Dirt on Dirt - McDowell takes North Georgia on last-lap pass

July 28

North Georgia Speedway,

Chatsworth, GA

Sanction: Schaeffer's Southern Nationals (Earnest & Raymond Young Memorial) - $10,053

Information provided by: Robert Holman, series and track reports (last updated July 29, 4:53 pm)

McDowell takes North Georgia on last-lap pass

Earnest & Raymond Young Memorial

Dale McDowell
Carson Ferguson
Donald McIntosh
Michael Page
Ricky Weiss
Jimmy Owens
Kenny Collins
Will Roland
Pearson Lee Williams
Tyler Clem
John Ownbey
Mike Benedum
Josh Henry
Brenden Smith
Jordan Koehler
Rob Mayea
Booger Brooks
David Payne
Jensen Ford
Chase Oliver
Joey Tanner
Sam Seawright
Heath Hindman

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Dale McDowell pocketed $10,053 at North Georgia on Friday, July 28.

What won the race: Making an outside move when race-long leader Carson Ferguson got mired in lapped traffic, fifth-starting Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., led only the final lap Friday at North Georgia Speedway in the $10,053 Earnest & Raymond Young Memorial. McDowell notched his 12th career Schaeffer's Southern Nationals victory, moving him into a tie with Casey Roberts for third on the tour's all-time list.

Quotable: “Man it’s so hard to win these things and Carson (Ferguson) is becoming a heck of a little racer and was doing everything good,” McDowell said. “It’s just you don’t know where to go (to get by the lapped traffic). I had been playing with the top down there (in turns three and four) just to try to get a run if we got to lapped traffic and really couldn’t do anything down here (in turns one and two). We just got a little lucky there, ya know he got pinned down there on the bottom.”

Key notes: Friday's win gives McDowell the season sweep at North Georgia after winning May's $10,053 Biddle Ridley Memorial with the Spring Nationals tour. ... Pole-starting Ferguson, of Lincolnton, N.C., led all but the last lap before a lapped car slowed abruptly in front of him entering turn one, allowing McDowell to power around the outside and speed to the victory by 1.859 seconds. ... Fourth-starting Donald McIntosh ran as high as second in the early laps before slipping to finish third, recording his fourth straight top-five finish. ... Michael Page moved from sixth to fourth in the final eight laps. ... Southern Nationals points leader Jimmy Owens advanced four positions and finished sixth. ... Tyler Clem started 16th and finished 10th. ... Joey Tanner spun to draw the race's final caution on lap 15 before pulling off just four laps later. ... Friday's 17-minute feature was slowed by two cautions, the first flew when the initial start was called back, with 11 drivers completing 53 laps and 15 running at the finish.

On the move: Michael Page of Douglasville, Ga., started 12th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: McDowell’s Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero Race Car has a Clements Chevrolet engine and sponsorship from E-Z-Go, Cometic Gaskets, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Connected Strategy Advisors, Northeastern Fabrication, Fox Racing Shox, Campbell Insulation Specialists, Shackleford Enterprises and Spring-Pro.

Points chase: After North Georgia: 1. Jimmy Owens (1,378); 2. Carson Ferguson (1,372); 3. Donald McIntosh (1,364); 4. Ricky Weiss (1,354); 5. Mike Benedum (1,254); 6. Kenny Collins (1,253); 7. Jordan Koehler (1,240); 8. Brenden Smith (1,224); 9. Tyler Clem (1,195); 10. David McCoy (1,034).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 81°F

Car count: 36

Fast qualifier: Carson Ferguson

Time: 13.932 seconds

Polesitter: Carson Ferguson

Heat race winners: Carson Ferguson, Sam Seawright, Booger Brooks, Donald McIntosh

Consolation race winners: Josh Henry, Rob Mayea

Provisional starters: Jordan Koehler, Brenden Smith, Joey Tanner

Next series race: July 30, Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) $10,053

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

From staff reports

CHATSWORTH, Ga. (July 28) — Updates and results from the seventh round of the Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals at North Georgia Speedway, an event highlighted by a $10,053-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Making an outside move when race-long leader Carson Ferguson got mired in lapped traffic, fifth-starting Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., led only the last lap Friday at North Georgia Speedway to win the $10,053 Earnest & Raymond Young Memorial. McDowell notched his 12th career Schaeffer's Southern Nationals victory, moving him into a tie with Casey Roberts for third on the tour. Friday's win gives McDowell the season sweep at North Georgia after winning May's $10,053 Biddle Ridley Memorial with the Spring Nationals tour. Pole-starting Ferguson, of Lincolnton, N.C., led all but the last lap before a lapped car slowed abruptly in front of him entering turn one, allowing McDowell to power around the outside and speed to the victory by 1.859 seconds.

Feature lineup

(53 laps)

Row 1: Carson Ferguson, Booger Brooks,
Row 2: Sam Seawright, Donald McIntosh
Row 3: Dale McDowell, Ricky Weiss
Row 4: David Payne, Pearson Williams
Row 5: Kenny Collins, Jimmy Owens
Row 6: Will Roland, Michael Page
Row 7: Mike Benedum, John Ownbey
Row 8: Chase Oliver, Tyler Clem
Row 9: Rob Mayea, Josh Henry
Row 10: Jensen Ford, Heath Hindman
Row 11: Jordan Koehler, Brenden Smith
Row 12: Joey Tanner

Consolation results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Rob Mayea, Jensen Ford, Tyler Nichols, Corey Roulette, avid McCoy, Stanton Davis, Andrew Littleton. Scratched: Josh Walker, Jeremy Cropper, Ty Giles.

Second consolation: Josh Henry, Heath Hindman, Joey Tanner, Jordan Koehler, Chris Chandler, Shawn Chastain, Brenden Smith. Scratched: Chris Jones, Jamie Oliver, Tate McCullom.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Carson Ferguson, Dale McDowell, Kenny Collins, Mike Benedum, Rob Mayea, Jensen Ford, David McCoy, Andrew Littleton, Jeremy Cropper.

Second heat: Sam Seawright, David Payne, Will Roland, Chase Oliver, Corey Roulette, Tyler Nichols, Josh Walker, Stanton Davis, Ty Giles.

Third heat: Booger Brooks, Ricky Weiss, Jimmy Owens, John Ownbey, Heath Hindman, Joey Tanner, Shawn Chastain. Scratched: Jamie Oliver, Tate MCollum.

Fourth heat: Donald McIntosh, Pearson Williams, Michael Page, Tyler Clem, Josh Henry, Brenden Smith, Jordan Koehler, Chris Chandler, Chris Jones.