Dirt on Dirt - McDowell rolls to SAS victory at Thunderhill

May 23

Thunderhill Raceway Park,

Summertown, TN

Sanction: Southern All Star Series - $5,000

Information provided by: Staff and series reports (last updated May 24, 5:30 pm)

McDowell rolls to SAS victory at Thunderhill

Dale McDowell
Jason Hiett
Tyler Millwood
Donald McIntosh
Sam Seawright
Chad Thrash
Jay Scott
Riley Hickman
Caleb Ashby
Eric Hickerson
Dane Dacus
Billy Franklin
Bob Gardner
Josh Putnam
Dewayne Kiefer
Scott Cook
Forrest Trent
Rodney Melvin
Mark Dodson
Tommy Taylor
Jim Rogers
Jake Knowles
Greg Love
David Seibers
Scott James

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Connie Putnam

Dale McDowell tours the high banks at Thunderhill.

What won the race: Polesitter Dale McDowell cruised to a 50-lap Southern All Star victory Saturday at Thunderhill Raceway Park, running virtually unchallenged to earn $5,000 in the tour's returned from the coronavirus-forced hiatus.

Quotable: “I came up and watch the heats, and you remininsce a little bit and I see these stands packed and for us race car drivers, we’re fortunate enough and blessed to do this,” McDowell said, “we couldn’t do it with you guys, so thank you."

Key notes: McDowell, who has 42 career series victories, won back-to-back on the tour for the first time since 1996; he capture March 1's opener at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C. ... Eight Thunderhill drivers completed 50 laps. ... Second-running Scott James, making his debut at Thunderhill, retired after seven laps with apparent mechanical problems. … Illinois visitor Bob Gardner spun in turn four on lap 34 to trigger the final caution. ... Provisional starter Greg Love pulled off with a flat tire before the field took the green. ... The Southern All Stars returned to action after the cancellation or postponement of nine races during the coronavirus pandemic, including lost races at Thunderhill.

On the move: Eric Hickerson of Linden, Tenn., started 13th and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: McDowell’s Bloomquist Race Car is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by E-Z-Go, New Era Industrial, Quality Natural Gas, Will Kinzer Foundation, Cometic Gasket and Klotz Lubricants.

Points chase: Heading to Thunderhill and after a single series event, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., had 100 points to lead Michael Brown (96) and Jonathan Davenport (94).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 73°F

Car count: 35

Polesitter: Dale McDowell

Heat race winners: Josh Putnam, Riley Hickman, Eric Hickerson, Bob Gardner

Provisional starters: Greg Love

Next series race: May 30, Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) $4,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff and series reports

SUMMERTOWN, Tenn. — Updates from Saturday's Southern All Star visit to Thunderhill Raceway Park, a $5,000-to-win event (results unofficial):

Main event

Polesitter Dale McDowell cruised to a 50-lap Southern All Star victory Saturday at Thunderhill Raceway Park, running virtually unchallenged to earn $5,000 in the tour's returned from the coronavirus-forced hiatus.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Josh Putnam, Billy Franklin, Rodney Melvin, Mark Dodson, Oakley Johns, Richard Smith.

Second heat: Riley Hickman, Dewayne Kiefer, Tommy Taylor, Larry Greer, Travis Smith.

Third heat: Eric Hickerson, Jake Knowles, Scott Cook, Forrest Trent, Farrel Skelton.

Fourth heat: Bob Gardner, Dane Dacus, Jim Rogers, Greg Love.

Time trials (unofficial)

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 12.402
Donald McIntosh (7), Dawsonville, Ga., 12.604
Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 12.694
David Seibers (18), Chapel Hill, Tenn., 12.731
Jay Scott (J27), Fayetteville, Tenn., 12.840
Josh Putnam (212), Florence, Ala., 12.862
Riley Hickman (D2), Ooltewah, Tenn., 12.881
Rodney Melvin (33), Benton, Ill., 12.904
Dewayne Kiefer (0), St. Genevieve, Mo., 13.139
Billy Franklin (17), Calera, Ala., 13.160
Tommy Taylor (1D), Lascassas, Tenn., 13.180
Mark Dodson (32), Caledonia, Miss., 13.234
Travis Smith (17), Decatur, Ala., 13.477
Richard Smith (7), Hartselle, Ala., 13.685
Larry Greer (9G), Bowling Green, Ky., 13.730
Oakley Johns (C6), Hohenwald, Tenn., no time
Brayton Laster (13), Greenwood, Ind., no time
Group B
Scott James (83), Bright, Ind., 12.758
Jason Hiett (85), Oxford, Ala., 12.863
Sam Seawright (16), Rainsville, Ala., 12.930
Chad Thrash (1), Meridian, Miss., 12.989
Caleb Ashby (61), Cunningham, Tenn., 13.036
Eric Hickerson (98), Linden, Tenn., 13.137
Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 13.159
Jake Knowles (66), Rome, Ga., 13.233
Jim Rogers (71k), Statesboro, Ga., 13.270
Scott Cook (13), Shelbyville, Tenn., 13.276
Dane Dacus (54), Lakeland, Tenn., 13.289
Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 13.391
Greg Love (1), Culleoka, Tenn., 13.583
Farrel Skelton (88), Mount Pleasant, Tenn., 14.253
Ben Brocato (713), Muscle Shoals, Ala., no time
Steven Holcomb (16), Santa Fe, Tenn, no time
Chris Harris (M00), Shelbyville, Tenn., no timeSaturda

Saturday’s schedule

Hot laps
- Crate Late Models
- Super Late Models
- Modified sportsman
- Street stocks
- Modified street stocks
- Mini stock
- Mod lite
Time trials
- Crate Late Models
- Super Late Models
- Mod lites
Heat races
- Street stocks
- Mini stocks
- Modified sportsman
- Super Late Models (10 laps)
- Modified street stocks
Hot laps
- Super Late Models locked in
- Mod lites locked in
- Crate Late Models locked in
Feature races
- Street stocks (15 laps)
- Super Late Models (50 laps)
- Mini stock (15 laps)
- Mod lites (15 laps)
- Crate Late Models (20 laps)
- Modified sportsman (15 laps)
- Modified street stocks (15 laps)