(SWEETWATER, TENNESSEE) On Friday night at I-75 Raceway, it came down to a late race battle between the two winningest drivers in Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series history and the duel wasn’t decided until the final turn when eighth-starting Brandon Overton overtook outside polesitter Dale McDowell to claim the dramatic victory! Brandon, who timed in fourth quickest in Group B during the qualifying session prior to finishing second in his heat race, vaulted up to the second spot in the middle stages of the 53-lap contest and spent the second half of the race tracking down leader McDowell in and out of lapped traffic.
The Evans, Georgia star eventually ran the #17m down in the waning laps and was able to pull even down the backstretch on the final circuit before making the inside pass for the win stick in turns three and four. Brandon bagged the $10,053 first place prize money for his tenth career series triumph and his second Spring Nationals win at the Sweetwater, Tennessee-area facility.
Finishing a close runner-up was the Hall of Famer Dale McDowell, who was looking for a clean sweep of the evening after smashing the clock in hot laps, earning Fast Time honors in qualifying, and securing a victory in his heat race. Dale, who has seventeen career Spring Nationals wins on his illustrious resume, officially led laps 3-52 before trailing Overton’s #76 at the checkers by a scant 0.296 second margin. Tenth-starting Sam Seawright blasted all the way up to third to round out the podium. Ricky Weiss was able to pick off a couple of competitors to place fourth, while young gun Trey Mills led the first two circuits from the pole prior to finishing in the fifth position.
“Honestly, I was just going to have to go wherever Dale didn’t go,” quoted the winning Overton when asked about his late race strategy to pull off the exciting win in front of the huge crowd at I-75 Raceway. “I caught him, but I knew I had my tires way too hot, so I just rode around there for a few laps to let them cool down. Then I moved back to the top and the (American Racer) tires were sticking again and I knew it was my last chance to go get him. A huge thanks to all of my sponsors and I’m looking forward to racing at Tazewell Speedway tomorrow night!”
The winning car is owned by Wells & Sons Motorsports and carries sponsorship in part from Garnto Southern, Muscle Factory, Coltman Farms Racing, Big Dog Stump & Tree, Victory Fuel, Convenient Lube, Hurst Construction, E-Z-GO, Boswell Oil Company, VP Racing Fuels, R.W. Powell Construction, Clements Racing Engines, Penske Racing Shocks, Dirt Mafia, Impact Race Gear, and Midwest Sheet Metal.
A total of 39 Super Late Model competitors piled into the pit area tonight at I-75 Raceway to do battle in the second Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco event of the season. Dale McDowell won the Smashing the Clock Award in Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps with his quick lap of 14.681 seconds. The Chickamauga, Georgia veteran then backed that up by earning Fast Time honors during FK Rod Ends qualifying with a time of 14.993 seconds, which also gifted him an extra $200 courtesy of Howard’s Premium Auto Detailing in Cleveland, Tennessee.
The four heat races were won by Trey Mills, Jimmy Owens, Dale McDowell, and Stormy Scott, while the pair of consolation event victories went to Brad Dyer and Rusty Ballenger. Donald McIntosh was awarded the lone series provisional to start shotgun on the field in the 53-lapper, but made the most of it by passing fourteen competitors to salvage a solid eighth place showing.
Only one caution flag halted the high-speed action tonight at the Volunteer State oval, as Stormy Scott slowed to draw a yellow on lap fourteen. Another item of note, heat race winner Jimmy Owens was scheduled to start third on the grid in the A-Main, but was forced to a back-up car due to mechanical trouble and retired after only four laps.
The third round of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series takes place on Saturday, March 30 at the bad-fast Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, Tennessee. The 4th edition of the Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial will be held at “The Taz” tomorrow and a $21,000 paycheck once again awaits the winner. In the three previous versions of the contest, Jonathan Davenport (’21), Chris Madden (’22), and Dale McDowell (’23) emerged victorious to collect the victor spoils.
The pit gates will swing open at 2:00pm on Saturday, while the hillside grandstands will allow patrons into Tazewell Speedway starting at 5:00pm. The Drivers Meeting is set for 6:00pm and Hot Laps are scheduled for 6:45pm. Adult admission into the grandstands is $30.00, while children ages nine and under will be admitted for FREE. Pit admission will be $45.00 for adults and $35.00 for kids ages twelve and under.
Joining the Super Late Models tomorrow will be the Sportsman ($1,000 to win), Street Stock ($600 to win), and Classic Car ($600 to win) divisions. Tazewell Speedway is located at 1400 Bacchus Road in Tazewell, Tennessee 37879. More information can be found by calling 423-626-2222 or by accessing www.TazewellSpeedway.net.
Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 2 Race Summary
Friday, March 29, 2024
I-75 Raceway – Sweetwater, Tennessee
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (8) Brandon Overton $10,053
2. (2) Dale McDowell $5,000
3. (10) Sam Seawright $3,000
4. (6) Ricky Weiss $2,000
5. (1) Trey Mills $1,500
6. (12) Pearson Lee Williams $1,000
7. (11) Hudson O’Neal $800
8. (22) Donald McIntosh $700
9. (9) Christian Hanger $675
10. (7) Heath Hindman $650
11. (16) Ethan Dotson $625
12. (17) Brad Dyer $600
13. (18) Rusty Ballenger $575
14. (14) David Payne $550
15. (13) Jackson Hise $525
16. (15) John Ownbey $500
17. (21) Corey Roulette $500
18. (5) Tyler Millwood $500
19. (19) Jamie Oliver $500
20. (20) Mack McCarter $500
21. (4) Stormy Scott $500
22. (3) Jimmy Owens $500
Entries: 39
Lap Leaders: Trey Mills (Laps 1-2), Dale McDowell (Laps 3-52), Brandon Overton (Lap 53)
Cautions: 1 (Stormy Scott Slowed on Lap 14)
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Dale McDowell 14.681
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Dale McDowell 14.993
Group A: 1. 23-Cory Hedgecock, 00:15.168[3]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens, 00:15.354[1]; 3. 10-Garrett Smith, 00:15.497[18]; 4. 91-Heath Hindman, 00:15.521[12]; 5. 57-Camaron Marlar, 00:15.620[8]; 6. 71-Hudson O’Neal, 00:15.651[2]; 7. 14JR-Trey Mills, 00:15.657[5]; 8. 44-John Ownbey, 00:15.672[20]; 9. 29-Christian Hanger, 00:15.712[17]; 10. 18-Brad Dyer, 00:15.720[9]; 11. 31-Tyler Millwood, 00:15.736[14]; 12. 05-Corey Roulette, 00:15.738[11]; 13. 777-Mike Skelly, 00:15.787[6]; 14. 2-John Llewellyn, 00:15.792[4]; 15. 38-Jamie Oliver, 00:15.811[7]; 16. 11-Austin Smith, 00:15.894[19]; 17. 388-Jackson Hise, 00:16.067[10]; 18. 15-Will Hicks, 00:16.508[13]; 19. 77-Jeremy Petty, 00:16.511[15]; 20. T11-Tim Kilby, 00:16.871[16]
Group B: 1. 17M-Dale McDowell, 00:14.993[7]; 2. 2S-Stormy Scott, 00:15.228[19]; 3. 7-Ricky Weiss, 00:15.253[3]; 4. 76-Brandon Overton, 00:15.376[10]; 5. 79-Donald McIntosh, 00:15.407[14]; 6. 121-Pearson Williams, 00:15.447[5]; 7. 16-Sam Seawright, 00:15.463[4]; 8. 51-Mack McCarter, 00:15.467[8]; 9. 8-David Payne, 00:15.545[6]; 10. 15K-Jensen Ford, 00:15.560[2]; 11. 1G-Rusty Ballenger, 00:15.572[11]; 12. 174-Ethan Dotson, 00:15.664[12]; 13. 126-Kaede Loudy, 00:15.693[18]; 14. 22-Will Roland, 00:15.760[16]; 15. 17SS-Brenden Smith, 00:15.923[15]; 16. 13-Scott Cook, 00:16.035[13]; 17. 5-John Tweed, 00:16.207[17]; 18. (DNS) 3-Steve Smith, 00:16.207; 19. (DNS) 5C-Joshua Chesney, 00:16.207
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 14JR-Trey Mills[4]; 2. 31-Tyler Millwood[6]; 3. 29-Christian Hanger[5]; 4. 388-Jackson Hise[9]; 5. 38-Jamie Oliver[8]; 6. 777-Mike Skelly[7]; 7. 10-Garrett Smith[2]; 8. 77-Jeremy Petty[10]; 9. 23-Cory Hedgecock[1]; 10. 57-Camaron Marlar[3]
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 91-Heath Hindman[2]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 4. 44-John Ownbey[6]; 5. 18-Brad Dyer[4]; 6. 05-Corey Roulette[5]; 7. 2-John Llewellyn[7]; 8. 11-Austin Smith[8]; 9. 15-Will Hicks[9]; 10. T11-Tim Kilby[10]
E-Z-GO Heat Race #3 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 17M-Dale McDowell[1]; 2. 7-Ricky Weiss[2]; 3. 16-Sam Seawright[4]; 4. 8-David Payne[5]; 5. 1G-Rusty Ballenger[6]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 7. 126-Kaede Loudy[7]; 8. 5-John Tweed[9]; 9. 5C-Joshua Chesney[10]; 10. 79-Donald McIntosh[3]
Delph Communications Heat Race #4 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 2S-Stormy Scott[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 121-Pearson Williams[3]; 4. 174-Ethan Dotson[6]; 5. 51-Mack McCarter[4]; 6. 15K-Jensen Ford[5]; 7. 22-Will Roland[7]; 8. 13-Scott Cook[8]; 9. (DNS) 3-Steve Smith
Arizona Sport Shirts B-Main #1 Finish (Top Three Transfer): 1. 18-Brad Dyer[2]; 2. 38-Jamie Oliver[1]; 3. 05-Corey Roulette[4]; 4. 77-Jeremy Petty[7]; 5. 777-Mike Skelly[3]; 6. 10-Garrett Smith[5]; 7. 11-Austin Smith[8]; 8. 2-John Llewellyn[6]; 9. 15-Will Hicks[10]; 10. T11-Tim Kilby[12]; 11. (DNS) 23-Cory Hedgecock; 12. (DNS) 57-Camaron Marlar
