Story By: RYAN DELPH / SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – CHATSWORTH, GA – Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Dale McDowell claimed his second straight ‘Young Memorial’ victory with the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series on a beautiful Friday evening at North Georgia Speedway! Dale, who earlier in the night laid down the second quickest time in qualifying around the Chatsworth, Georgia oval and picked up a heat race win, started the 53-lap headliner from the outside of the front row. The Chickamauga, Georgia native survived a scare at the drop of the green flag when he and polesitter Donald McIntosh banged wheels and nearly got sideways in front of the field.
Both drivers were able to correct themselves following the incident and wound up running first and second. Dale led each and every circuit en route to the $10,053 triumph, while Donald finished 1.448 seconds behind the #17M in second. McIntosh was able to stretch his current Southern Nationals point lead, but only by two markers, as Cory Hedgecock, who sits second in points, rounded out the podium in third. Seventh-starting David Payne ran a steady race to come home fourth, while tenth-starting Mike Benedum advanced five positions to earn the final spot inside of the top five at the unfurling of the checkered flag.
“I need to apologize to Donald (McIntosh) first off,” quoted McDowell in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane. “I don’t know whose fault it was, but our tires hit on the start and when they hit, it yanked the wheel out of my hand. I guess I’m getting too old to hang on, but we beat and banged down the front straightaway a little bit. Nothing intentional at all, it was just something that happened. But this win means a whole lot – I’m friends with a lot of the Young family and it’s always special to win here in front of these fans at North Georgia Speedway. Thanks to my entire team and all of our great partners that make this all possible!”
Dale, who now has sixteen career Southern Nationals Series victories on his illustrious resume, drove a Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero racecar with a Clements Racing Engine under the hood. Sponsorship on his familiar #17M comes in part from E-Z-GO, Cometic Gaskets, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Connected Strategy Advisors, Northeastern Fabrication, S&H Systems, M&S Motors, Black Rock Enterprises, BSI Well Service, Fox Racing Shox, Campbell Insulation Specialists, and Shackleford Enterprises.
Following a flurry of rain outs this week for the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco, round six of the tour drew 26 entrants to North Georgia Speedway. Dale McDowell paced the field in Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps to earn the “Smashing the Clock” Award, while Donald McIntosh topped the speed charts in FK Rod Ends qualifying to earn Fast Time honors. The three heat race wins went to McIntosh, McDowell, and Cory Hedgecock, who later went on to finish on the podium in the 53-lapper. Gavin Cowan was victorious in the lone B-Main and Stacy Boles utilized the lone series provisional to start shotgun on the feature field.
A total of four DirtCarLift.com caution flags slowed the action tonight at North Georgia Speedway. Third-running Sam Seawright slowed and drew the first yellow flag on lap 14 of the event. His teammate Michael Page then slowed and retired from the contest on lap 18. Will Roland drew the third yellow flag on lap 28 when he came to a crawl on the racing surface, while Landon Gentry brought out the fourth and final caution for slowing on lap 44. The ‘Young Memorial’ feature lasted 25 minutes and ten competitors finished on the lead lap.
