What won the race: Taking advantage of race-long leader Jonathan Davenport's lap-30 misfortune, pole-starting Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., reclaimed command and led the rest of Friday's 50-lap Gauntlet prelim at Volunteer Speedway. Madden repelled a series of challenges from runner up Zack Mitchell in the closing circuits, beating the fellow South Carolinian to the checkers by 0.314 of a second to collect $20,000.

Quotable: “My guys were telling me ‘Get to the bottom, get to the bottom,’ I knew Zack (Mitchell) was good,” Madden said. “He was way better than I was in (turns) three and four, I was horrible down there. But, in one and two, I think I could gain a little bit on him down here. Hats off to him for a great race; he raced me clean. Just put on a good show for the fans there, I hope.”

Key notes: Madden notched his third victory of the season and fifth at Volunteer since 2020, earning more than $56,000 over that span. ... Zack Mitchell overtook Brandon Overton on the final restart and attempted to dethrone Madden in the closing laps, but settled for second after a series of side-by-side battles. ... Brandon Overton, winner of Wednesday’s $10,000 second round, completed the podium finishers in third. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. climbed from ninth to finish fourth. ... Chris Ferguson rallied from 17th-to-eighth, returning to his family-owned No. 22 Stinger Race Car after piloting a Terry Wolfenbarger-owned entry in Wednesday's second prelim. ... Tenth-starting Sam Seawright faded from fifth and later retired while running ninth on the 36th circuit. ... Second-starting Jonathan Davenport zoomed past Madden for the lead on the opening lap and led until suffering a flat right-rear tire on the 30th circuit. The Blairsville, Ga., native, who was victorious in Tuesday's $7,500 opener, did not continue and was credited with 19th. ... Sixth-starting Jake O'Neil slowed with a flat right-rear tire on the eighth lap to draw the race's first of three cautions. ... Cory Hedgecock pulled into the infield during the opening stoppage as the first retiree. ... The 50-lapper lasted 20 minutes with 16 starters completing the distance. ... The Gauntlet concludes on Saturday with Madden joining Davenport and Overton as drivers eligible for a $100,000 bonus should they top Volunteer's 60-lap, $30,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., started 17th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Madden’s Wells & Sons Motorsports Infinity Race Cars house car is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Henderson Amusement, Milwood Plumbing, Velocity Manufacturing Group, Convenient Lube, Hardison Suspension Technologies, Eibach Springs, Penske Racing Shocks, STAKT Racing Products, VP Racing Lubricants, VP Racing Fuels and Topnotch Kustomz.

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 68°F

Car count: 26

Fast qualifier: Jonathan Davenport

Time: 12.580 seconds

Polesitter: Chris Madden

Heat race winners: Chris Madden, Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Zack Mitchell

Consolation race winners: Chris Ferguson

Next series race: April 18, Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) $30,000