User:RockyTopRaceway/Rocky Top Raceway

The Rocky Top Raceway is a 3/8th's mile, clay oval located three miles north of Coal Grove, Ohio. The track races Super Late Models, Modifieds, Bombers, and Mod Lites every Friday night in the spring and summer with 410 Winged Sprint Cars, Steel Block Late Models, 4 cylinders, Enduros, Flat Track Motorcycles, and Flat Track Quads also making appearances at the track during the season. The track is owned by Blaine and Sharon Evans and Don and Judy Harmon. The track promoter is T. J. Layne.

Track History
After nearly four years of construction, the Rocky Top Raceway opened on Saturday, May 22nd, 2004 to a packed house. The inaugural race winners were Eslie Bills (Late Model), Todd Robinson (Modified), and David Skaggs (Bomber). Following the inaugural event on May 22nd, the track made the switch to Friday nights and has been a Friday night track since then. Being the only track within a two hour radius racing on Friday nights has helped to draw much larger car counts.

The 2005 season saw the track host it's first special event races, the Accent Health Care Twin 30's and the Goodyear 50. The Accent Health Care Twin 30's took place in mid-August and saw special event races for the Modified and Limited Late Model divisions. 2005 track champion David McWilliams took the Modified feature win with Coal Grove native John Melvin winning the Limited Late Model portion.

The Goodyear 50 was the tracks first special for it's premiere division, the Super Late Models. Wheelersburg, Ohio driver R. J. Conley took the $5,000 win after having a great battle with Grayson, Kentucky native Josh McGuire.

Following the first special events in 2005, the track continued to add more high profile races to it's schedule each year. The largest event held at the track so far took place on July 13th, 2007 with the running of the first "Engines Inc. 50". The race was sanctioned by the Independent Racing Series and featured a total purse of $24,500 for the Super Late Model division. The race set a record for spectator attendance and saw former World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Steve Francis take an exciting win over Cross Lanes, West Virginia driver Tim Dohm.

Prior to the start of the 2010 season, the track underwent major changes that changed the look of the entire speedway. The guardrail in turns one and two was taken completely out with a large runoff area built outside of the turns. The track exit was also changed from the middle of the back straightaway to off of turn two. The old track exit was closed off and filled in while a larger pit area was also created.

Track Records
The fastest lap ever turned at Rocky Top Raceway came on August 14th, 2009 when Vandalia, Ohio driver Jimmy Stinson turned a lap of 12.661 seconds with an average speed of 106.626 around the 3/8ths mile track in his 410 Sprint Car.

Grayson, Kentucky driver Josh McGuire set the Late Model track record in May of 2006 with a lap of 13.471 seconds while fellow Grayson, Kentucky driver Randy Boggs set the Modified track record with a lap of 15.280 in August of 2004. Pedro, Ohio's David Dunn set the Bomber track record in September of 2006 with a lap of 17.096

Track Champions
2004 Late Model-Nick Bocook, Modified-Todd Robinson, Limited Late Model-John Melvin, Bomber-Conard Newman

2005 Late Model-Kenny Christy, Modified-David McWilliams, Bomber-Conard Newman

2006 Late Model-Nick Bocook, AMRA Modified-Todd Robinson, Bomber-Brett Carey

2007 Late Model-Rick Christian, Modified-Todd Robinson, Bomber-Wayne Hughes

2008 Late Model-Jackie Boggs, Modified-Todd Robinson, Bomber-Wayne Hughes, Mod Lite-Chris Stone

2009 Late Model-Jackie Boggs, Modified-Todd Robinson, Bomber-David Dunn, Mod Lite-Chris Stone

2010 Schedule
April 10th-Test N' Tune

April 30th-Opening Night and Church Night

May 7th-“Rocky Top 50”, Late Models 50 laps for $5,000 to win, AMRA Modifieds 30 laps for $1,000 to win with Bombers and Mod Lites

May 14th-The Tri-State Challenge plus Flat Track Motorcycle Exhibition

May 21st-High School Night plus 4 cylinders

May 28th-"Topless 25", Late Models-$1,500 to win (topless), "Topless 20", AMRA Modifieds-$800 to win (topless), Bombers, and Mod Lites

June 4th-“Rocky Top 100, 100 lap Enduro paying $1,000 to win plus Late Models, AMRA Modifieds, and 4 cylinders-$500 to win

June 11th-410 Outlaw Sprint Cars-$1,500 to win, AMRA Modifieds, Bombers, and Mod Lites plus Flat Track Motorcycle Exhibition

June 18th-“GCP Engines Showdown”, Late Models-$4,000 to win, AMRA Modifieds-$2,000 to win, Bombers-$1,000 to win, and Mod Lites-$500 to win

June 25th-Kings Daughter's Medical Transport Night plus Yesterday’s Heroes Night featuring a Legends Championship Race

July 2nd-OFF

July 9th-“1st Annual All Star Clash” for Late Models, AMRA Modifieds, Bombers, and Mod Lites. All features ran under a all star race format with bonus money.

July 16th-"Gene Comstock Memorial presented by EA Home Supply", 410 Outlaw Sprint Cars-$1,500 to win plus "Up Front Motorsports 25"-$1,000 to win AMRA Modifieds, Steel Block Late Models, Mod Lites

July 23rd-“Ohio Mod Lite Nationals Night One“, $1,000 to win Mod Lites with Late Models and AMRA Modifieds. Plus Flat Track Motorcycle Exhibition

July 30th-Fan Appreciation Night

August 6th-Emergency Workers Night and Season Championships. Also Flat Track Motorcycle Exhibition

August 13th-$3,000 to win 410 Outlaw Sprint Cars plus Steel Block Late Models-$1,000 to win, Bombers, and Mod Lites

August 21st-Southern Ohio Flat Track Championships featuring Ohio Outlaw Motorsports Flat Track Motorcycles and Flat Track Quads. (Saturday afternoon race)

October 9th-“Fall Classic“, Late Models-$2,500 to win, AMRA Modifieds-$1,000 to win, Bombers-$800 to win, Mod Lites-$500 to win (Saturday)