What won the race: Fast qualifier and polestter Austin Kirkpatrick of Ocala, Fla., led all 40 laps Saturday at Talladega Short Track to notch his first career Southern All Star Series victory in the tour's season finale. Kirkpatrick took the checkers 0.882 seconds ahead of former series champion Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn., to pocket $4,000.

Quotable: "Man, you guys don't know how good it feels," Kirkpatrick said in a post-race Facebook post. "Fastest in hot laps, qualified pole, led flag-to-flag ... in a car that I designed from a blank sheet of paper. Man, I'm in the clouds right now."

Key notes: A 22-year-old University of Florida student, Kirkpatrick competed in several Georgia-Florida Speedweeks shows and spring events but then sat out several months while building a chassis of his own design. He debuted the machine over Labor Day weekend and Saturday's success marked his first win in the car. ... Cuations appeared for Dillon Tidmore's lap-28 slowdown and Bo Shirley's lap-38 spin. ... The traditional weekend at TST came during NASCAR action across the highway at Talladega Superspeedway. ... Jason Hiett won the unsanctioned $2,000-to-win event for Super Late Models on Friday over Austin Kirkpatrick, T.J. Reaid, Jake Knowles and Terry Smith.

Winner's sponsors: Kirkpatrick's self-designed AK Autosports chassis is sponsored by Hitman Racing Suspension.

Points chase: Heading into the Southern All Star finale, Riley Hickman had wrapped up his unprecedented third straight title; Dillon Tidmore was named Southern All Star Cruise with the Champions/DirtonDirt.com Rookie of the Year.

Car count: 39

Fast qualifier: Austin Kirkpatrick

Time: 14.595 seconds

Polesitter: Austin Kirkpatrick

Consolation race winners: Ryan Gifford, Brad Berry