GAFFNEY, S.C. (July 14) — In his first full season racing Super Late Models, Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., has added his name to the Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Series record book.

Leading all 53 laps, the 24-year-old Ivey survived Sunday's caution-plagued distance, besting former series champion Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., to score a career-richest $10,000 victory at his home Cherokee Speedway.

“I never dreamed that this would ever come,” Ivey said in victory lane. “I thought I’d just be this local racer, Crate racer. It just feels awesome to be here.”

Winning his heat race to start on the pole of Sunday’s main event, Ivey shot to the front of the field at the drop of the green flag, fighting back early challenges from Pageland, S.C.’s Michael Brown. The pair running door-to-door, Brown pulled ahead just as the race’s first caution fell on lap six, allowing Ivey to maintain the advantage over the field.

Ivey held his lead through mid-race cautions, with Overton running a close second at the halfway mark. As the race’s final yellow flag waved on lap 45, Ivey went unchallenged through the final circuits, scoring just his second career Super Late Model victory.

“I couldn’t do it without my mom and dad,” Ivey said. “They believed in me from the beginning. I was 12 years old when I started this. I’ve come a long way. … I’m so stoked. I don’t even know what’s going on.”

Overton finished runner-up, with 11th-starting Michael Page of Douglasville, Ga., running third. Eighth-starting Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C., finished fourth, with Jake Knowles of Rome, Ga., rounding out the top five.

While the race’s many cautions played in Ivey’s favor, they slowed Overton’s attempts at reeling in the race leader. But after winning Saturday’s miniseries opener at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., Overton will carry the series points lead into Tuesday’s third round of action at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn.

“It definitely hurt us,” Overton said of the race’s cautions. “We had a hard tire. But hats off to Trent. I know it’s pretty cool to win in front of all these people. He races here a lot. We just put the wrong tire on, had too hard of a tire. But it ain’t no big deal. We had a good car. I was actually really happy with the way our car was to even be close with him with that tire on. But it was a good points night. That’s what we’re in it for.”

After sustaining damage to his car in dust-ups with hometown driver Dennis Franklin and later Tanner English of Benton, Ky., Page salvaged a podium finish. He wasn’t shy in his post-race interview.

“This place is tricky,” Page said. “You’ve got one place to be. You can pass somebody clean and they want to just come in there and take you out. I didn’t mean to cut off (Tanner English). I didn’t see him. But (Dennis Franklin), I don’t know what his problem is.”

Notes: The first yellow flag waved on lap six when fourth-running Kyle Strickler slowed off the pace. ... Derrick Ramey slowed to draw a caution on lap seven. … A yellow flag waved on lap 19 for the slowing Larry Grube; second running Michael Brown retired under the caution, while third-running Donald McIntosh made a trip to the hot pit for a new tire. … Dennis Franklin slowed to draw a caution on lap 23. He sustained damage to his car after making contact with Michael Page on the lap-19 restart. … Another yellow flag flew on the ensuing restart when Page and fourth-running Tanner English collided, resulting in English spinning in turn two to collect McIntosh, Doug Sanders and Adam Yarbrough. … Cla Knight slowed to draw a caution on lap 35. … A yellow flag waved on lap 42 when Ramey spun in the bottom of turns three and four; fifth-running Aaron Ridley pitted under the caution. … Jeff Smith slowed to draw a caution on lap 45.

Blog-style reports:

Feature lineup

Row 1: Trent Ivey, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Michael Brown, Kyle Strickler
Row 3: Tanner English, Donald McIntosh
Row 4: Chris Ferguson, Ross Bailes
Row 5: Aaron Ridley, Dennis Franklin
Row 6: Michael Page, Casey Roberts
Row 7: Jake Knowles, Anthony Sanders
Row 8: Jeff Smith, Derrick Ramey
Row 9: Benji Hicks, Cla Knight
Row 10: Matthew Nance, Adam Yarbrough
Row 11: Christian Hanger, Larry Grube

Consolation

The race was brought to a complete restart after Donald Bradsher came to a stop in the bottom of turn three to draw a caution on the green-flag lap. Rolling around the high side, outside poelsitter Benji Hicks led the opening lap, with fellow front-row starter Cla Knight nosing ahead on the second circuit. The pair racing door-to-door, Hicks retook the lead on lap three, maintaining a slight advantage at the halfway mark. The top-two cars distancing themselves from the field late-race, Hicks outran Knight to win the consolation. Matthew Nance and Adam Yarbrough finished third and fourth to transfer to the feature.

Finish (top four transfer): Benji Hicks, Cla Knight, Matthew Nance, Adam Yarbrough, Christian Hanger, Larry Grube, Tim Vance, Chris Stowe, Doug Sanders, Donald Bradsher. Scratched: Johnny Pursley.

Consolation lineup

(10 laps; top four transfer)
Row 1: Cla Knight, Benji Hicks
Row 2: Matthew Nance, Adam Yarbrough
Row 3: Larry Grube, Christian Hanger
Row 4: Donald Bradsher, Tim Vance
Row 5: Doug Sanders, Chris Stowe
Row 6: Johnny Pursley

Fourth heat

With front-row starters Ross Bailes and Kyle Strickler racing side-by-side down the backstretch, Strickler pulled ahead to take an early lead. The top two cars distanced themselves from the field at the halfway mark, with Bailes attempting to close the gap between himself and the race leader. Derrick Ramey and Casey Roberts battled late in the distance, with Roberts taking third on the eighth lap. Strickler won the heat, with Bailes finishing second and Roberts third.

Finish (top four transfer): Kyle Strickler, Ross Bailes, Casey Roberts, Derrick Ramey, Adam Yarbrough, Tim Vance.

