What won the race: Repelling early challenges from Casey Roberts, polesitter Michael Brown of Pageland, S.C., held off a late-race surge by Ross Bailes to lead all 40 laps in winning Friday's $4,004 Brad York Memorial at Lavonia Speedway. Brown beat Bailes by 0.565 of a second for his first career Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series victory and third overall feature of 2025.

Quotable: “I was definitely nervous (on the late-race restart), that’s for sure. I started struggling there,” Brown said. “I didn’t tighten up enough and I was struggling there towards the end, so I was getting real worried. I want to thank the good Lord above for keeping us all safe and letting this be possible. Thank you to all these fans that come out and supported this deal.”

Key notes: Brown's other two wins were March 28 at Georgia's Needmore Speedway, worth $10,000 in CRUSA 604 Crates and May 24 at his home track Lancaster Motor Speedway, a $5,000 Ultimate Southeast Series triumph. ... Brown bagged his second special event at Lavonia after a Dec. 12, 2020, victory on the now-defunct Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series, worth $5,000. ... Ross Bailes slipped under Tucker Anderson and Casey Roberts, moving from fourth-to-second on a lap-28 restart and pressured Brown in the closing laps, but never reduced his deficit to lower than a half second. ... The third-starting Roberts trailed Brown from laps 2-27 before settling for third. ... Polesitter Tucker Anderson slowed from fourth on lap 32 for the race's second caution and did not continue. He was credited with 16th. ... Kenny Collins inherited fourth on the lap-32 restart only to slow with a flat right-rear tire for the third and final stoppage on lap 33. Collins climbed out as his team appeared to change the flat, hinting he may have had issues beyond a tire. He placed 15th. ... Fourth-finishing Chris Woods inherited the spot on the lap-33 restart. ... Kendall Franklin drew the first yellow flag when he slapped the frontstretch wall on lap 15 and limped his car to the pits. ... Points leader Ronnie Johnson, winner of the last SAS event there on Sept. 18, 2010, finished 14th after utilizing a series provisional. ... The event honored Lavonia Hall of Famer Brad York, the Georgia driver and promoter who died in November 2023. He served as a promoter at his hometown Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway and race director at Lavonia, among his official roles after his racing career. ... The 40-lapper lasted just shy of 21 minutes, with 12 starters completing the distance.

On the move: Runner-up finisher Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C., started ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Brown’s John Page Racing Longhorn by Wesley Page is sponsored by Hammond Land Clearing, Black Crest Farm, Piggly Wiggly, Mike’s Transmission, JR’s Bar, WP Racing Shocks, Mark McLeod Racing, Hoosier Tire South, VP Racing Fuels and Big A’s Custom Graphics.

Points chase: After Lavonia: 1. Ronnie Johnson (2,472); 2. Michael Luna (2,265); 3. Billy Franklin (2,206); 4. Kendall Franklin (2,140); 5. Dillon Tidmore (2,045).

Current weather: Clear, 64°F

Car count: 27

Fast qualifier: Tucker Anderson

Time: 16.280 seconds

Polesitter: Michael Brown

Consolation race winners: Devon Morgan, Payton Freeman

Provisional starters: Ronnie Johnson, Michael Luna

Next series race: August 31, Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) $5,000