(RURAL RETREAT, VIRGINIA) For the 29th time, but first since the 2020 season, Chris Madden was back in Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco victory lane on Saturday night at the picturesque Wythe Raceway! Chris stopped the clock second quickest during the qualifying session and won his heat race, but was later aided in the 53-lap feature by leader Dale McDowell’s flat left rear tire on lap eighteen. After inheriting the point, it was the Madden show out front, as the Gray Court, South Carolina star led the remaining circuits to win by over five seconds.
Chris was awarded the $10,053 top prize for his fourth career series win at the 1/2-mile speedplant with series point leader Donald McIntosh coming home in the runner-up position. McIntosh was forced to a back-up car due to a broken power steering pump and rallied from the tail to grab the second place finish behind Madden. Tenth-starting Benji Hicks rounded out the podium in third. Dale McDowell, who paced the field for the first seventeen circuits until his flat tire, fought back to finish fourth, while eleventh-starting Mike Benedum grabbed the final spot inside of the top five.
“We were a little bit tight right there,” Madden calmly stated following his impressive victory in round two of the miniseries. “We pushed on the initial start and lost three or four positions. Dale (McDowell) had a very maneuverable car out there before he had the flat tire. We just kind of inherited the lead there after that. We were too tight and were probably going to run second, but we got the win. Thanks to all of my great sponsors, my hard working crew, and everyone associated with our team!”
The winning Madden’s #44 Longhorn Chassis carried sponsorship in part from Drydene, Franklin Enterprises, Millwood Plumbing, Henderson Amusement, Classic Trucking, Davis Diesel Service, Pee Wee’s Wrecker Service, Worley Monument, IBS Machine & MFG., Penske Racing Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, Durham Racing Engines, and Wrayz Wrapz.
A 16-car field converged at Wythe Raceway on Saturday and Brandon Overton started things off by laying down the quickest lap overall in Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps with his fast lap of 16.656 seconds. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of Brandon’s evening, as a blown tire on the ninth lap of the feature – while running second – helped contribute to his #76 machine getting upside down on his roof. While the Evans, Georgia standout emerged unscathed from the rollover incident, he was relegated to a disappointing fourteenth place effort. Dale McDowell earned Fast Time honors in FK Rod Ends qualifying with his quick time of 16.316 seconds, while McDowell and Madden were victorious in the pair of heat races.
A total of four DirtCarLift.com caution flags slowed the pace including the first one on the initial start of the race when it appeared Madden didn’t fire. A red flag then appeared on lap 9 for Overton’s rollover before another yellow was waved on lap 18 when leader McDowell suffered his untimely flat tire. The fourth and final stoppage occurred on lap 25 when top five runner Cory Hedgecock suffered a flat right front tire.
The third leg of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco will take place on Sunday, July 14 at the ultra-fast Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee. A $7,553 winner’s check will be on the line in the series’ twelfth-ever visit to “The Gap.” Previous winners of this race include Jimmy Owens (’06 & ’07), Tommy Kerr (’08 & ’09), Jonathan Davenport (’10), Chris Madden (’11), Casey Roberts (’12), Vic Hill (’13), Chris Madden (’20), and Dale McDowell (’21 & ’22). More information can be found online by clicking on www.VolunteerSpeedway.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 2 Race Summary
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Wythe Raceway – Rural Retreat, Virginia
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
- (2) Chris Madden $10,053
- (6) Donald McIntosh $5,000
- (10) Benji Hicks $3,000
- (1) Dale McDowell $2,000
- (11) Mike Benedum $1,500
- (5) Gavin Cowan $1,000
- (8) Stacy Boles $800
- (3) Cory Hedgecock $700
- (9) Tim Vance $675
- (7) Kaede Loudy $650
- (14) Chris Chandler $625
- (13) Luke Morey $600
- (15) Chris Ferguson $575
- (4) Brandon Overton $550
- (DNS) Doug Sanders $525
- (DNS) Haiden Cowan
Entries: 16
Lap Leaders: Dale McDowell (Laps 1-17), Chris Madden (Laps 18-53)
20th Anniversary Lap 20 Leader: Chris Madden ($200 Bonus)
DirtCarLift.com Caution Flags: 4
Spring Pro Precision Equipment Hot Laps:
Smashing the Clock Award: Brandon Overton 16.656
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Dale McDowell 16.316
Qualifying: 1. 17M-Dale McDowell[11]; 2. 44-Chris Madden[8]; 3. 219-Gavin Cowan[9]; 4. 79-Donald McIntosh[3]; 5. 36-Cory Hedgecock[7]; 6. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 7. 22-Chris Ferguson[10]; 8. 11B-Stacy Boles[16]; 9. 17-Tim Vance[1]; 10. 55-Benji Hicks[12]; 11. 126-Kaede Loudy[6]; 12. 42-Doug Sanders[13]; 13. 25-Mike Benedum[14]; 14. 8-Chris Chandler[15]; 15. 49-Luke Morey[4]; 16. (DNS) 14-Haiden Cowan
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 17M-Dale McDowell[1]; 2. 36-Cory Hedgecock[3]; 3. 219-Gavin Cowan[2]; 4. 126-Kaede Loudy[6]; 5. 17-Tim Vance[5]; 6. 25-Mike Benedum[7]; 7. 49-Luke Morey[8]; 8. 22-Chris Ferguson[4]
American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 44-Chris Madden[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 3. 79-Donald McIntosh[2]; 4. 11B-Stacy Boles[4]; 5. 55-Benji Hicks[5]; 6. 42-Doug Sanders[6]; 7. (DNS) 8-Chris Chandler; 8. (DNS) 14-Haiden Cowan
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Point Standings:
- Donald McIntosh – 396
- Gavin Cowan – 380
- Benji Hicks – 376
- Chris Ferguson – 370
- Cory Hedgecock – 364
- Stacy Boles – 362
- Mike Benedum – 360
- Chris Madden – 358
- Tim Vance – 356
- Doug Sanders – 330
* 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 – $7,553 to win
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.