The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco will crown a Champion on Saturday, July 27 at the bad-fast Tazewell Speedway. For the twentieth straight year, the miniseries points wrap up at the Tazewell, Tennessee facility. The stakes are even higher this year; however, as a whopping $20,053 payday is up for grabs in the ‘Ray Varner Ford 75.’ Donald McIntosh leads Cory Hedgecock in the latest point standings by twenty markers – with each driver getting to throw out their worst finish following the 75-lap finale at “The Taz.” For more information, point your web browser to www.TazewellSpeedway.net.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 6 Race Summary
Friday, July 26, 2024
North Georgia Speedway – Chatsworth, Georgia
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (2) Dale McDowell $10,053
2. (1) Donald McIntosh $5,000
3. (3) Cory Hedgecock $3,000
4. (7) David Payne $2,000
5. (10) Mike Benedum $1,500
6. (9) Zack Mitchell $1,000
7. (13) Wil Herrington $800
8. (16) Gavin Cowan $700
9. (8) Benji Hicks $675
10. (17) Josh Henry $650
11. (20) Joe Denby $625
12. (19) Landon Gentry $600
13. (15) Jason Croft $575
14. (22) Stacy Boles $550
15. (5) Heath Hindman $525
16. (12) Will Roland $500
17. (4) Sam Seawright $500
18. (18) Travis Fultz $500
19. (14) David McCoy $500
20. (6) Michael Page $500
21. (11) Colten Jackson $500
22. (21) Tyler Nichols $500
Entries: 26
Lap Leaders: Dale McDowell (Laps 1-53)
20th Anniversary Lap 20 Leader: Dale McDowell ($200 Bonus)
DirtCarLift.com Caution Flags: 4
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Dale McDowell 13.803
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Donald McIntosh 14.168
Qualifying – 1. 79-Donald McIntosh, 00:14.168[21]; 2. 17M-Dale McDowell, 00:14.211[2]; 3. 16X-Michael Page, 00:14.290[16]; 4. 16-Sam Seawright, 00:14.330[10]; 5. 91-Heath Hindman, 00:14.357[17]; 6. 36-Cory Hedgecock, 00:14.366[6]; 7. 8-David Payne, 00:14.370[13]; 8. 11-David McCoy, 00:14.418[4]; 9. 05-Corey Roulette, 00:14.467[7]; 10. 25-Mike Benedum, 00:14.467[1]; 11. 55-Benji Hicks, 00:14.518[23]; 12. 57-Zack Mitchell, 00:14.522[18]; 13. 27H-Wil Herrington, 00:14.560[26]; 14. 219-Gavin Cowan, 00:14.588[3]; 15. 22-Will Roland, 00:14.612[14]; 16. 629-Landon Gentry, 00:14.618[8]; 17. J4-Colten Jackson, 00:14.622[19]; 18. 9-Jason Croft, 00:14.682[11]; 19. P1-Andy Picklesimer, 00:14.723[25]; 20. 11B-Stacy Boles, 00:14.792[22]; 21. 15-Ethan Hunter, 00:14.829[24]; 22. 5N-Tyler Nichols, 00:14.847[20]; 23. 329-Travis Fultz, 00:14.881[5]; 24. 27-Joe Denby, 00:14.937[9]; 25. B00-Josh Henry, 00:14.986[15]; 26. 15H-Will Hicks, 00:15.093[12]
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 79-Donald McIntosh[1]; 2. 16-Sam Seawright[2]; 3. 8-David Payne[3]; 4. 25-Mike Benedum[4]; 5. 27H-Wil Herrington[5]; 6. B00-Josh Henry[9]; 7. 629-Landon Gentry[6]; 8. 5N-Tyler Nichols[8]; 9. P1-Andy Picklesimer[7]
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 17M-Dale McDowell[1]; 2. 91-Heath Hindman[2]; 3. 55-Benji Hicks[4]; 4. J4-Colten Jackson[6]; 5. 11-David McCoy[3]; 6. 219-Gavin Cowan[5]; 7. 329-Travis Fultz[8]; 8. 11B-Stacy Boles[7]; 9. 15H-Will Hicks[9]
E-Z-GO Heat Race #3 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 36-Cory Hedgecock[2]; 2. 16X-Michael Page[1]; 3. 57-Zack Mitchell[4]; 4. 22-Will Roland[5]; 5. 9-Jason Croft[6]; 6. 05-Corey Roulette[3]; 7. 27-Joe Denby[8]; 8. 15-Ethan Hunter[7]
Earnhardt Technologies Group B-Main Finish (Top Six Transfer): 1. 219-Gavin Cowan[2]; 2. B00-Josh Henry[1]; 3. 329-Travis Fultz[5]; 4. 629-Landon Gentry[4]; 5. 27-Joe Denby[6]; 6. 5N-Tyler Nichols[7]; 7. P1-Andy Picklesimer[10]; 8. 15H-Will Hicks[11]; 9. 15-Ethan Hunter[9]; 10. (DNS) 05-Corey Roulette; 11. (DNS) 11B-Stacy Boles
Series Provisional: Stacy Boles
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Donald McIntosh – 1158
2. Cory Hedgecock – 1138
3. Gavin Cowan – 1094
4. Benji Hicks – 1090
5. Stacy Boles – 854
6. Dale McDowell – 792
7. Chris Madden – 728
8. Mike Benedum – 724
9. Brandon Overton – 544
10. Kaede Loudy – 508
* Drivers will drop their worst race following the point finale at Tazewell