CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (July 25) — Brandon Overton’s Crossville Speedway dominance continued Thursday night, with the Evans, Ga., driver scoring his third Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Series victory in as many seasons at the high-banked Tennessee oval.

Clocking the night’s overall fast time to start on the outside pole of the 35-lap feature, Overton led the entire distance, fighting back challenges from fourth-starting Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., to notch his 13th career Southern Nationals victory, his third on the 2019 season.

“Pretty good racer car tonight,” Overton said in victory lane. “We put a harder tire on right there at the last minute, so I really wasn’t trying to run it that hard. I seen Jason (Jameson) keep getting up underneath me. I felt comfortable, my car was really good. … I love coming over here.”

Overton charged to the front of the field at the drop of the green flag, with Jameson moving into second on the eighth circuit after a tight battle with polesitter Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, Va. As the frontrunners worked through lapped traffic at the halfway mark, Jameson was able to reel in Overton to challenge for the lead.

But a lap-22 caution would slow Jameson’s charge, with Overton stretching his advantage over the field as the race went back green. Another yellow flag then waved on lap 28, giving Jameson one final shot at the lead. While Jameson was able to briefly run alongside the race leader, Overton pulled away in the final circuits to earn a $3,500 payday.

Jameson settled for a runner-up finish, with Michael Chilton of Salvisa, Ky., rallying from the 12th starting spot to finish third. Seventh-starting Tanner English of Benton, Ky., ran fourth, with Jake Knowles of Rome, Ga., advancing from the 11th starting spot to round out the top five.

“That steering, it was just wearing me out,” Jameson said. “Hats off to Overton. I’ll take second. We’ve been here twice and ran second twice.”

Charging from outside the sixth row, Chilton earned the night’s hard charger honors, running third in Southern Nationals action for the second straight event.

“We’ll take it,” Chilton said. “Third-place, that seems like that’s about where we finish all the time now. When we start in the back and we can get to third, that makes for a pretty good night for us. We’ve got a little bit of body work to do, but nothing major tore up.”

Notes: With his victory, Overton moves to second on the Southern Nationals all-time win list with 13 career series victories. … The race was slowed by three cautions. … The first yellow flag waved on lap 10 when fifth-running Cory Hedgecock spun in turn two in a battle for position with Dakotah Knuckles. … Kenny Cobble stopped on the frontsretch to draw a caution on lap 22. … A yellow flag flew on lap 28 when third-running Donald McIntosh slowed with a right-rear flat. … Hometown driver Jesse Lowe was the winner of the Crate Late Model feature.

Blog-style reports:

Feature lineup

Row 1: Dakotah Knuckles, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Donald McIntosh, Jason Jameson
Row 3: Walker Arthur, Cory Hedgecock
Row 4: Tanner English, Cla Knight
Row 5: Kenny Collins, David Payne
Row 6: Jake Knowles, Michael Chilton
Row 7: Tyler Clem, Patrick Duggan
Row 8: Brad Skinner, Dusty Carver
Row 9: Craig Greer, Kenny Cobble

Qualifying

Tripping the clock with a time of 11.787 seconds, Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., was Thursday’s overall fast qualifier at Crossville. Dakotah Knuckles of Ewing, Va., was the quickest qualifier in his respective time trial group.

Time trial results will set the feature lineup, with the first group making up the inside row and the second group filling the outside row. Knuckles will be the polesitter, with Overton starting on the outside pole.

Pre-race setup

The Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals Series kicks off its weekend tripleheader on Thursday at Crossville (Tenn.) Speedway. The third-mile, high-banked oval hosts the Ray Cook-promoted tour for the fourth consecutive season.

Former series champion Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., has won the last two Southern Nationals events at Crossville. With his Tuesday victory at Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, N.C., Jake Knowles of Rome, Ga., tops the series points standings heading into Thursday’s show.

Thursday’s program will include hot laps, group time trials the 35-lap, $3,500-to-win feature. Qualifying will determine the feature lineup. Crate Late Models are among other divisions that will be in action.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Group A
Dakotah Knuckles (21K), Ewing, Va., 11.899
Donald McIntosh (7), Dawsonville, Ga., 11.904
Walker Arthur (87), Forest, Va., 12.066
Tanner English (58), Benton, Ky., 12.110
Kenny Collins (1C), Colbert, Ga., 12.113
Jake Knowles (66), Rome, Ga., 12.182
Tyler Clem (58), St. Petersburg, Fla., 12.307
Brad Skinner (17), Springhill, Tenn., 12.586
Craig Greer (7G), Cleveland, Tenn., 13.203
Group B
Brandon Overton (2), Evans, Ga., 11.787
Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 11.930
Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 12.003
Cla Knight (42), North Augusta, S.C., 12.013
David Payne (8), Murphy, N.C., 12.209
Michael Chilton (97), Salvisa, Ky., 12.245
Patrick Duggan (215), Lenoir City, Tenn., 12.524
Dusty Carver (9), Englewood, Tenn., 12.599
Kenny Cobble (31), Crossville, Tenn., 13.111

Thursday’s schedule

6:40 p.m. Drivers meeting
7 p.m.: Hot laps
- Street stocks
- Late Models
- Crate Late Models
- Dwarfs
- Front wheel drives
Time Trials
- Street stocks (2 laps)
- Late Models (2 laps)
- Crate Late Models (2 laps)
- Front wheel drives (1 lap)
Prelims
- Dwarfs (6 laps)
Opening ceremonies
Features
- Street stock (15 laps)
- Late Model (35 laps)
- Crate Late Model (25 laps)
- Dwarf (15 laps)
- Front wheel drive (15 laps)