Story By RYAN DELPH / SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – TAZEWELL, TN – Dale McDowell, of Chickamauga, Georgia, continued his recent dominance at the bad-fast Tazewell Speedway on Saturday evening in the ‘Ray Varner Ford 75.’ After clicking off the seventh quickest time overall during the qualifying session and finishing third in his heat race, Dale started the 75-lap Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series point finale from the inside of the fourth row. The popular driver known as the “MacDaddy” then steadily marched towards the front of the field at the high-banked venue before overtaking leader Mike Benedum for the point on lap 52. Dale then dominated the remainder of the contest to bag the whopping $20,053 payday for his third straight win in this event!
Finishing behind McDowell at the unfurling of the checkered flag was runner-up Mike Benedum, who inherited the point from early leader David Payne on the twelfth circuit. The Salem, West Virginia native received $10,000 for his best-ever performance with the Southern Nationals tour. Polesitter Dakotah Knuckles survived a multi-car incident on the initial start of the race to round out the podium in the third position. Zack Mitchell improved six spots during the course of the Ray Varner Ford 75 to finish fourth, while Cory Hedgecock concluded his strong tour with a fifth place effort – after starting from the outside of the fourth row.
“Normally when you start further back here, you’re in trouble,” exclaimed McDowell in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane at the Tazewell, Tennessee oval. “There is an awful lot of good talent here and just good racers. I was starting seventh and thought man I’m not going to be able to make it up through there. But it just worked out for us and I was able to maneuver around. I’ve got to thank all of my great sponsors and supporters, along with the crew for giving me such a great piece!”
Dale, who now has seventeen 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.
With inclement weather either canceling or postponing five events, the point finale at Tazewell Speedway marked the seventh race of the Southern Nationals Series to beat Mother Nature. Dale McDowell won the “Smashing the Clock” Award in Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps prior to Mike Benedum laying down the quickest time of the 25 entrants during FK Rod Ends qualifying. The trio of heat races were won by Dakotah Knuckles, David Payne, and Donald McIntosh, while Kenny Collins was victorious in the lone consolation event.
Five cautions slowed the Ray Varner Ford 75 at Tazewell Speedway. The initial start of the race drew a red flag situation when polesitter Dakotah Knuckles looped his machine in front of the field and collected several other cars behind him in a chain reaction. Outside polesitter David Payne, who led the first eleven circuits, caused the second stoppage when he slowed with mechanical trouble while leading on lap 12. Jensen Ford then slowed with a flat right rear tire on lap 24. Series point leader Donald McIntosh was running third on lap 34 when he slowed and pulled pitside with his own mechanical gremlins. The final yellow appeared on lap 72 when Josh Henry got into the outside retaining wall and slowed on the race track.
When the dust had settled and the points were calculated, along with the drop of the worst race for each driver, Donald McIntosh – despite his trouble at Tazewell – came out on top by ten markers to claim his second Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco Championship. Donald was awarded an extra $10,053 for his title, while Cory Hedgecock received an extra $5,053 for his second place finish in the final point tally. Youngster Gavin Cowan edged out Benji Hicks for the third spot and was also crowned Rookie of the Year. The series would like to thank all 86 drivers that competed on tour this year, along with all of the tracks, promoters, fans, and sponsors!
