Zack Mitchell Wins Big Chief at Cherokee Speedway and Prepares for Upcoming Races

Zack Mitchell Wins Big Chief at Cherokee Speedway and Prepares for Upcoming Races

By Rhonda Beck, WISNC Creations/BeckRacingMedia

?4-4-2024

Last Saturday, March 30, 2024, Zack Mitchell set fast time with a 15.2 at Cherokee Speedway and led all 40 laps to win the opening race of the season for the Ultimate Super Late Models Southeast Series and take home a $7500 paycheck. The driver from Enoree, S.C. is a four-time champion of that series and has competed at Gaffney, S.C. many times over the years. He said he has felt better lately about some of his showings there.

“It seems like that place over the past couple of years has kicked our tails. But the past few times I’ve been there, we’ve been really good. About all of last year we were really good there, but it just seemed like there was always something that went amiss. But we picked up two, maybe three wins over there last year. I guess we kinda found something in set up and we’ve been really consistent over there the past few times we’ve been there,” said Mitchell.

Towards the end of Saturday’s race, Mitchell could feel some of the pressure as he maneuvered through lap traffic. Second-place finisher Trent Ivey, who had won March Madness at the track earlier in the month, was closing in on him.

“Yeah, it kind of seemed like I got my tires a little hot there racing with the lap traffic and I knew I was slowing down a little bit. It seemed like it was getting a little bit snug on entry. I knew they were closing the sticks up and he was catching me a little bit. I just needed to hit my marks and keep it straight and keep the tires up under me.

“Trent, he’s one of the best over there--Ben too. I mean, you know, Trent and Ben and Ross. There’s a lot of guys that are going to be really tough to beat over there, regardless of whether it’s Lucas Oil, World of Outlaws, supers, whatever. They’re just really good cars,” said Mitchell.

After taking photos and being interviewed in victory lane, Mitchell suddenly went over to the flag stand and gave his trophy to a fan standing there at the fence. It is something he said makes him feel good.

“I done it a couple times last year. Obviously, there’s kids that come up to the fence and people come and cheer me on. I just seen the little kid up there. He was just standing and looking and smiling and I was like, ‘Man, I bet it would make his weekend to give him that trophy.’ Because I’ve been up there myself. And it means a lot for me also. Just to be able to put a smile on somebody’s face and give him some excitement and all.”

Earlier in the evening, Mitchell was at the Ultimate Super Late Model drivers meeting where Series Director Kelley Carlton went over some of the changes regarding tires and what was expected of drivers and teams across the board when competing with the series. Mitchell is aware that these procedures and rules are needed.

“Yeah, I mean anytime you take extra precautions and try to keep everybody honest, it’s always a great thing. I mean, just going the extra mile,” said Mitchell.

Cherokee Speedway has also made some changes to the facility in 2024 and Mitchell has liked what he has seen.

“I think they’ve really made a lot of improvements as far as the racetrack goes. It seems like it’s been a lot more wide, and you can race on it and pass on it a little bit more. And of course, they’ve done a lot with the pits and really made a nice space over there.”

Another place that has made changes over the past year is Ultimate Motorsports and RV Park in Elkin, N.C., where Mitchell competed on Friday night with the Mid-East Super Late Models. He finished eighth in the Doug Walls Memorial Race after having some issues early on at the track.

“Yeah, we started out a little rough. Actually, we had a bad problem steering in hot laps and I figured it was maybe just the racetrack’s a little greasy. Went out there and qualified and actually got into the wall and we just didn’t get a good qualifying lap. Come in and checked over everything, looked over everything and we didn’t have much time before we had to go out for the heat race. Went out and I come in and knew there was something off. We just went back to work and replaced a few suspension parts, right front suspension and a right front shock, and it seems like we got a lot better for the feature and kind of cleared things up a little bit.”

Mitchell hadn’t done any testing up there this year or since Bobby Koehler bought the track. He noticed some of the differences and is happy with what he has seen.

“It’s been obviously different from since the last time we’ve been up there which was 2021, I think. And like I say, it’s obviously different. The pits and all. I think he said he was grading it off for another 40 spots, so that will be good too.”

The Doug Walls Memorial Race was put on by the Mid-East Racing Association, led by Jason Walls. This will be their first complete year fielding supers for a championship and the organization has a total of five divisions. Mitchell has competed with the series previously.

“Yeah, we’ve raced with them a couple times. Jason, he seems like a really cool guy and all in, and it seems like they’ll have a good series.”

One driver back competing against Mitchell both at both Cherokee and Ultimate this month has been Casey Roberts. ?Mitchell knew Roberts years ago and was glad to see him racing again.

“It’s definitely cool. Casey’s been one of those guys that I kinda watched since I was a little kid racing. And it’s always cool to get to race with him and get to line up beside him. He’s always been a really good racer, a really good clean racer. He’s tough to beat,” said Mitchell.

Mitchell has signed on with the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series this year and will be focusing on those races along with other series races in the area.

“I definitely think they have a good deal going on. The Joiner bunch are really a great group of people. It’s good to race with them. They seem like they have a really good series going on and I’m just glad to be a part of it.

“We’re planning on doing East Alabama this weekend. That’s the plan. And then we’ll go to All-Tech next weekend for the Hunt the Front show. Hopefully have a good showing there and see what we can do with them.”

He has some new tracks on his radar as well this year.

“On the tracks I’m looking forward to, is, I’ve never been to any of the Mississippi racetracks. I’ve never raced in Mississippi. Definitely looking forward to going to Magnolia--watched a bunch of races there, and it seems like a pretty cool place. Kind of looks like it widens out a good bit. Kind of excited to go there. There’s a couple more on the schedule that I know that I’ve been looking forward to. Just really looking forward to it.”

And like many other drivers, he would like to get back up to Eldora Speedway again this year.

“It really just depends on how the season’s going at that point, really and truthfully. I’d definitely love to go. I always love going up there and it’s a cool place to race at. So much history and just really awesome to go to,” said Mitchell.

Cherokee Speedway, Ultimate Super Late Models, Results, 3-30-2024: 1. Zack Mitchell 2. Trent Ivey 3. Ben Watkins 4. Benji Hicks 5. Christian Thomas 6. Jeff Smith 7. Dennis Franklin 8. Gray Parton 9. John Henderson 10. Michael Leach 11. Greg Clark 12. Royce Bray 13. Cla Knight 14. Donovan Jackson 15. Owen Osteen 16. Brent Robinson 17. Carson Brown 18. Willie Milliken 19. Wil Herrington 20. Steve Banal 21. Ricky Greene 22. Travis Stoner 23. David Yandle 24. Mark Greene

The next Ultimate Super Late Model Series Southeast race is at Lake View Motor Speedway in Nichols, S.C. on April 6, 2024.

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