BULLS GAP, Tenn. — Jimmy Owens returned to his home track and led wire-to-wire as Volunteer Speedway kicked off its 2008 season this past weekend with the weather-delayed $10,000-to-win 10th Annual BB&T/Toyota Tundra Spring Thaw 100.
Owens, from nearby Newport, Tenn., started on the pole alongside of his Team Zero teammate Scott Bloomquist.
From there, Owens launched into the lead at the drop of the green and proceeded to lead flag-to-flag, though he had to hold off several late-race charges from Bloomquist as the lead duo negotiated lapped traffic en route to his $10,000 victory.
Vic Hill finished third behind Bloomquist, while Brandon Kinzer was fourth and Shanon Buckingham took fifth.
In other divisions, Kenny Peeples, Jr. picked up where he left off last fall with his second-consecutive crate late-model victory. Mike Hodges, a four-time winner last season, opened this season with a hobby-stock victory. In the mini-stock division, Joey Allen edged John Broce, Jr. at the finish line.
The finish:
Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Vic Hill, Brandon Kinzer, Shanon Buckingham, Mike Marlar, Chris Madden, John Blankenship, Michael England, Brad Neat, Billy Ogle, Jr., Rick Rogers, Tommy Kerr, Anthony White, Kerry Jones, Ray Cook, Dale McDowell, David Payne, Mark Douglas, Stacy Boles, Jeff Maupin, Mike Weeks, Mark Vineyard, Dusty Carver.