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 7 Race Summary
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Tazewell Speedway – Tazewell, Tennessee
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (75 Laps):
1. (7) Dale McDowell $20,053
2. (4) Mike Benedum $10,000
3. (1) Dakotah Knuckles $6,000
4. (10) Zack Mitchell $4,000
5. (8) Cory Hedgecock $3,000
6. (5) Pierce McCarter $2,000
7. (11) Scott Bloomquist $1,500
8. (14) Travis Fultz $1,400
9. (15) Austin Neely $1,300
10. (16) Kenny Collins $1,200
11. (13) Benji Hicks $1,150
12. (21) Brian Smith $1,090
13. (20) Gavin Cowan $1,080
14. (19) Brandon Williams $1,070
15. (9) Josh Henry $1,060
16. (3) Donald McIntosh $1,050
17. (6) Jensen Ford $1,040
18. (22) Steve Smith $1,030
19. (18) Stacy Boles $1,020
20. (2) David Payne $1,010
21. (17) Brian Shockley $1,000
22. (12) Ricky Weiss $1,000
Entries: 25
Lap Leaders: David Payne (Laps 1-11), Mike Benedum (Laps 12-51), Dale McDowell (Laps 52-75)
20th Anniversary Lap 20 Leader: Mike Benedum ($200 Bonus)
DirtCarLift.com Caution Flags: 5
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Dale McDowell 11.674
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Mike Benedum 11.616
Qualifying – 1. 25-Mike Benedum, 00:11.616[1]; 2. 8-David Payne, 00:11.690[15]; 3. 79-Donald McIntosh, 00:11.710[20]; 4. 21K-Dakotah Knuckles, 00:11.758[3]; 5. 71-Pierce McCarter, 00:11.774[18]; 6. 83-Jensen Ford, 00:11.789[12]; 7. 17M-Dale McDowell, 00:11.818[9]; 8. 329-Travis Fultz, 00:11.819[13]; 9. B00-Josh Henry, 00:11.851[2]; 10. 57-Zack Mitchell, 00:11.889[5]; 11. 0-Scott Bloomquist, 00:11.894[14]; 12. 219-Gavin Cowan, 00:11.985[8]; 13. 1C-Kenny Collins, 00:12.014[17]; 14. 17-Brian Shockley, 00:12.020[7]; 15. 7-Ricky Weiss, 00:12.026[11]; 16. 55-Benji Hicks, 00:12.042[16]; 17. 36-Cory Hedgecock, 00:12.044[23]; 18. 95-Brandon Williams, 00:12.061[19]; 19. 101-Forrest Trent, 00:12.063[10]; 20. 11B-Stacy Boles, 00:12.093[24]; 21. 3N-Austin Neely, 00:12.131[22]; 22. 7B-Brian Smith, 00:12.386[25]; 23. 3-Steve Smith, 00:12.717[21]; 24. 22-Matthew Holt, 00:12.720[6]; 25. 52-Troy Eads, 00:12.778[4]
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 21K-Dakotah Knuckles[2]; 2. 25-Mike Benedum[1]; 3. 17M-Dale McDowell[3]; 4. 57-Zack Mitchell[4]; 5. 55-Benji Hicks[6]; 6. 1C-Kenny Collins[5]; 7. 101-Forrest Trent[7]; 8. 7B-Brian Smith[8]; 9. 52-Troy Eads[9]
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 8-David Payne[1]; 2. 71-Pierce McCarter[2]; 3. 36-Cory Hedgecock[6]; 4. 0-Scott Bloomquist[4]; 5. 329-Travis Fultz[3]; 6. 17-Brian Shockley[5]; 7. 11B-Stacy Boles[7]; 8. 3-Steve Smith[8]
E-Z-GO Heat Race #3 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 79-Donald McIntosh[1]; 2. 83-Jensen Ford[2]; 3. B00-Josh Henry[3]; 4. 7-Ricky Weiss[5]; 5. 3N-Austin Neely[7]; 6. 95-Brandon Williams[6]; 7. 219-Gavin Cowan[4]; 8. 22-Matthew Holt[8]
Earnhardt Technologies Group B-Main Finish (Top Seven Transfer): 1. 1C-Kenny Collins[1]; 2. 17-Brian Shockley[2]; 3. 11B-Stacy Boles[5]; 4. 95-Brandon Williams[3]; 5. 219-Gavin Cowan[6]; 6. 7B-Brian Smith[7]; 7. 3-Steve Smith[8]; 8. 22-Matthew Holt[9]; 9. 52-Troy Eads[10]; 10. (DNS) 101-Forrest Trent