Topless Outlaw Late Model Series

HORTON HUGS THE BOTTOM TO SNAG TAZEWELL WIN AWAY FROM TRAMMEL

5/8/2023

HORTON HUGS THE BOTTOM TO SNAG TAZEWELL WIN AWAY FROM TRAMMEL

New Tazewell, Tenn. (May 6th, 2023) Jordon Horton of New Tazewell, Tenn. started third behind Jason Trammel of Mascot, Tenn. and Austin Neely of New Tazewell but seemed primed to make a run to steal the spotlight from the two drivers that had previously claimed all five tour stops at the Taz on the Topless Outlaw Dirt Late Model Series presented by Stanley Best Heating & Air.
Race long leader Trammel began having trouble negotiating lapped traffic in the late stages of the race when he came up behind Rookie contender Kelby Norwood of Athens, Tenn. allowing Horton to swing low to the bottom of turn one on lap 34 of the 40-lap Bill Ogle Memorial and claim the win in dramatic fashion.
Trammel tried to make a last lap bold move at the finish line and made contact with a slower car resulting in significant front-end damage but still claimed second. Austin Neely finished third with Skip Arp of Georgetown, Tenn. finishing 4th after starting seventh while defending and two-time series champion Chase King of Seymour, Tenn. rounded out the top five after starting thirteenth, earning his own Stinger Race Cars Hard Charger Award.
Jordon Horton has turned a lot of laps at his home track, perhaps even more than Jason Trammel and Austin Neely who have each claimed their fair share of victories at the ultra-fast, extremely high-banked 3/8 mile oval situated in upper east Tennessee not too far from the Kentucky state line.
In fact, Horton has multiple wins and track championships in Street, Modified Street and Sportsman divisions, but the claim to fame you earn from winning a traveling series race is an accomplishment many drivers only dream of, especially racing the likes of Trammel, Neely and two hall-of-famers like Ronnie Johnson and Skip Arp, not to mention a strong field of cars representing five states on Saturday night.
Trammel was definitely the class of the field from Chattanooga Valley Used Cars and Parts Group-A time trials with a fast lap of 12.091. Neely topped Discount Tire Group B qualifying with a fast lap of 12.410; pitting the two side by side on the front row for the A-Main. The top 8 from each group would be locked into the A-Main. Mike Skelly of Lenoir City, Tenn. claimed victory in the B&B Performance Engines B-Main.
The start of the feature was delayed by twenty minutes due to an injury to a crew member in the infield pits caused by a fall from a race car trailer and requiring the assistance from the ambulance. Once the gentleman was determined to be ok, the green flag fell over the feature field of 23 at 10:53pm.
Trammel cruised out front and left an intense battle behind him between Neely and Horton. The lone caution flag flew on lap-two as Kelby Norwood and Luke Crass of Harriman, Tenn. got together in turn three.
On the ensuing restart Trammel would pull away by a straight-away as Neely and Horton continued to battle for second with Horton taking second for good on lap 14. Josh Collins of Straw Plains, Tenn. Travis Fultz of Harrogate, Tenn. and Skip Arp all battled for fourth. Arp would eventually claim the spot in the late going. Collins and Fultz would both retire early with mechanical issues.
“Man I never thought you could ever win a race here by running the bottom but I guess we just proved it” stated a jubilant Horton from victory lane. “I saw where Jason (Trammel) was having a little trouble there with the lapped cars so I just stuck it to the bottom and it all worked out. Man I just want to thank all these people that help me, I couldn’t do without ‘em."
Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn. son of Bill Ogle for which the race is named, was on-hand and presented Horton with the winner’s check worth $3,001. Bill drove the #01 for many years while Billy made the #201 famous. “Man it’s great to be here tonight, thanks to all the fans that showed up and thanks to Tazewell for putting this race on every year to honor my dad. He would be very proud”. Ogle Jr. also stated that he has been out of racing for four years now but stated “never say never” when asked about the possibility of a return to the sport he grew up in.
Horton’s Savage chassis is powered by a DJs Performance engine with sponsorship from Middlesboro Coca-Cola, Volunteer Drum, Seals Property Management, Ramsey Dirt Works, Johnson’s Feed Mill, Greasy Rock Auto Shop and Southern Pride Land & Cattle.
Official Results