MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Jimmy Owens filled up his bank account in 2020 with 20 victories for the driver of the No. 20. But deposits have been far less frequent in 2021.
The Newport, Tenn., driver did his best to reverse that trend Saturday evening at Smoky Mountain Speedway, leading all 53 laps of the Spring Shootout for a $10,053 victory on the Schaeffer's Spring Nationals circuit. The pole-starting Owens ran virtually unchallenged at the 4/10-mile oval, taking the checkers a half-second ahead of fourth-starting Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga.
Outside front-row starter and series points leader Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., was third followed by Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and former series champ Donald McIntosh of Dawsonville, Ga.
Owens notched his first full-field feature victory of the season, winning the season's fourth race on the Ray Cook-promoted tour. Lapping all but four competitors, Owens had a full straightaway lead just past the midpoint and kept Overton in check in the final laps after the runner-up drew within a few car lengths amid traffic.
How long as it been since he'd run so well? Even in victory lane Owens couldn't quickly reel off his long list of sponsors.
"I'm kind of at a lost for words it's been so long since I've run good," Owens said. "The team keeps a digging and a digging. We've not had a lot of stuff go our way, but tonight it went our way, so maybe we can keep it rolling."
Owens figured Overton would make a run at him late in the race during a long green-flag stretch of racing.
"I knew he was going to be able to chase me down in the lapped traffic, and stuff, because you've gotta move up and down and lapped traffic is always a factor," Owens said. "Especially with Brandon, he's been really, really good this year and I knew he was going to be nipping at our heels pretty hard."
Even though he couldn't take a serious bid at the lead, Overton was pleased with a runner-up finish after 19th- and 20th-place finishes the previous weekend in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events in Kentucky.
"We've had a miserable last weekend, so to come back and run second to Jimmy here, he's really good here, so we'll take it. Congrats to them," Overton said. "I just want to thank my whole crew and everybody that helps me. We've been, like I said, we've been struggling a little bit, but tonight was a big boost for me. I feel like my race car is coming back around. We've just gotta do the right things to it."
McDowell wasn't pleased about finishing 14 seconds behind the leaders.
"It was decent. We're not happy with it. We made some changes there and we've just kinda been going the wrong way on stuff," he said. "In that situation right there, we at least know what not to do. Just happy to salvage a third and come out of here in one piece."
The feature was slowed by two cautions, starting with a second-lap yellow when Parker Martin stopped in turn two and retired. A second caution appeared for Cory Hedgecock's flat tire on the 11th lap.
Notes: Owens has three career Spring Nationals victories, all in Tennessee. His first came in 2014 at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. and his second came in the 2019 finale at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, tenn. ... Owens scored his second overall victory of the season. ... His previous victory came March 26 at Cherokee Speedway in a non-points World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series event. ... His previous five-figure payday came Nov. 14, 2020, in American All-Star Series Crate Late Model action at Volunteer Speedway. ... Thirteen of 22 starters were running at the finish. ... Seventh-finishing Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., was the highest-finishing driver not from Tennessee or Georgia.
