By Chris Tilley & Michael Despain
SENOIA, GEORGIA (July 16, 2020)-Brandon Overton zipped past Chris Madden in the closing stages of Thursday’s Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nations Series to capture the $3,500 payday at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway.
Overton drove the Wells and Sons Motorsports, Crossfit Overton, Allstar Concrete, RW Powell Construction, Allstar Performance, Hoosier, Penske, E-Z-GO and Big Dog Stump and Tree-sponsored Cornett Racing Engines-powered Longhorn Chassis to his 15th career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals by Sunoco Race Fuels victory, his second victory of the 12-race tour.
After a spin by Matt Dooley on the opening circuit, Chris Madden would take the initial race lead, with Brandon Overton, Mark Whitener, Tyler Millwood, and Ross Bailes giving chase. A tangle on lap two between Donald McIntosh and Pearson Lee Williams would again slow the action and on the restart, Whitener would roll past Overton to take the third position.
After two more cautions, action would settle down for a few circuits and Madden would stretch his lead as he started working slower traffic on lap nine when the caution waved again for a spin by Brian Nuttall, Jr. Madden would continue to hold the lead after the restart, while Whitener and Overton would trade the second spot for two circuits, with Overton finally taking the spot.
This turn of events would allow Madden to stretch his lead and only a pair of cautions would slow the charge of Madden at this point. After a restart on lap eighteen, Madden quickly pull away and would begin lapping slower cars on lap twenty-six and as Madden began to work traffic, Overton would close the gap between himself and Madden to less than a second when the final caution would wave for Ross Bailes, who slowed in turn four with a flat left-rear tire.
The final restart would see Overton launch off the high-side of turn two for two laps until he would clear Madden with a slider in turn four to take the lead on lap thirty-one. Overton would see the checkered flag first, with Madden coming home second, while Steven Roberts would make a late-race charge to grab the final podium position with a third-place finish.
Michael Page would start tenth and finish in the fourth position, while Joseph Joiner would complete the top five after starting fourteenth. McIntosh would recover from an early race spin to come back to finish sixth, while Jason Croft, Whitener, Cory Hedgecock, and Austin Horton completed the top ten finishers.
The next event for the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series will be Friday July 17 to Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Ga. paying $10,053-to-win.
For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels, please log on to www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or call promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353.
Sponsors of the Southern Nationals Series include: Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants, Sunoco Race Fuels, American Race Tires, Delph Communications, E-Z-GO, Arizona Sport Shirts, Capital Race Cars, Collins Signs, DirtonDirt.com, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Keyser Manufacturing, MasterSbilt Race Cars, RockAuto.com, Wiles Driveshafts, Vic Hill Racing Engines, The Steering Buddy, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Coosa Heating & Cooling, The Joie of Seating, Dirt Scenes and DirtCarLift.com.
Official Summary of Results
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Senoia Raceway-Senoia, GA
July 16, 2020
Feature Finish:
- Brandon Overton-Evans, Ga.
- Chris Madden-Gray Court, S.C.
- Steven Roberts-Sylvester, Ga.
- Michael Page-Douglasville, Ga.
- Joseph Joiner-Milton, Fla.
- Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
- Jason Croft-Acworth, Ga.
- Mark Whitener-Middleburg, Fla.
- Cory Hedgecock-Loudon, Tenn.
- Austin Horton-Newnan, Ga.
- Ross Bailes-Clover, S.C.
- Zach Leonhardi-Cartersville, Ga.
- Pearson Lee Williams-Dublin, Ga.
- Cruz Skinner-Oxford, Ala.
- Tyler Millwood-Kingston, Ga.
- Payton Freeman-Commerce, Ga.
- Ryan Crane-Panama City, Fla.
- Ahnna Parkhurst-Evans, Ga.
- Matt Dooley-Brooks, Ga.
- Dalton Polston-Lithia Springs, Ga.
- Brian Nuttall Jr.-Claxton, Ga.
- Jake Knowles-Rome, Ga.
Time of Race: 39 minutes, 39 seconds
Margin of Victory: 1.130 seconds
Yellow Flags: Eight (laps 1, 2, 3, 3, 9, 17, 18, 28)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Madden (1-30), Overton (31-35)
Entries: 33
Overall Fast Qualifier: Brandon Overton (New Track Record) 12.683 seconds
Highest Finishing CT525 Engine ($200): None
Highest Finishing Steel Head/SPEC Engine ($200): None
Provisional Starters: Ahnna Parkhurst
Heat One Finish: Steven Roberts, Jake Knowles, Ryan Crane, Ahnna Parkhurst, Oliver Gentry, Landon Bagby (DNS)
Heat Two Finish: Pearson Lee Williams, Donald McIntosh, Matt Dooley, Jody Knowles, Brian Nuttall Jr., Marty Lunsford (DNS)
Heat Three Finish: Michael Page, Joseph Joiner, Austin Horton, Mark Page, Dalton Cook (DNS), Brandon Overton (DNS).
Heat Four Finish: Dalton Polston, Zach Leonhardi, Cruz Skinner, Rucker Orr, Glenn Morris.
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Points (after 7/16/20)
- Chris Madden-988
- Brandon Overton-982
- Cory Hedgecock-940
- Donald McIntosh-934
- Ross Bailes-928
- Tyler Millwood-910
- Pearson Lee Williams-860
- Jake Knowles-854
- Ryan Crane-753
- Mark Whitener-556
2020 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday July 10-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-CHRIS MADDEN
Saturday July 11-Wythe Raceway-Rural Retreat, VA-BRANDON OVERTON
Monday July 13-Volunteer Speedway-Bulls Gap, TN-CHRIS MADDEN
Tuesday July 14-I-75 Raceway-Sweetwater, TN-CORY HEDGECOCK
Thursday July 16-Senoia Raceway-Senoia, GA-BRANDON OVERTON
Friday July 17-Needmore Speedway-Norman Park, GA-$10,053 to win
Saturday July 18-Screven Motor Speedway-Sylvania, GA-$10,053 to win
Sunday July 19-Cochran Motor Speedway-Cochran, GA-$3,500 to win
Tuesday July 21-Tri-County Race Track-Brasstown, NC-$3,500 to win
Thursday July 23-Crossville Speedway-Crossville, TN-$3,500 to win
Friday July 24-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-$10,053 to win
Saturday July 25-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$10,053 to win