What won the race: Taking control with a quick third-to-first move in the opening set of turns, Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., led all 50 laps unchallenged for a commanding victory in Sunday's inaugural Freddy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway. Ferguson beat Ross Bailes by 1.409 seconds for the $15,000 payday, his second Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series victory of the season and 19th of his career.

Quotable: “A lot of people will remember Freddy (Smith) for winning a lot of races, but I remember him for the man he is. If people can remember me like that, that’d be awesome,” Ferguson said. “He’s a hero to a lot of people. I’ve been trying to win Grassy (Smith)’s race forever and just could never get it done. So this kinda makes it a lot better for me, all the ones that kinda got away from us.”

Key notes: Ferguson also won Sept. 20 Carolina Clash-sanctioned Stick Elliott Memorial at Cherokee. ... Fourth-starting Ross Bailes, in Brian Nuttall's No. 16, ran second all race long. ... Third-finishing Trent Ivey overtook Ethan Dotson on the third lap and pressured Bailes for much of the way. ... Dotson held fourth until suffering a flat right-rear tire on a lap-46 restart, then slowed a couple laps later to trigger the race's ninth and final caution. ... Crate standout Jeremy Steele finished fourth in a rare Super start. ... Joseph Joiner clinched the $10,000 Cherokee Chief miniseries title with a fifth-place finish. ... Polesitter Ben Watkins faded to sixth after hopping the turn-one cushion and slapping the wall on the opening lap. ... Jeff Smith, Freddy Smith's son, endured an eventful race after first appearing to make contact with 11th-running Banjo Duke on a lap-two restart, sending Duke spinning, before making additional contact with Christian Thomas as they battled for sixth on a lap-14 restart attempt, sending Thomas spinning. ... Smith later pitted with a flat left rear under a lap-17 caution before soldiering to 11th. ... Layton Sullivan slowed from eighth on lap 46, drawing the eighth stoppage. ... Gray Parton spun from 11th on a lap-17 restart, sending Dalton Peavy climbing the turn-one wall to avoid contact. ... The first caution came on lap two and was the 48-minute race's most serious incident after Donovan Jackson spun from 10th, collecting Zack Mitchell, Luke Morey and Adam Yarbrough ... The event honored Hall of Famers Freddy Smith, who died two years ago at 76 after a brief battle with leukemia.

On the move: Teen Beckham Malone of Rock Hill, S.C., started 21st and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Ferguson’s Stinger Race Car is sponsored by Live Oak Aesthetic and Family Dentistry, Spartan Transportation, Gentry Used Auto Parts & Recycling, Animal Care Clinic, Splitz Bowling, Carolina Roofing & Gutters, Spray Foam Technologies, Heckle’s Plumbing, New Point Lighting & Design, Rosewood Assisted Living, K&K Trucking, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, Sweet Victory Apparel, Victory Seats and Big A’s Custom Graphics.

Points chase: Carolina Clash before Cherokee: 1. Ben Watkins (1,202); 2. Dalton Peavy (1,069); 3. Donovan Jackson (1,067); 4. Christian Thomas (989); 5. Landen Zakalowski (899). Cherokee Chief before Sunday: 1. Joseph Joiner (448); 2. Trent Ivey (420); T3. Zack Mitchell (418); T3. Chris Ferguson (418); 5. Ben Watkins (402).

Current weather: Clear, 64°F

Car count: 30

Fast qualifier: Ethan Dotson

Time: 15.999 seconds

Polesitter: Ben Watkins

Heat race winners: Ben Watkins, Chris Ferguson, Trent Ivey, Ross Bailes

Consolation race winners: Luke Morey, Adam Yarbrough

Provisional starters: Landen Zakalowski, Brad Basey

Next series race: November 23, Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) $5,000