By: Gerald E Harris
Photo by: Keith H. Anderson
On Saturday, June 6th, the Southeast Super Trucks finally kicked off their 2020 season at Anderson Motor Speedway. Everyone made their way down to the Upstate of South Carolina. Sixteen of the best Super Truck drivers unloaded and not a frown was seen. The competition was a star studded field of drivers, three returning champions Clint King (2019), Kenneth Headen (2012, 2013, & 2018), and Lee Tissot (2015, 2016, & 2017). Charlie Watson who was multiple wins at Hickory Motor Speedway, BJ Mackey who has competed in several series through out the years. Tim Lollis, Ralph Carnes, Clark Houston, Ed Surrett were just a few drivers who have won over the years in the series. Not to mention the several young guys and gals who have been tough to beat and improved a lot over the years.
The series hosted two early morning practice sessions before the day officially started. The young driver who turned a lot of heads last season, Tanner Carter topped the charts of the first official practice of they afternoon. He had three short track veterans and champions in pursuit Kenneth Headen, Clint King, and Ralph Carnes. BJ Mackey who made his return appearance to the series, found himself on top of the charts for the Final Practice round followed by Headen, Carter, and Charlie Watson.
As the field lined up for qualifying, they went out one by one onto the speedway. It was the local competitor of Ralph Carnes who claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award in his #49 Troys Muffler, DoorTech Toyota Tundra. Carnes rolled a five on the invert dice, which now put Lollis to start from the top spot with Houston on the outside. As the field paced around behind the City Chevrolet Silverado Pace Truck the drivers were eager to get back underway. Flagman Timmy Hutson waited until the field came out of turn four and waved the green flag. Lollis quickly tried to get out in front of the field, Houston ducked into the tire tracks of the veteran driver. The young driver of the Alps Mtn Affordable Hearing Chevrolet Silverado #7 was surrounded by veterans, it was two laps into the race before Headen began to challenge Houston for the second position. Headen opened the inside lane up under Houston, bringing Mackey, King, and Carnes with him.
Six laps into the feature, Lollis began to feel the pressure of the former track champion and series champion of Headen. One lap later, Headen worked his way past the driver of the Busted Knuckle Garage #50 Silverado of Lollis. Headen pulled away from the field, Lollis rode around in the second position. It wasn’t until lap 15, until Mackey had found himself on the rear bumper of Lollis. Mackey didn’t waste no time getting around Lollis, and shuffeling him back to third. Surret began to work his way up towards the top five as he made the move on Barbrey for seventh. Lollis began to experience some kind of mechanical issue and quickly faded off the pace.
King began to feel the pressure from Carnes as they battled for the third position, while this battle was going on Houston slowly reeled the pair down. The first caution flew on lap 26, as Hunter Jarrett came to a stop on the front straight away. Jarrett was able to get his #8J Silverado refired and back under way. Luke Sorrow made his way down pit road for what appeared to brake issue. Headen lead the field back to the green flag, the field behind him remained two by two through out for a few laps. However the battle between Houston and Surrett began to heat up for fifth. The pair raced side by side for multiple laps until the young gun of Houston was able to pull back ahead of Surrett. With a little over half way to go, the battle for second was heating up as the driver of the #07 Warehouse Design Silverado, Clint King had his hands full of Carnes.
The battle went of for several laps, Carnes was finally able to make the move around King on Lap 38. Headen’s big lead slowly started to dwindle as they worked they’re way inside the final 30 laps. Mackey was right behind the SH Carter Ford F150 of Headen. The second caution flew on lap 49, as Surrett was working his way around some slower traffic and got up into some of the loose stuff going into turn one and went around. Barbrey who was right behind the #8 Universal Construction Silverado of Surrett merely missed the spinning truck. Headen and the rest of the field lined back up double file for the restart. Headen set sail back out front of everyone, but immediately felt the pressure of Mackey, however Mackey just ducked back in line behind the three-time champion. Barbrey found himself in contention with the fifth place driver of Houston, they raced side by side not giving an inch to each other. After several laps of side by side racing, Houston bobbled just a little bit, allowing Barbrey to move on past him. This opened the door as the driver of the #88 Jeff’s Auto Sales Silverado of Tissot to pull up on the inside of Houston. Tissot drove on past the third generation driver of Houston, bringing the teenager driver Tanner Carter with him.
Houston found himself in the eighth position, with Charlie Watson now on his rear bumper. Charlie who lost his cousin the week before was racing with heavy emotions. Now under twenty laps remaining in the feature, Mackey waiting for the right moment, made the daring pass on the inside of Headen for the lead. They raced side by side in to turn one, as they came off turn two they made slight contact with each other, and Mackey pulled out front for the first time of the night. Carnes who had just seen what happened, began to immediately try Headens patience. First through fifth was nose to tail, the battle for positions were heating up. Mackey went on to capture the first win of the 2020 season.
The SEST Series will make the return visit back to AMS on June 20th for the second stop of the year. For more information you can visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com and for the rest of the year you don’t have to miss a minute of the action as you can sign up for our Live Broadcast’s courtesy of PitRow.TV by logging on to www.sest.tv
Official Results:
1. 57 BJ Mackey
2. 99 Kenneth Headen
3. 49 Ralph Carnes
4. 07 Clint King
5. 21 Jamie Barbrey
6. 88 Lee Tissot
7. 6 Clark Houston
8. 9 Charlie Watson
9. 00 Tanner Carter
10. 11 Jack Galunke
11. 8J Hunter Jarrett
12. 8 Ed Surrett
13. 33 Brett Suggs
14. 13 Taylor Hosford
15. 9S Luke Sorrow
16. 50 Tim Lollis
Photo by: Keith H. Anderson
On Saturday, June 6th, the Southeast Super Trucks finally kicked off their 2020 season at Anderson Motor Speedway. Everyone made their way down to the Upstate of South Carolina. Sixteen of the best Super Truck drivers unloaded and not a frown was seen. The competition was a star studded field of drivers, three returning champions Clint King (2019), Kenneth Headen (2012, 2013, & 2018), and Lee Tissot (2015, 2016, & 2017). Charlie Watson who was multiple wins at Hickory Motor Speedway, BJ Mackey who has competed in several series through out the years. Tim Lollis, Ralph Carnes, Clark Houston, Ed Surrett were just a few drivers who have won over the years in the series. Not to mention the several young guys and gals who have been tough to beat and improved a lot over the years.
