What won the race: Travis Pennington of Stapleton, Ga., turned back an early charge from Mark Whitener and then survived a bevy of cautions, including one with one lap remaining, to win Saturday's 75-lap World Championship at Cochran Motor Speedway. Whitener finished .588 of a second back in second, while Jimmy Thomas finished third. Pennington earned $10,000, his second five-figure payday at Cochran in as many races.

Key notes: It was Pennington’s second straight $10,000 victory at Cochran. He outran Scott Bloomquist there in November to win the National Late Model Super Car Series-sanctioned Gobbler 100. … Pennington, who just nipped outside front row starter Clay Harris of Jupiter, Fla., to lead the first lap, led all 75 laps. … Whitener, of Middleburg, Fla., briefly took the lead with a turn-two slide job midway through the race, but Pennington answered in turn three, keeping Whitner from officially leading a lap. … Whitener and Harris had a spirited battle for the runner-up spot until Whitener finally secured the position. … Harris had a right rear flat and spun out of the top five. He rallied from the back to finish sixth. … Pennington’s biggest scare came when he made contact with the lapped car of Bud Chancey, sending Chancey spinning in turn three. … Fourteen of the 24 starters finished, with 11 completing all 75 laps. … The race was originally set for Dec. 28-29 but rained out. … T.J. Herndon topped Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Ronnie Johnson for a $5,000 street stock victory. … Tyler Sanders won the 30-lap, $2,000-to-win Sportsman (602) Late Model feature.

Winner's sponsors: Pennington's Longhorn Chassis has sponsorship from U.S. Duffie Site Prep and Starrette Trucking.

Points chase: Corey Dunn is Cochran's Crate Late Model champion.

Car count: 28

Fast qualifier: Travis Pennington

Time: 15.290 seconds

Polesitter: Travis Pennington

Heat race winners: Travis Pennington, Clay Harris, Mark Whitener, Chase Edge

Consolation race winners: Corey Dunn, Parker Martin