Third heat

Polesitter Brandon Overton began pulling away early, as Dennis Franklin challenged Donald McIntosh for second in the opening circuits. Overton held a comfortable lead at the halfway point, with McIntosh distancing himself from third-running Franklin. Unchallenged, Overton won the heat, with McIntosh, Frankling and Anthony Sanders grabbing feature transfer spots.

Finish (top four transfer): Brandon Overton, Donald McIntosh, Dennis Franklin, Anthony Sanders, Benji Hicks, Christian Hanger, Chris Stowe.

Second heat

Polesitter Michael Brown edged ahead of fellow front-row starter Chris Ferguson out of turn four to take an early lead. With Ferguson losing a few car lengths after attempting to challenge the race leader on the third lap, Brown stretched his lead to nearly a full straightaway on the sixth circuit. It was a tight battle for second late-race between Ferguson and Michael Page, with Ferguson pulling away with just a couple laps remaining. Brown won the heat, with Ferguson running second and Page third.

Finish (top four transfer): Michael Brown, Chris Ferguson, Michael Page, Jeff Smith, Matthew Nance, Donald Bradsher.

First heat

Polesitter Trent Ivey shot to the front of the field at the drop of the green flag, with Tanner English slipping under second-starting Aaron Ridley down the backstretch on the opening lap. Ivey held a half a straightaway lead at the halfway mark, with English running a comfortable second. Ivey won the heat, with English and Ridley rounding out the podium.

Finish (top four transfer): Trent Ivey, Tanner English, Aaron Ridley, Jake Knowles, Cla Knight, Larry Grube, Doug Sanders.

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Trent Ivey, Aaron Ridley
Row 2: Tanner English, Cla Knight
Row 3: Donald Bradsher, Doug Sanders
Row 4: Larry Grube
Second heat
Row 1: Michael Brown, Chris Ferguson
Row 2: Matthew Nance, Michael Page
Row 3: Jake Knowles, Jeff Smith
Third heat
Row 1: Brandon Overton, Donald McIntosh
Row 2: Dennis Franklin, Anthony Sanders
Row 3: Christian Hanger, Benji Hicks
Row 4: Chris Stowe
Fourth heat
Row 1: Ross Bailes, Kyle Strickler
Row 2: Casey Roberts, Derrick Ramey
Row 3: Adam Yarbrough, Johnny Pursley
Row 4: Tim Vance

Qualifying

Tripping the clock with a time of 15.200 seconds, Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., was Sunday’s overall fast qualifier at Cherokee. He’ll start on the pole of the evening’s third heat race. Clocking quick time in his respective time trial group, Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., will start on the pole of the first heat race.

Pre-race setup

The Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Series moves to Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., on Sunday for the second round of miniseries action. The 3/8-mile high-banked oval hosts the Ray Cook-promoted tour for the first time since 2010.

Former Southern Nationals champion Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., was the winner of Saturday’s miniseries opener at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va. He tops the series points standings heading into Sunday's show.

Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C., is among drivers already notching a touring victory at Cherokee this season, grabbing his first career World of Outlaws Morton Building Late Model Series victory at the Gaffney, S.C., oval back in May.

Sunday’s program will include hot laps, group time trials, preliminary races and the 53-lap, $10,000-to-win feature. DirtonDirt.com is offering live pay-per-view coverage of the event.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Group A
Trent Ivey (88), Union, S.C., 15.261
Michael Brown (79), Pageland, S.C., 15.271
Aaron Ridley (81), Chatsworth, Ga., 15.279
Chris Ferguson (10), Mount Holly, N.C., 15.411
Tanner English (58), Benton, Ky., 15.447
Matthew Nance (4), Ronda, N.C., 15.521
Cla Knight (42), North Augusta, S.C., 15.584
Michael Page (18), Douglasville, Ga., 15.644
Jake Knowles (66), Rome, Ga., 15.677
Donald Bradsher (75), Burlington, N.C., 15.677
Doug Sanders (42), McAdenville, N.C., 15.803
Jeff Smith (00), Dallas, N.C., 15.835
Larry Grube (29), Maudlin, S.C., 16.366
Group B
Brandon Overton (2), Evans, Ga., 15.200
Ross Bailes (87), Clover, S.C., 15.259
Donald McIntosh (7), Dawsonville, Ga., 15.305
Kyle Strickler (8), Mooresville, N.C., 15.331
Dennis Franklin (2), Gaffney, S.C., 15.393
Casey Roberts (101), Toccoa, Ga., 15.422
Anthony Sanders (421), Spartanburg, S.C., 15.462
Derrick Ramey (91), Mooresville, N.C., 15.567
Christian Hanger (29), Winchester, Tenn., 15.639
Tim Vance (17), Clover, S.C., 15.696
Adam Yarbrough (57), Denver, N.C., 15.799
Benji Hicks (55) Mount Airy, N.C., 15.815
Johnny Pursley (09), Clover, S.C., 15.819
Chris Stowe (2E), Mount Holly, N.C., 17.064

Sunday’s schedule

6:45 p.m.: Drivers meeting
7:15 p.m.: Hot laps/time trials
- Limited sportsman
- Crate sportsman
- Late Model hot laps
- Thunder
- Modifieds
- Late Model qualifying (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Modified heat races
- Limited sportsman heat races
- Crate sportsman heat races
- Late Model heat races (10 laps)
- Thunder heat races
- Modified feature
- Late Model consolation (10 laps; as needed)
- Limited sportsman feature
- Crate sportsman feature
- Late Model feature (53 laps)
- Thunder feature