Deja Vu. Just like Saturday night at Wythe Raceway, Dale McDowell took control in the second half of Sunday’s Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series headliner at Volunteer Speedway to secure another $10,053 first place prize. 

After a near two-hour rain delay, McDowell earned Fast Time honors of the 31 competitors during FK Rod Ends qualifying and later scored a victory in his eight lap heat race. His sweep of the evening did not come easy; however, as the pole-sitting driver from Chickamauga, Georgia had to work to grab the top spot from Jensen Ford on the 34th circuit of the main event. 

McDowell then survived a late caution for debris on lap 44 and was able to lead the remainder of the 53-lap contest to cross underneath the checkers 2.318 seconds ahead of Jensen Ford. The Johnson City, Tennessee ace, who paced the strong field at the nearby Bulls Gap, Tennessee oval for the first 33 circuits, finished an impressive runner-up for the second time in the first three tour events. Mack McCarter made his first appearance with the Southern Nationals in 2022 and made the most of it by starting and finishing in third. Sam Seawright picked off six competitors during the A-Main to come home fourth, while Dakotah Knuckles fought hard to round out the top five.

Only two caution flags slowed the action during the 53-lap main event. Eighth-starting Vic Hill slowed with a flat right rear tire on lap 29 to draw the first yellow before the second caution of the night was caused by debris on lap 44. A total of 16 cars finished on the lead lap tonight at the ultra-fast Volunteer Speedway. Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Champion Carson Ferguson was the hard charger of the race, as the Lincolnton, North Carolina hotshoe blasted past eleven cars en route to a steady seventh place performance.

“Well this place is just awesome and these great race fans make it all worth it,” exclaimed McDowell in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane. “This track got slick and that’s more this old man’s speed. Earlier there (in the feature), Jensen fired off good and I didn’t know if I was going to have anything for him - I was a little free. But once it slickened up and we couldn’t charge the corners as hard, the car balanced out. I need to thank E-Z-GO, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Cometic Gaskets, CSA, Fox Racing Shox, Northeastern Fabrication, the entire team, and just everybody that makes this thing go around. I always look forward to coming to this place, as it’s been awfully good to me through the years!”

McDowell's ninth career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series triumph came aboard a Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero Race Car powered by a Clements Racing Engine. Sponsorship on his #17M comes in part from E-Z-GO, Cometic Gaskets, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Connected Strategy Advisors, Fox Racing Shox, Northeastern Fabrication, Campbell Insulation Specialists, M&S Motors, and Garrison Enterprise.

A contingent of 31 of the best Super Late Models from around the region all converged at Volunteer Speedway tonight for the eleventh visit by the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series. Following the long rain delay prior to the start of FK Rod Ends qualifying, Dale McDowell clicked off a fast lap of 11.926 seconds around the Bulls Gap, Tennessee speedplant to earn Fast Time honors and an extra $150 courtesy of Memory Lane Classic Car Museum. McDowell, Jensen Ford, and Mack McCarter all picked up heat race wins, while Ashton Winger emerged victorious in the lone B-Main.

The popular twelve-race miniseries will get our first break in the action on Monday before returning to competition on Tuesday evening, July 19. The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series will roll into I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tennessee for a midweek special, which boasts a $4,053 paycheck. The Volunteer State facility has hosted two previous tour visits, as Cory Hedgecock ('20) and Dale McDowell ('21) are recent winners at I-75 Raceway. More information can be found online by pointing your web browser to www.I75Raceway.com.