What won the race: Stalking early leader Chris Ferguson and taking command for good on a lap-17 restart, third-starting Ross Bailes of Clover, S.C., led the rest of Wednesday's 24th annual Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway. Bailes led twice for 25 laps — including the final 24 — en route to running away with the $10,000 victory, earning the first of his career on the fledgling Mid-East Super Late Model Series.

Quotable: “I had a really good car. That last restart I lost brakes, but I was able to roll that top there, and middle, and get by him,” Bailes said. “I’m not sure who I got into on the back straightaway, I think it might’ve been Michael (Brown), I didn’t see him out there, I just felt him on my right-rear. If I’d saw him, I would’ve gave him room.”

Key notes: Bailes's third overall triumph of the season is his first away from Elkin, N.C.'s Ultimate Motorsports Park, where he nabbed April's $7,500 Ultimate Southeast stop before topping May's $4,000 World of Outlaws Case Late Model semifeature. ... The pole-starting Ferguson, of Mount Holly, N.C., led twice for 15 laps (1-12, 14-16) before slowing from second on the 27th circuit and pulling off. He was credited with eighth. ... Jeff Smith took the runner-up spot on lap 29 and finished a distant 10.032 seconds back at the checkers in the event that honors his late grandfather. Clarence “Grassy” Smith, the late father of National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Freddy Smith, died Jan. 14, 1999, at 79. ... Gray Parton started 11th and finished third. ... Sixth-starting Michael Brown charged to third and mounted a run outside of Bailes for second on lap 17 before Bailes came up the track and pinched Brown into the turn-three wall, drawing the race's final caution and ending his night. ... Dennis Franklin slowed from fifth to bring out the third yellow on lap 14. ... Series points leader Benji Hicks caused the first stoppage when he appeared to make contact with the turn-three wall on lap three, ripping the nose off and damaging his right-front suspension. ... The attrition-filled 40-lapper lasted 26 minutes, with five drivers completing the distance and seven running at the finish. ... Steve Banal and Jeremy Fowler scratched from the feature.

On the move: Tim Vance of Clover, S.C., started 15th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Bailes’s Joey Malone-owned Longhorn by Wesley Page Chassis carries sponsorship from Fred Caldwell Chevrolet, Mid-Atlantic Roofing Supply, Bailes Construction, Wakefield Logging, WP Racing Shocks, Bobby Taylor Oil Company, VP Racing Fuels, Indocil Art and ShopBM23.com.

Points chase: After Cherokee: 1. Benji Hicks (95); 2. Ben Watkins (88); 3. Ethan Wilson (82); 4. Christian Thomas (74); 5. Brent Robinson (69).

Current weather: Clear, 82°F

Car count: 27

Fast qualifier: Chris Ferguson

Time: 15.476 seconds

Polesitter: Chris Ferguson

Heat race winners: Chris Ferguson, Ben Watkins, Ross Bailes

Consolation race winners: Aiden Price

Provisional starters: Jeremy Fowler, Brycen Fleming

Next series race: August 10, Fayetteville Motor Speedway (Fayetteville, NC) $10,000