Story By: RYAN DELPH / SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – SYLVANIA, GA – After a flurry of recent rain outs across Georgia and Alabama in recent days, the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco finally enjoyed some dry weather on Sunday afternoon at Screven Motor Speedway. Casey Roberts, of Toccoa, Georgia, emerged victorious in the 25th edition of the ‘Rebel Yell’ at the Sylvania, Georgia facility. Casey earned Fast Time honors during qualifying prior to winning his heat race and leading all but one circuit in the 53-lap headliner.
Cory Hedgecock, of Loudon, Tennessee, edged Roberts at the start/finish line to officially lead lap 29 before Roberts regained the point for good on the following lap. The winner of the ‘Rebel Yell’ with the Southern Nationals Series previously in 2010 and 2017, Roberts claimed the $10,053 first place prize money for his third race title.
Seventh-starting Ross Bailes steadily marched to the front during the daytime affair and took advantage of a lap-43 restart to grab the runner-up position from Hedgecock. At the checkers, Bailes was in second and Hedgecock rounded out the podium. Will Herrington advanced a spot to finish in fourth, while Benji Hicks rebounded from a spin on lap-43 to claim the final position inside of the top five.
“It feels like home down here,” quipped Casey Roberts in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane following the Sunday matinee. “I haven’t raced in quite a while there until this year. Looking at the looks of the car, I still can’t drive. We’ll keep working at it and maybe I’ll keep it out of the wall. I just have to thank Gus Simpson, all of our great sponsors, and everyone that is associated with this race team!”
Casey, who now has thirteen career Southern Nationals Series wins to his credit, drove a Gus Simpson-owned Longhorn Chassis with sponsorship in part from Simpson’s Trucking & Grading, Atlanta Construction Paving & Concrete, Ralph Grizzle Trucking, Cantrell Forest Products, Kenny Harris Grading, Elrod Trucking, Rebel Auction Company, R&B Mechanical, A Plus Signs, and Bilstein Shocks.
After the ‘Rebel Yell’ program was pushed back a day to Sunday due to inclement weather, a total of 15 competitors entered round five of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series. Youngster Gavin Cowan emerged at the top of the speed chart in Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps to earn the “Smashing the Clock” Award. Casey Roberts then posted a fast lap of 15.112 seconds during FK Rod Ends qualifying. Roberts and Cory Hedgecock were victorious in the pair of heat races that set the field for the 53-lap headliner.
Only two DirtCarLift.com caution flags slowed the pace during the ‘Rebel Yell’ feature event. Ben Boyd slowed with a flat left rear tire on lap 31, while Benji Hicks went for a spin to draw the final yellow flag on lap 43. The 53-lapper lasted 22 minutes and 10 competitors were running at the waving of the checkered flag. While there were no serious stoppages during the A-Main, series point leader Donald McIntosh went for a wild ride on the opening lap of his heat race and was forced to a back-up car for the remainder of the day. The Dawsonville, Georgia ace emerged unscathed from the series of flips, but his Double Nickel race car was badly damaged from the incident.
Following a day off on Monday, the series will jump right back into action on Tuesday evening, July 23 at the renowned Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina. The $7,553 to win midweek special will mark the first visit by the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series to the “Place Your Momma Warned You About” since the 2019 season. Previous series winners at Cherokee include Chris Madden (’07), Dennis Franklin (’08), Casey Roberts (’10), and Trent Ivey (’19). For more information, please log onto www.cherokeespeedwaysc.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 5 Race Summary
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Screven Motor Speedway – Sylvania, Georgia
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (1) Casey Roberts $10,053
2. (7) Ross Bailes $5,000
3. (2) Cory Hedgecock $3,000
4. (5) Wil Herrington $2,000
5. (11) Benji Hicks $1,500
6. (6) Caleb Gay $1,000
7. (8) Haiden Cowan $800
8. (3) David McCoy $700
9. (12) Donald McIntosh $675
10. (13) Ben Boyd $650
11. (4) Jordy Nipper $625
12. (9) Gavin Cowan $600
13. (10) Matthew Taylor $575
14. (15) Steven Roberts $550
15. (14) Hardy Youmans III $525
Entries: 15
Lap Leaders: Casey Roberts (Laps 1-28), Cory Hedgecock (Lap 29), Casey Roberts (Laps 30-53)
20th Anniversary Lap 20 Leader: Casey Roberts ($200 Bonus)
DirtCarLift.com Caution Flags: 2
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Gavin Cowan
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Casey Roberts 15.112
Qualifying – 1. 101-Casey Roberts, 00:15.112[2]; 2. 23-Cory Hedgecock, 00:15.398[4]; 3. 11-David McCoy, 00:15.443[9]; 4. 79-Donald McIntosh, 00:15.494[6]; 5. 14-Wil Herrington, 00:15.507[13]; 6. 14C-Haiden Cowan, 00:15.578[10]; 7. 219-Gavin Cowan, 00:15.662[3]; 8. 17G-Caleb Gay, 00:15.664[1]; 9. 55-Benji Hicks, 00:15.753[8]; 10. 1N-Jordy Nipper, 00:15.919[14]; 11. 111-Steven Roberts, 00:16.123[12]; 12. 38-Matthew Taylor, 00:16.128[15]; 13. 87-Ross Bailes, 00:16.165[5]; 14. 7-Hardy Youmans III, 00:16.314[7]; 15. 8-Ben Boyd, 00:16.596[11]
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 101-Casey Roberts[1]; 2. 11-David McCoy[2]; 3. 14-Wil Herrington[3]; 4. 87-Ross Bailes[7]; 5. 219-Gavin Cowan[4]; 6. 55-Benji Hicks[5]; 7. 8-Ben Boyd[8]; 8. 111-Steven Roberts[6]
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 23-Cory Hedgecock[1]; 2. 1N-Jordy Nipper[5]; 3. 17G-Caleb Gay[4]; 4. 14C-Haiden Cowan[3]; 5. 38-Matthew Taylor[6]; 6. 79-Donald McIntosh; 7. (DNS) 7-Hardy Youmans III