(BULLS GAP, TENNESSEE) Dale McDowell, of Chickamauga, Georgia, continued his recent dominance at Volunteer Speedway on Sunday night by claiming his third straight Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco win at the Bulls Gap, Tennessee facility! Dale, who also won series stops at “The Gap” back in 2021 and 2022, laid down the quickest time overall during qualifying before leading all forty circuits of the ‘Summer Sizzler’ from the outside of the front row. The Hall of Fame driver known as “MacDaddy” beat Saturday’s Wythe Raceway winner Chris Madden by 1.553 seconds to bag the $7,553 first place prize money.
Madden, who is the all-time winningest driver with the tour, started in the sixth position and methodically worked his way forward throughout the main event to finish a strong second. Canadian Ricky Weiss started on the pole and ran in the runner-up spot for a good chunk of the race before rounding out the podium in third. Cory Hedgecock, who was behind the wheel of the Viper Motorsports #36V car, ran inside the top five throughout the feature distance prior to recording a strong fourth place performance, while Brandon Overton picked off a trio of racecars to land in the fifth spot.
“I told them awhile ago these wins are getting more and more special because as I’m getting older, I don’t know when it’s going to be the last one,” quoted the 58-year-old McDowell in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane. “I’m really enjoying every one of them, but hats off to my awesome team. I have to thank my brother Shane, Landon, Sara, Tiff, and all of our great partners.”
Dale, who now has fourteen 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.
A stout 24-car Super Late Model field piled into Volunteer Speedway on Sunday for round three of the miniseries. Brandon Williams turned the fastest lap overall during Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps to earn the “Smashing the Clock” Award. Dale McDowell then clicked off a 13.241 second lap around the high-banked oval during FK Rod Ends qualifying to earn Fast Time honors. With the top eight qualifiers in each group locked into the 40-lap feature, Mike Benedum secured the victory in the lone B-Main. Gavin Cowan, who came into the ‘Summer Sizzler’ second in points, utilized a series provisional to start shotgun on the feature field.
Only two DirtCarLift.com caution flags slowed the pace – none for serious incidents. The first yellow flew on lap 13 when Brandon Williams slowed on the track. A second and final caution then appeared on lap 24 when Gavin Cowan slowed and retired from the contest. Fifteen drivers completed all forty circuits in the race, which lasted only fifteen minutes.
After a tripleheader weekend kicked off the 20th Anniversary of the Schaffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series with three different feature winners, the tour will enjoy an off day on Monday, July 15. However, the dirt-slinging action resumes on Tuesday evening, July 16 at I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tennessee. The fourth leg of the Southern Nationals Series will shell out another $7,553 winner’s check. Previous race winners at I-75 include Cory Hedgecock (’20), Dale McDowell (’21), and Cory Hedgecock (’22). More information can be found online by clicking on www.i-75racewaypark.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 3 Race Summary
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Volunteer Speedway – Bulls Gap, Tennessee
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
- (2) Dale McDowell $7,553
- (6) Chris Madden $3,500
- (1) Ricky Weiss $2,000
- (3) Cory Hedgecock $1,500
- (8) Brandon Overton $1,200
- (10) Donald McIntosh $900
- (7) Pierce McCarter $700
- (12) Austin Smith $650
- (14) Shane Clanton $600
- (18) Camaron Marlar $575
- (5) Travis Fultz $550
- (11) Benji Hicks $540
- (17) Mike Benedum $530
- (13) Jordon Horton $520
- (16) Luke Morey $510
- (9) Kaede Loudy $500
- (20) Rusty Ballenger $500
- (19) Stacy Boles $500
- (22) Gavin Cowan $500
- (4) Scott Bloomquist $500
- (15) Brandon Williams $500
- (21) Ethan Dotson $500
Entries: 24
Lap Leaders: Dale McDowell (Laps 1-40)
20th Anniversary Lap 20 Leader: Dale McDowell ($200 Bonus)
DirtCarLift.com Caution Flags: 2
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Brandon Williams 13.119
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Dale McDowell 13.241
Qualifying – Group A (Top Eight Locked Into Feature): 1. 7-Ricky Weiss, 00:13.346[12]; 2. 36-Cory Hedgecock, 00:13.374[10]; 3. 329-Travis Fultz, 00:13.428[8]; 4. 71-Pierce McCarter, 00:13.508[7]; 5. 126-Kaede Loudy, 00:13.522[11]; 6. 55-Benji Hicks, 00:13.597[2]; 7. 56H-Jordon Horton, 00:13.641[5]; 8. 95-Brandon Williams, 00:13.746[1]; 9. 11B-Stacy Boles, 00:13.795[6]; 10. 57M-Camaron Marlar, 00:13.815[4]; 11. 74X-Ethan Dotson, 00:13.826[9]; 12. 15-Noah Phillips, 00:13.988[3]
Qualifying – Group B (Top Eight Locked Into Feature): 1. 17M-Dale McDowell, 00:13.241[6]; 2. 0-Scott Bloomquist, 00:13.338[5]; 3. 44-Chris Madden, 00:13.342[10]; 4. 76-Brandon Overton, 00:13.353[3]; 5. 79-Donald McIntosh, 00:13.429[4]; 6. 11-Austin Smith, 00:13.555[12]; 7. 25C-Shane Clanton, 00:13.572[9]; 8. 49-Luke Morey, 00:13.697[1]; 9. 25-Mike Benedum, 00:13.793[11]; 10. 1G-Rusty Ballenger, 00:13.811[7]; 11. 14-Haiden Cowan, 00:13.901[2]; 12. 219-Gavin Cowan, 00:14.051[8]
Sunoco Race Fuels B-Main Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 25-Mike Benedum[2]; 2. 57M-Camaron Marlar[3]; 3. 11B-Stacy Boles[1]; 4. 1G-Rusty Ballenger[4]; 5. 74X-Ethan Dotson[5]; 6. 14-Haiden Cowan[6]; 7. 15-Noah Phillips[7]; 8. 219-Gavin Cowan[8]
Series Provisional: Gavin Cowan
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Point Standings:
- Donald McIntosh – 584
- Cory Hedgecock – 556
- Chris Madden – 554
- Benji Hicks – 552
- Gavin Cowan – 542
- Mike Benedum – 534
- Stacy Boles – 526
- Dale McDowell – 392
- Chris Ferguson – 370
- Brandon Overton – 362
* Drivers will drop their worst race following the point finale at Tazewell
2024 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday, July 12 – Beckley Motor Speedway, Mount Hope, WV – DONALD MCINTOSH
Saturday, July 13 – Wythe Raceway, Rural Retreat, VA – CHRIS MADDEN
Sunday, July 14 – Volunteer Speedway, Bulls Gap, TN – DALE MCDOWELL
Tuesday, July 16 – I-75 Raceway, Sweetwater, TN – $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 18 – Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA – $7,544 to win
Friday, July 19 – East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL – $7,553 to win
Saturday, July 20 – Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, GA – $10,053 to win
Sunday, July 21 – Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro, GA – $10,053 to win
Tuesday, July 23 – Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney, SC – $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 25 – Toccoa Raceway, Toccoa, GA – $7,553 to win
Friday, July 26 – North Georgia Speedway, Chatsworth, GA – $10,053 to win
Saturday, July 27 – Tazewell Speedway, Tazewell, TN – $20,053 to win
* All events to be broadcast LIVE to subscribers of FloRacing
For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern 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 our valued 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, DirtCarLift.com, 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:
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Media Contact: Ryan Delph – Delph Communications