Lee Tissot has been around racing a long time. Numerous wins and championships, he has called Kingsport Speedway in Tennessee his home the last few years. Two weeks ago he was disqualified for the second and third times of his life, on the same night. He wanted to tell his side of the story to RACE22.com.
“I just wanted to say what happened to me up here at Kingsport,” said Tissot. “Went went and practiced out brand new car on Thursday, we broke a brake line and I pounded the wall. So we borrowed a car from Kirby Gobble. We get to the track with a 390 4-barrel on it. I ask them what they wanted me to do, it was what was on the car but I was going to change it, add weight, whatever they wanted, I was happy to be there at all. The head tech man told me clearly ‘NO’ … they wanted me to run it as test to see what they needed to do to get these built motors running up against the Ford crates. After the race they threw me out … of both races.”
When asked what their reasoning was Tissot was still unsure.
“I have no idea why they did that. They had just told me to do it, then they pull that. I guess they were mad everyone didn’t know, I honestly have no idea. The only built motor that had any shot of winning was Kyle Barnes, and he was running a 500 2-barrel borrow from the same guy I borrowed the car from.”
Tissot just really wanted to speak on it as he doesn’t have a reputation for cheating and doesn’t want it to start now.
“I just want all my fans to know I wasn’t cheating, I was doing exactly what the head tech man asked me to do,” said Tissot. “I mean I asked Karen [Tunnell] about it and she acted like she didn’t know anything about it. I do know they wanted Robbie Ferguson to do the same thing a while back and they eventually ran him off. Funny thing is I won one race that night and finished third in the other and got thrown out after the second race … and they never even took the hood off the car. That tells you something isn’t right, they didn’t have to take the hood off, they knew what was in it, they are the ones that asked me to run it.
“I even went, fine whatever I’ll do whatever, just give me last place points at least if you’re going to do me like that. I’m second in points. I would only be four back, now I’m 63 points back. I’ve had a long career, been thrown out of three races in my entire life, two of those being two weeks ago. I just want everyone to know that me nor my team cheated, I’m getting old in this racing game and I want to win all I can, but I will never do it like that. Something needs to change around there, they have already run off a few cars, we need all the cars we can get or the place will be like it was for 20 years, vacant again.”
Tissot will be back in his own car next time out, but you had better believe the bitter taste in his mouth isn’t going away anytime soon. The tiny track in the Tennessee Mountains always has controversy, and it looks like this season it has started in the tech shed.
