By Michael Despain
UNION, KY – June 24, 2017 – The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV would sanction its first-ever event at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky. on Saturday evening and Eddie Carrier, Jr. of Salt Rock, W.V. would take the checkered flag first and claim the $10,000 payday.
The win for Carrier, Jr. would be his first-career victory in Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Bonus Series competition and would come behind the wheel of the Jake Keaton owned Keaton’s Collision Center/Barbourville Mini Storage/Complex Pre-Owned Auto Sales/Sunoco Race Fuels/All Star Performance sponsored #10 Longhorn Chassis powered by an Andy Durham Race Engine.
Donald McIntosh would take the lead at the start of the fifty-lap contest and by lap three, McIntosh would have the advantage with Eddie Carrier, Jr., Shanon Buckingham, Cody Mahoney, and Michael Chilton giving chase. Chilton would work past Mahoney for the fourth position on lap four, while seventh place starting Steve Casebolt would make his way into the top five on lap eight. Race leader McIntosh would begin the process of working lapped traffic on lap twelve, as Casebolt would challenge Chilton for the fourth position and the pair would duel side-by-side for the position until Casebolt claimed the spot on lap sixteen. As the McIntosh continued to work traffic in close-quarters competition, Carrier, Jr. would close in the leader. However, disaster would strike McIntosh as he and a lapped car would make contact and McIntosh would contact the outside retaining wall at the entrance to turn one as the field began working lap nineteen and his night would be finished. Carrier, Jr. would assume the race lead at this point and Chilton would dive under Buckingham for the third position on lap twenty, only to have Buckingham retake the spot two trips later on lap twenty-two. As the field approached the halfway mark of the event, Mahoney would have mechanical issues with his mount and would stop on the frontchute on lap twenty-five and be finished for the evening.
The restart would see Carrier, Jr. maintain the lead, while Chilton and Casebolt battled for the second position, with Chilton claiming the runner-up slot on lap twenty-six. Eleventh place starting Jimmy Owens would flex some muscle at this point and take the fourth position from Buckingham on lap twenty-nine, while seventeenth place starter Jason Jameson would get rolling as well as would go from seventh to fifth in a three-wide battle on lap thirty. As Carrier, Jr. continued to work out front, Jameson would close in on Jimmy Owens and the pair would duel for the fourth position before Jameson would take the spot on lap thirty-six. As the field completed lap forty, Carrier, Jr. would start working lapped at this point, but the action would slow as a caution for debris in turn three on lap forty-one would give the leader clear track, but also tighten up the field. Carrier, Jr. would get a good restart and maintain the lead, while Jameson continued his rim-riding charge toward the front as he would drive past Casebolt for third on lap forty-five and would take second from Chilton two circuits later on lap forty-seven. Jameson would try mightily to catch Carrier, Jr. in the waning laps, but would come 0.627 seconds of the win, with Carrier, Jr. seeing the checkered flag first. Jameson, who finished the event on seven-cylinders, would settle for second, while Chilton would complete the podium finishers in third. Casebolt and Zach Dohm would complete the top five finishers. The remainder of the top ten would be Owens, fifteenth starting Jackie Boggs, Hudson O’Neal, Buckingham, and fourteenth place starter Brandon Kinzer.
The next event for the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuel and Tennessee RV will be on Saturday July 1 at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN, paying $5,000 to win. This event will be co-sanctioned with the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series. Also, the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series will celebrate America’s 241st birthday with race action at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, GA on Tuesday July 4, paying $10,000 to win.
Further information on the Spring Nationals, Southern Nationals, and Southern Nationals Bonus Series can be obtained by calling Promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353 or Series P.R. Coordinator Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or by visiting the official website located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com.
Official Summary of Results
Feature Results for Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA on May 26, 2017
1. Eddie Carrier, Jr.-Salt Rock, W.V.
2. Jason Jameson-Lawrenceburg, Ind.
3. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
4. Steve Casebolt-Richmond, Ind.
5. Zach Dohm-Cross Lanes, W.V.
6. Jimmy Owens-Newport, Tenn.
7. Jackie Boggs-Grayson, Ky.
8. Hudson O’Neal-Martinsville, Ind.
9. Shanon Buckingham-Morristown, Tenn.
10. Brandon Kinzer-Lexington, Ky.
11. Nick Latham-Winchester, Ohio
12. Tripp Gerrald-Lexington, Ky.
13. Chris Combs-Isom, Ky.
14. Jesse Lay-Walton, Ky.
15. Connor Meade-Clay City, Ky.
16. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
17. Scott James-Lawrenceburg, Ind.
18. Kody Evans-Camden, Ohio
19. Devin Gilpin-Columbus, Ind.
20. Cody Mahoney-Hanover, Ind.
21. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
22. Kent Robinson-Bloomington, Ind.
23. Trevor Landrum-Erlanger, Ky.
24. Steve Landrum-Erlanger, Ky.
Time of Race: 27 minutes, 46 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.627 seconds
Yellow Flags: 3 (lap 19, 25, 41)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: McIntosh (1-18), Carrier, Jr. (19-50)
Entries: 36
Overall Top Qualifier: Eddie Carrier, Jr. (Group A) 16.418 seconds
Keyser Manufacturing 11th Place Award: Nick Latham
Highest Finishing CT525 Engine ($200): None
Highest Finishing Steel/SPEC Engine ($200): None
Provisional Starters: David Payne, Chris Combs
Heat One Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Eddie Carrier, Jr., Michael Chilton, Kent Robinson, Scott James, Jason Jameson, David Payne, Michael Hensley, Tripp Gerrald, Austyn Mills
Heat Two Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Shanon Buckingham, Steve Casebolt, Jimmy Owens, Jackie Boggs, Jesse Lay, Jeff Wilson, Blake Naylor, Curt Addison, Justin Rattliff
Heat Three Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Donald McIntosh, Zach Dohm, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Kinzer, Connor Meade, Steve Landrum, John Whitney, Alan Magner, Robby Moses
Heat Four Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Cody Mahoney, Nick Latham, Kody Evans, Devin Gilpin, Robby Hensley, Trevor Landrum, Skylar Marlar, Chris Combs (DNS-Roger Williams)
B-Main One Finish (10 laps/top 3 transfer)- Jason Jameson, Jesse Lay, Tripp Gerrald, Jeff Wilson, David Payne, Blake Naylor, Curt Addison (DNS-Michael Hensley, Austyn Mills, Justin Rattliff)
B-Main Two Finish (10 laps/top 3 transfer)- Connor Meade, Trevor Landrum, Steve Landrum, Chris Combs, Robby Moses, Skylar Marlar, John Whitney, Alan Magner (DNS-Robby Hensley, Roger Williams)
Current Series Points (after June 24):
1. David Payne-730
2. Donald McIntosh-716
3. Jamie Oliver-524
4. Zack Dohm-386
5. Eddie Carrier Jr.-370
6. Shanon Buckingham-366
7. Jason Jameson-360
8. Chris Combs-356
9. Brandon Overton-354
10. Joey Standridge-346
