Ross Bailes picked up a big early season win at Screven
The Southern All-Start Dirt Racing Series opened its 2022 season in the Winter Freeze at Screven Motor Speedway on Saturday night. After a competitive night of racing, it was Ross Bailes who took the checkered flag as the winner at the Sylvania, Georgia facility. The Longhorn Chassis driver from Clover, South Carolina earned $10,000 for his efforts in a race shown live by FloRacing.com.
This was the first Southern All Stars race held since the series was purchased by raceXR.
A total of 23 cars were signed in for competition.
Cla Knight was fastest in Group A qualifying with a lap of 14.650 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval beating out Ross Bailes, Brent Dixon, Pearson Lee Williams and Banjo Duke.
John Henderson was quickest in Group B time-trials with a mark of 14.603 seconds beating out Payton Freeman, Josh Putnam, Rusty Schlenk and Brian Nuttal.
Brent Dixon would start the feature from the pole by virtue of his win in the first heat ahead of Cla Knight, Benjamin Cranford and Banjo Duke then Josh Putnam took the second preliminary over Colten Burdette, John Henderson and Brian Nuttal.
Ross Bailes won the third heat ahead of Pearson Lee Williams, Dale Timms and Matt Dooley while Payton Freeman was the winner of the fourth heat besting Rusty Schlenk, Michael Brown and Kenny Collins.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it was Dixon who went to the early lead with Putnam, Freeman, Bailes and Knight trailing. A caution for a spin at the tail of the field slowed the action just after the completion of the first lap.
Bailes jumped to second on the restart just before another caution for a mishap near the tail brought out another yellow flag. Freeman then grabbed second behind Dixon with Bailes, Knight and Williams just behind.
By lap 6, the top-3 of Dixon, Freeman and Bailes separated themselves from the rest of the pack as they fought for the top spot. On lap 10, it was three wide for the lead with Bailes ultimately taking the first position ahead of Dixon and Freeman. However, a lap 12 caution slowed the intense battle at the front of the field.
Bailes and Freeman broke away from their pursuers by lap 15 with Dixon, Williams, Knight and Burdette slugging it out for positions 3-6.
As the halfway point approached, Bailes and Freeman continued to control the race as they worked through slower traffic. But Williams would go on the charge and by lap 30 he powered by Freeman for the runner-up spot. With Bailes boxed in behind slower cars, Williams continued to close until the No. 79 car was finally able to move around the lapped cars and put them between himself and his rival.
In the end, Bailes maintained control of the feature and eventually drove under the checkered flag to claim the victory.
Feature Finish: 1. Ross Bailes, 2. Pearson Lee Williams, 3. Rusty Schlenk, 4. Payton Freeman, 5. Colten Burdette, 6. Brent Dixon, 7. Cla Knight, 8. John Henderson, 9. Kenny Collins, 10. Dalton Cook, 11. Benjamin Cranford, 12. Dale Timms, 13. Banjo Duke, 14. Jimmy Sharpe Jr., 15. Brian Nuttal, 16. Bryson Harper, 17. Billy Franklin, 18. Matt Dooley, 19. Josh Putnam, 20. Todd Brennan, 21. Shay Miller, 22. Michael Brown
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