The series hosted two early morning practice sessions before the day officially started. The young driver who turned a lot of heads last season, Tanner Carter topped the charts of the first official practice of they afternoon. He had three short track veterans and champions in pursuit Kenneth Headen, Clint King, and Ralph Carnes. BJ Mackey who made his return appearance to the series, found himself on top of the charts for the Final Practice round followed by Headen, Carter, and Charlie Watson.
As the field lined up for qualifying, they went out one by one onto the speedway. It was the local competitor of Ralph Carnes who claimed the Renegade Race Fuels Pole Award in his #49 Troys Muffler, DoorTech Toyota Tundra. Carnes rolled a five on the invert dice, which now put Lollis to start from the top spot with Houston on the outside. As the field paced around behind the City Chevrolet Silverado Pace Truck the drivers were eager to get back underway. Flagman Timmy Hutson waited until the field came out of turn four and waved the green flag. Lollis quickly tried to get out in front of the field, Houston ducked into the tire tracks of the veteran driver. The young driver of the Alps Mtn Affordable Hearing Chevrolet Silverado #7 was surrounded by veterans, it was two laps into the race before Headen began to challenge Houston for the second position. Headen opened the inside lane up under Houston, bringing Mackey, King, and Carnes with him.
Six laps into the feature, Lollis began to feel the pressure of the former track champion and series champion of Headen. One lap later, Headen worked his way past the driver of the Busted Knuckle Garage #50 Silverado of Lollis. Headen pulled away from the field, Lollis rode around in the second position. It wasn’t until lap 15, until Mackey had found himself on the rear bumper of Lollis. Mackey didn’t waste no time getting around Lollis, and shuffeling him back to third. Surret began to work his way up towards the top five as he made the move on Barbrey for seventh. Lollis began to experience some kind of mechanical issue and quickly faded off the pace.
King began to feel the pressure from Carnes as they battled for the third position, while this battle was going on Houston slowly reeled the pair down. The first caution flew on lap 26, as Hunter Jarrett came to a stop on the front straight away. Jarrett was able to get his #8J Silverado refired and back under way. Luke Sorrow made his way down pit road for what appeared to brake issue. Headen lead the field back to the green flag, the field behind him remained two by two through out for a few laps. However the battle between Houston and Surrett began to heat up for fifth. The pair raced side by side for multiple laps until the young gun of Houston was able to pull back ahead of Surrett. With a little over half way to go, the battle for second was heating up as the driver of the #07 Warehouse Design Silverado, Clint King had his hands full of Carnes.
The battle went of for several laps, Carnes was finally able to make the move around King on Lap 38. Headen’s big lead slowly started to dwindle as they worked they’re way inside the final 30 laps. Mackey was right behind the SH Carter Ford F150 of Headen. The second caution flew on lap 49, as Surrett was working his way around some slower traffic and got up into some of the loose stuff going into turn one and went around. Barbrey who was right behind the #8 Universal Construction Silverado of Surrett merely missed the spinning truck. Headen and the rest of the field lined back up double file for the restart. Headen set sail back out front of everyone, but immediately felt the pressure of Mackey, however Mackey just ducked back in line behind the three-time champion. Barbrey found himself in contention with the fifth place driver of Houston, they raced side by side not giving an inch to each other. After several laps of side by side racing, Houston bobbled just a little bit, allowing Barbrey to move on past him. This opened the door as the driver of the #88 Jeff’s Auto Sales Silverado of Tissot to pull up on the inside of Houston. Tissot drove on past the third generation driver of Houston, bringing the teenager driver Tanner Carter with him.
Houston found himself in the eighth position, with Charlie Watson now on his rear bumper. Charlie who lost his cousin the week before was racing with heavy emotions. Now under twenty laps remaining in the feature, Mackey waiting for the right moment, made the daring pass on the inside of Headen for the lead. They raced side by side in to turn one, as they came off turn two they made slight contact with each other, and Mackey pulled out front for the first time of the night. Carnes who had just seen what happened, began to immediately try Headens patience. First through fifth was nose to tail, the battle for positions were heating up. Mackey went on to capture the first win of the 2020 season.
The SEST Series will make the return visit back to AMS on June 20th for the second stop of the year. For more information you can visit our website www.southeastsupertrucks.com and for the rest of the year you don’t have to miss a minute of the action as you can sign up for our Live Broadcast’s courtesy of PitRow.TV by logging on to www.sest.tv
Official Results:
1. 57 BJ Mackey
2. 99 Kenneth Headen
3. 49 Ralph Carnes
4. 07 Clint King
5. 21 Jamie Barbrey
6. 88 Lee Tissot
7. 6 Clark Houston
8. 9 Charlie Watson
9. 00 Tanner Carter
10. 11 Jack Galunke
11. 8J Hunter Jarrett
12. 8 Ed Surrett
13. 33 Brett Suggs
14. 13 Taylor Hosford
15. 9S Luke Sorrow
16. 50 Tim Lollis