Steel Block Bandits

4/24/2023

Steel Block Bandits

STILL ROCK'N; AGELESS ARP GOES WIRE TO WIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

(Maryville, Tenn.) With showers and storms blanketing the southeast, track officials and series officials collectively breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday morning as the fast moving showers exited East Tennessee and brought in bright sunshine and comfortable temperatures to the surrounding mountains that sit in the background of Smoky Mountain Speedway. The stars of the Steel Block Bandits Dirt Late Model Challenge had made their second trip to the Volunteer state as they got set to tackle the new 3/8ths configuration.

Track conditions were pristine on Saturday much like the competitors saw in Friday’s practice which was hammer down all evening. As registration opened for the Rock'n with The Stars! - Smoky Mountain Speedway 47 drivers from 8 states signed in for Round 4 of the Bad Company Tour that would feature a 50 lap, $5000 to win A main.

Two groups of HGR's Truck & Trailer Sales, Inc. qualifying started the afternoon with 2 laps on the clock to set the grid for the Heat races. Skip Arp was fastest in group A with a lap of 15.470. Jordan Roadabaugh was quickest in Group B with a lap of 15.614 giving Arp the Ricky Sullivan Jr Pole award and the $200 bonus. It was the Georgetown, Tennessee native’s second career Bandit pole.
Heat Races were next with four eight lap races taking the top four to the feature.

Dirt Freak Racewear Heat 1:

Skip Arp
Ronnie Johnson
Derrick Quade
Jed Emert

Scott Service Company Heat 2
1.Anthony White Jr
2. Mack McCarter
3. Kyle Courtney
4. Derrick Rankin

Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas H3

Jordan Rodabaugh
Rusty Ballenger
Bobby Giffin
Jordan Horton

VP Race Fuels Heat 4
1.Jason Manley
2. Tyler Bare
3. Chase King
4. Austin Neely

There would be two Last chance qualifying races of 10 laps that took the top three to the feature.

First LCQ.

Barrett Lowe
Robbie Emory
Tyler Arrington

Second LCQ

Jeff Parsons
John Owenby
Drew Collins

Dan Breuer, Samuel Bryant and Shane Bailey were the 3 provisionals.

It was finally time for the 50 lap feature that had a one of a kind guitar awaiting the winner of this 25 car field. Arp and Rodabaugh led the field to turn one with the hall of Famer pushing his Capital Race Cars mount to the point. The best battles were mid pack as several touring regulars battled hard for spots as the race stayed green. Rookie Jeff Parsons started his charge as he advanced near the top ten after starting 18th. Auburn, Georgia’s Drew Collins made his first Bandit race and moved through the pack nicely. Arp continues to log laps and tow the field with Rodabaugh and Ronnie Johnson keeping him in their sights. Mack McCarter, who won the first Bandit race here at The Mountain slips by Johnson to take third. A caution with two to go slows the field for the only yellow of the race. As Arp roared back to green, Tyler Bare loses two spots as Chase King and Jed Emert slip by. Last week’s winner Robbie Emory grabs two spots as well including slipping by point leader Derrick Quade. Arp holds on to get his first career Bandit victory over Roadabaugh, McCarter, Johnson and Jason Manley.

Arp was complementary on the new track configuration, “Well thanks to Roger and the whole staff for the new track, they might want to flatten the bottom out just a little bit because it’s bottom dominant which is good if you’re out front but they’ve done a heck of a job with it and I think it’s gonna be great.”
I appreciate everybody for coming out. Thanks to my crew Robbie, Beaver and Cole and Donnie, everybody that works on this car Jeff, man I couldn’t do it without em.

When asked about staying behind lapped cars for several laps he said, “Man they were about as fast as we was, I was scared to death to get off the bottom afraid I was gonna get passed but when I did it wasn’t too bad out there but it all worked out.
BANDIT BITES:

Bare is the highest finishing Bandit regular as he comes home 10th. Bare slips on a late race restart that costs him two spots.
Tip of the ?? to Drew Collins as he makes his first Bandit race and advances nicely through a stacked field.
Emory grabs a few spots on a late race restart including getting by Quade which was a tussle for the points lead.
Parsons continues to improve in his Mars Race Cars as he was the highest finishing rookie again. Parsons heads to some tracks next month that could bring him into contention for a dub.
Arp’s win makes him the 13th different winner in 26 Bandit races.
In the first four races of the Bad Company Tour, there have been four different winners from four different states.
The Road weary Bandits get a much needed month off before they head to the second Crown Jewel of the season at The Bridge.
———————————————————
UP NEXT: 1st Annual $8800 to win $800 to start Tommy Bare Memorial May 20th at Natural Bridge Speedway
ROCKN’ WITH THE STARS.