzo, Lucas Harrison, and Carter Clapp rounding out the top five.
In the Pure Stock main event, #711 Dylan Jones led the opening lap before veteran contender John Bradley powered to the front to take control. The 20-lap feature developed into two distinct packs — an intense battle up front and a tight group fighting deeper in the field. As the laps wound down, fast qualifier Phillip McCord began closing in, eventually making the race-winning move on Bradley on lap 14. McCord held strong to capture the victory, with Bradley, Jeffery Belt, Dylan Jones, and Matt Barnes completing the top five.
This was night one of two for the Nashville Equipment Pure Stock bonus for the top three average finishes. $1,000, $350, and $150 will be on the line on Saturday night.
A strong 21-car field took the green in the US Air Force Pro/Masters Legends feature, with early leader Oliver Cordell setting the pace. However, Michael Crafton, the night’s fast qualifier, wasted little time taking charge — grabbing the top spot on lap four. Despite several restarts that gave Cordell a shot at redemption, the veteran Franklin, TN driver Crafton remained poised and in control, driving to yet another Nashville victory. Cordell held on for second, followed by Dylan Fetcho, Boston Oliver, and Kevin Rollins to round out the top five.
The Pest Doctor Front Runner feature saw Matt Hamlett lead the opening laps from the pole, with Randall Waterston and Ray Gann close behind. Near the halfway mark, Gann slipped by Waterston for second and quickly closed in on the leader. A few laps later, Gann made his move — diving to the inside down the frontstretch. The two made slight contact entering turn one, but both drivers held on, with Gann emerging as the new leader. The former division champion went on to secure his first win of the season, followed by Hamlett, Waterston, Brett Lee, and Tony Gann in the top five.
A wild 20-lap feature for the US Air Force Semi-Pro/Young Lion Legends was next on track, with polesitter Bradley Swift pacing the field early. On lap four, Aidan Potter made his move to the front, showing speed in preparation for his Pro Late Model run this weekend. Potter controlled the race until lap 12, when Dylan Faulkner snuck by on the inside to take the lead. After a restart with five laps to go, Swift battled back to reclaim the top spot — but was quickly black-flagged and sent pitside with a rear bumper issue. That handed the lead back to Faulkner, who held off a charging field in the closing laps to grab the win. Potter, Galen Clark, Ayden Oliver, and Kaleb Cox rounded out the top five.
The night wrapped up in thrilling fashion with the Paschall Heating & Air Limited Late Model feature. Defending division champion and polesitter Johnathan Dishman jumped to the early lead, with Bennie Hamlett and later Peyton Hamlett in close pursuit. With just three laps to go, Dishman left the inside open in turn one, allowing Peyton Hamlett to slip by for the lead. Dishman gave it all he had in pursuit but spun exiting turn four, setting up a dramatic restart with two laps remaining. On the restart, Carl Porter, Jr. was all over Hamlett, and coming to the white flag, Porter used the bumper to move the #98 up the track and surged into the lead. Hamlett returned the favor coming to the checkered, but Porter held on in a fantastic finish. The top five were Porter, Hamlett, Dalton Hamlett, Dishman, and Nicholas Formosa.
A fantastic night of Friday short track action is in the books at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, with six exciting features on the 1/4-mile showcasing side-by-side racing, dramatic finishes, and strong car counts across the board. From Landon Thrasher’s Bandolero victory to Carl Porter, Jr.’s late-race move in the Limited Late Models, fans were treated to a thrilling start to the weekend.
But the excitement is far from over — Saturday night, the spotlight shifts to the historic 5/8-mile with the Pro Late Model 100, Super Trucks, Street Stocks, and a full slate of ¼-mile divisions set to put on a show for the fans in the stands. Stands open at 3:00 PM, with the green flag flying at 5:00 PM. Tickets are just $12 in advance or $15 at the gate, and as always, kids 11 & under get in FREE. Come enjoy an action-packed evening at one of the country’s most iconic short tracks!
For more information, visit www.nashvillefairgroundsspeedway.racing.