Collins Signs B-Main #2 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. 1G-Rusty Ballenger[1]; 2. 51-Mack McCarter[2]; 3. 17SS-Brenden Smith[3]; 4. 126-Kaede Loudy[5]; 5. 15K-Jensen Ford[4]; 6. 22-Will Roland[6]; 7. 5C-Joshua Chesney[9]; 8. 5-John Tweed[7]; 9. 13-Scott Cook[8]; 10. 79-Donald McIntosh[11]; 11. (DNS) 3-Steve Smith
Provisional: Donald McIntosh
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Brandon Overton – 386
2. Pearson Lee Williams – 380
3. Ethan Dotson – 378
4. Donald McIntosh – 378
5. Christian Hanger – 360
6. Ryan Gustin – 196
7. Dale McDowell – 196
8. Sam Seawright – 194
9. Ricky Weiss – 192
10. Clay Harris – 190
11. Trey Mills – 190
12. Caleb Gay – 188
13. Hudson O’Neal – 186
14. Dalton Cook – 184
15. David McCoy – 182
* Drivers will drop their worst two finishes following the series finale
2024 Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Schedule:
Thursday, February 29 – Waycross Motor Speedway, Waycross, GA – ETHAN DOTSON
Friday, March 1 – Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA – RAINED OUT
Saturday, March 2 – Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA – RAINED OUT
Friday, March 29 – I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN – BRANDON OVERTON
Saturday, March 30 – Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, TN – $21,000 to win
Friday, April 5 – Buckshot Speedway, Clanton, AL – $7,553 to win
Saturday, April 6 – East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL – $10,053 to win
Friday, April 19 – Ponderosa Speedway, Junction City, KY – $7,553 to win
Saturday, April 20 – Lake Cumberland Speedway, Burnside, KY – $10,053 to win
Friday, May 3 – Sugar Creek Raceway, Blue Ridge, GA – $7,553 to win
Saturday, May 4 – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA – $10,053 to win
Friday, May 10 – Natural Bridge Speedway, Natural Bridge, VA – $10,053 to win
Saturday, May 11 – Beckley Motor Speedway, Mount Hope, WV – $20,053 to win
Friday, May 24 – Rain Date / To Be Announced
Saturday, May 25 – North Georgia Speedway, Chatsworth, GA – $10,053 to win
Sunday, May 26 – Duck River Raceway Park, Wheel, TN – $10,053 to win
* All events to be broadcast LIVE to subscribers of FloRacing
For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco, please point your Internet browser to www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or feel free to call series promoter Ray Cook at 828-360-5353. You can also follow us across social media platforms on facebook.com/southernnationalsseries and on Twitter @sonationals.
The tour would like to thank all of their marketing partners including: Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants, Coltman Farms Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, American Race Tires, American Racer South, Delph Communications, E-Z-GO, Spring Pro Precision Equipment, Vidalia Powersports, Arizona Sport Shirts, Capital Race Cars, Collins Signs, DirtonDirt.com, Earnhardt Technologies Group, FK Rod Ends, Interstate Welding & Steel Supply, JM Custom Laser, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, MasterSbilt Race Cars, SFP Performance Systems, The Joie of Seating, The Steering Buddy, Velocita-USA, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Vinson Sims Construction, and Wiles Driveshafts.
About Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants:
Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants: synthetic motor oils, hydraulic fluids, and diesel fuel additives have achieved a world-class reputation for improving engine performance and fuel economy, but their diverse product line includes all types of industrial lubricants, industrial greases, and industrial oils as well as specialty items like their chain lubes and degreasers. Founded in 1839, their philosophy is to provide advanced lubricants for improved performance, reliability, and fuel economy. Learn more or find a rep near you at www.SchaefferOil.com.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph – Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com