Dirt on Dirt - Ivey goes flag-to-flag for $20,000 win at Cherokee

March 3

Cherokee Speedway,

Gaffney, SC

Sanction: Coltman Farms Southern All Star Series (Ginger Owens Memorial March Madness) - $20,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated March 14, 3:44 pm)

Ivey goes flag-to-flag for $20,000 win at Cherokee

Ginger Owens Memorial March Madness

Trent Ivey
Donald McIntosh
Chris Madden
Casey Roberts
Zack Mitchell
Ryan Gustin
Ross Bailes
Pearson Lee Williams
Benji Hicks
Carson Ferguson
Ben Watkins
Cla Knight
David McCoy
Brandon Overton
Luke Morey
Ethan Dotson
Mark Greene
Dennis Franklin
Jamie Oliver
Taylor Puckett
Ryan Wilson
Chris Ferguson
Joe Denby
Joey Coulter
Corey Gordon

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Photo slideshow Feature highlights Race history

Zack Kloosterman

Trent Ivey celebrates the biggest payday of his career after winning Sunday's March Madness at Cherokee.

What won the race: Repelling a late-race challenge from Brandon Overton, pole-starting Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., led all 50 laps to win Sunday's $20,000 Ginger Owens Memorial March Madness at Cherokee Speedway. Ivey earned his second career victory with the Coltman Farms Southern All Stars and the Mid-East Super Late Model Series; he notched his first feature win with both tours last year at Cherokee.

Quotable: “Oh man, this the best day ever,” Ivey said. “Thanks to everybody sticking it out, I know it was a long day. We were welding on a lift gate at like 10 o’clock Thursday night, just trying to get here. I got to give it all to (car owners) Gary and Angel (Shurling) and (Randall) Brewster. I’ve been racing with them since 2019 and they’ve done more for me than a lot of people have. I’m thankful for them giving me a ride and trusting me with their baby, I mean this thing is awesome. We gonna celebrate tonight.”

Key notes: The $20,000 payday is the most lucrative of Ivey's career. ... The sixth-starting Overton, of Evans, Ga., slowed with a flat right-front to draw the race's second and final caution on lap 48; he opted not to change the tire and was credited with 14th. ... Fourth-starting Donald McIntosh regained the runner-up spot on the lap-49 restart and finished 1.459 seconds behind Ivey. ... World of Outlaws regular Chris Madden completed the podium finishers. ... Thirteen-time SAS feature winner Casey Roberts finished fourth after making his first Super Late Model start since March 26, 2021, in a WoO-sanctioned semifeature at Cherokee. ... Benji Hicks improved six positions and finished ninth. ... Carson Ferguson overcame a lap-nine pit stop and rounded-out the top 10. ... Defending March Madness winner Chris Ferguson spun the bring out the first yellow on lap nine and called it a night. ... Corey Gordon appeared to lose an engine in pace laps, prior to taking the green. ... Sunday's feature lasted 23 minutes, with 13 competitors completing 50 laps and 15 running at the finish.

On the move: Pearson Lee Williams of Dublin, Ga., started 16th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Ivey’s Gary and Angel Shurling-owned Rocket Chassis carries sponsorship from Hardison Suspension Technologies, Badger Rental Services, Built South, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Action Insulation, RLS Logistic Solutions, Veteran Carriers Inc., Patrick and Sons Plumbing, Edwards Interiors Graphics, Valli’s Precision Collision Center, Penske Racing Shocks and Collins Signs.

Points chase: After Cherokee: 1. David McCoy (288); 2. Jamie Oliver (278); 3. Brandon Overton (268); 4. Ross Bailes (262); 5. Dalton Cook (260).

Current weather: Overcast, 57°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Trent Ivey

Time: 14.817 seconds

Polesitter: Trent Ivey

Next series race: March 29, Southern Raceway (Milton, FL) $3,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

GAFFNEY, S.C. (March 3) — Updates and results from Sunday’s March Madness finale, highlighted by a 50-lap, $20,000-to-win Super Late Model feature co-sanctioned between the Coltman Farms Racing Southern All Star Series and the Mid-East Super Late Model Series (results unofficial):

Feature

Repelling a late-race challenge from Brandon Overton, pole-starting Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., led all 50 laps to win Sunday's $20,000 Ginger Owens Memorial March Madness at Cherokee Speedway. Ivey earned his second career victory with the Coltman Farms Southern All Stars and the Mid-East Super Late Model Series; he notched his first feature win with both tours last year at Cherokee. The $20,000 payday is the most lucrative of Ivey's career.

The sixth-starting Overton, of Evans, Ga., slowed with a flat right-front to draw the race's second and final caution on lap 48; he opted not to change the tire and was credited with 14th. Fourth-starting Donald McIntosh regained the runner-up spot on the lap-49 restart and finished 1.459 seconds behind Ivey.

Feature lineup

(50 laps)
Row 1: Zack Mitchell, Trent Ivey
Row 2: Carson Ferguson, Donald McIntosh
Row 3: Ryan Gustin, Brandon Overton
Row 4: Chris Madden, Casey Roberts
Row 5: Chris Ferguson, Ross Bailes
Row 6: Ben Watkins, Ethan Dotson
Row 7: Cla Knight, Joey Coulter
Row 8: Benji Hicks, Pearson Lee Williams
Row 9: Corey Gordon, David McCoy
Row 10: Ryan Wilson, Dennis Franklin
Row 11: Luke Morey, Taylor Puckett
Row 12: Jamie Oliver, Joe Denby
Row 13: Mark Greene

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 14.844
2. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.873
3. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.888
4. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 14.902
5. Chris Ferguson (22), Mount Holly, N.C., 15.171
6. Ben Watkins (16), Rock Hill, S.C., 15.204
7. Cla Knight (42k), North Augusta, S.C., 15.348
8. Benji Hicks (55), Mount Airy, N.C., 15.404
9. Corey Gordon (27), Charlotte, N.C., 15.588
10. Ryan Wilson (4), Margaret, Ala., 15.680
11. Luke Morey (49), Denver, N.C., 15.732
12. Jamie Oliver (38), Murphy, N.C., 15.980
13. Mark Greene (42), Bessemer City, N.C., 16.125
Group B
1. Trent Ivey (G4), Union, S.C., 14.817
2. Donald McIntosh (79), Dawsonville, Ga., 14.840
3. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 14.872
4. Casey Roberts (101), Toccoa, Ga., 14.960
5. Ross Bailes (87), Clover, S.C., 14.980
6. Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.021
7. Joey Coulter (214), Concord, N.C., 15.213
8. Pearson Lee Williams (121), Dublin, Ga., 15.305
9. David McCoy (187), Franklin, N.C., 15.360
10. Dennis Franklin (2), Gaffney, S.C., 15.810
11. Taylor Puckett (28), Greer, S.C., 16.052
12. Joe Denby (27D), Winchester, Tenn., 16.531

Sunday’s schedule

(All times local)
10 a.m. - Pits open
10:30 a.m. - Grandstands open
11:30 a.m. - Chapel service
12:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
1 p.m. - On-track activity
- 604 Crate hot laps
- Street stock group qualifying
- Thunder bomber group qualifying
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Stock 4 hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model group qualifying
- 604 Crate group qualifying
- Street stock heats (8 laps)
- Thunder bomber heats (8 laps)
- Stock 4 heats (8 laps)
- Super Late Model heats (8 laps)
Feature events
- Street stocks (15 laps)
- 604 Crates (25 laps)
- Super Late Models (50 laps)
- Thunder bombers (15 laps)
- Stock 4s (15 laps)