FEATURE RUNDOWNS
CP Race Wear Bandoleros
A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 55-Landon Thrasher[2]; 2. 4-Jordan Bauer[3]; 3. 24-Steven Scalzo[6]; 4. 1H-Lucas Harrison[1]; 5. 99C-Carter Clapp[10]; 6. 14-Mya Eatherly[14]; 7. 1-Isaac Brown[7]; 8. 211-Elliott Klein[13]; 9. 26-Axel House[5]; 10. 7-Malachi Woods[11]; 11. 54-Jackson Jones[4]; 12. 99-Matthew Leslie Kubat[8]; 13. 0-Jaxson Riley[9]; 14. 19-Grant Hooker[12]
US Air Force Pro/Masters Legends
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 9-Michael Crafton[3]; 2. 17-Oliver Cordell[1]; 3. 89-Dylan Fetcho[4]; 4. 88-Boston Oliver[7]; 5. 93-Kevin Rollins[2]; 6. 25-Jessie Binkley[11]; 7. 31-Giles Martin[12]; 8. 48-Tyler Cordell[6]; 9. 8-Craig Haack[13]; 10. 20-Shawn Parker[10]; 11. 24G-Greg Gresham[8]; 12. 76-Phil Jones[16]; 13. 0-Ryan Walters[17]; 14. 66B-Ed Bray[14]; 15. 00-George Ingram[18]; 16. 45-Mike Curran[22]; 17. 87-Anthony Smith[21]; 18. 14-Casey Atwood[9]; 19. 36-Paul Jones[20]; 20. 66-Robby Taylor[5]; 21. 9C-Jamie Call[19]; 22. (DNS) 6-Shawn Neidert; 23. (DNS) 21M-Josh Mullins
US Air Force Semi-Pro/Young Lions Legends
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 60-Dylan Faulkner[2]; 2. 68-Aidan Potter[3]; 3. 38-Galen Clark[4]; 4. 33-Ayden Oliver[7]; 5. 09-Kaleb Cox[15]; 6. 55-Landon Thrasher[8]; 7. 73H-Zach Honaker[13]; 8. 85-Bradley Swift[1]; 9. 12-Nash Poynter[12]; 10. 99-Jagger Parker[9]; 11. 22-Alfred Alvarez Del Castillo[17]; 12. 43-Kyler Huffine[10]; 13. 95-Hunter Taylor[16]; 14. 18-Austin Call[18]; 15. 33D-Collin Dickey[19]; 16. 27-Garrett Dies[5]; 17. 2-Van Drugmand[11]; 18. 35-Max Olmsted II[6]; 19. 007-James Faulkner[14]
Nashville Equipment Pure Stock
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 2-Phillip McCord[3]; 2. 44-John Bradley[2]; 3. 71X-Jeffery Belt[4]; 4. 711-Dylan Jones[1]; 5. 71-Matt Barnes[5]; 6. 23X-Michael Forsythe[9]; 7. 32-Rob Gibbs[6]; 8. 38-Jason Plunkett[7]; 9. 04-Joey Williams[8]
Pest Doctor Front Runners
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 31-Ray Gann[3]; 2. 1-Matt Hamlett[1]; 3. 26-Randell Waterston[4]; 4. 7-Brett Lee[2]; 5. 18-Tony Gann[5]; 6. A1-Paul Cummings Sr[8]; 7. 96-Mitch Waynick[6]; 8. (DNS) 8-Gene Gann
Paschall Htg & Air Limited Late Models
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 465-Carl Porter Jr[6]; 2. 98-Peyton Hamlett[5]; 3. 1-Dalton Hamlett[7]; 4. 67D-Johnathan Dishman[1]; 5. 81-Nicholas Formosa[8]; 6. 77-Dustin Williams[15]; 7. 9-James Jordan[11]; 8. 7-Buddy Moody[3]; 9. 48-Howard Tucker[12]; 10. 55-Bennie Hamlett[2]; 11. 76-Joshua Pierce[10]; 12. 52-Dwayne Hudson[4]; 13. 16S-Steven Shaw[13]; 14. 41-Dylan Jones[9]; 15. (DNS) 87-John Burns
