Dirt on Dirt - McDowell dominates for $10,053 at North Georgia

July 26

North Georgia Speedway,

Chatsworth, GA

Sanction: Schaeffer's Southern Nationals - $10,053

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated July 27, 5:11 pm)

McDowell dominates for $10,053 at North Georgia

Dale McDowell
Donald McIntosh
Cory Hedgecock
David Payne
Mike Benedum
Zack Mitchell
Wil Herrington
Gavin Cowan
Benji Hicks
Josh Henry
Joe Denby
Landon Gentry
Jason Croft
Stacy Boles
Heath Hindman
Will Roland
Sam Seawright
Travis Fultz
David McCoy
Michael Page
Colten Jackson
Tyler Nichols

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Dale McDowell grabbed a $10,053 payday at North Georgia.

What won the race: Overcoming contact with pole-starting Donald McIntosh at the race's initial start, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., dominated Friday's 53-lap Schaeffer's Southern Nationals feature at North Georgia Speedway. McDowell was never seriously challenged en route to a $10,053 payday, his third series victory of the season and the 16th of his career.

Quotable: "I need to apologize to Donald (McIntosh). I don't know whose fault it was, but our tires hit on the start and when they hit, it yanked the wheel out of my hand," McDowell said. "I guess I'm getting too old to hang on, but we beat and banged down the front straightaway a little bit ... that wasn't nothing intentional, it was just something that happened."

Key notes: It's McDowell's second straight Southern Nationals triumph at North Georgia after earning $10,053 there last year. ... Series points leader, McIntosh, of Dawsonville, Ga., regained the runner-up spot on lap 22 and trailed McDowell the rest of the way, taking the checkers 1.448 seconds back. The two drivers made contact as the main event went green, nearly sending McIntosh spinning in front of the field. ... Cory Hedgecock pursued McDowell between laps 18-21 before giving way to McIntosh and finishing third. ... Tenth-starting Mike Benedum ran as high as fourth before being overtaken by David Payne on a lap-18 restart and settling for fifth. ... Landon Gentry slowed to draw the race's fourth and final caution on lap 44 before pulling off. ... Will Roland slowed from ninth with a flat left-rear to cause the third stoppage on lap 28. He opted not to continue. ... Michael Page nearly spun from second on the lap-14 restart, with contact from Benji Hicks keeping him pointed straight. Both drivers continued until Page slowed from 11th on lap 18 and called it a night. ... Sam Seawright slowed from third to bring out the first yellow flag with a flat right-front on lap 14. He never recovered to run higher than 12th after changing the tire and retired on lap 25. ... The main event lasted 25 minutes, with 10 competitors completing the distance.

On the move: Gavin Cowan of Rincon, Ga., started 16th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: McDowell’s Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero Race Car has a Clements Chevrolet engine and sponsorship from E-Z-Go, Cometic Gaskets, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Connected Strategy Advisors, Northeastern Fabrication, Fox Racing Shox, Campbell Insulation Specialists, Shakleford Enterprises and Spring-Pro.

Points chase: After North Georgia: 1. Donald McIntosh (1,158); 2. Cory Hedgecock (1,138); 3. Gavin Cowan (1,094); 4. Benji Hicks (1,090); 5. Stacy Boles (854).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 75°F

Car count: 26

Fast qualifier: Donald McIntosh

Time: 14.168 seconds

Polesitter: Donald McIntosh

Heat race winners: Donald McIntosh, Dale McDowell, Cory Hedgecock

Consolation race winners: Gavin Cowan

Provisional starters: Tyler Nichols, Stacy Boles

Next series race: July 27, Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) $20,053

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

From staff reports

CHATSWORTH, Ga. (July 26) — Updates from Friday’s sixth round of the Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals at North Georgia Speedway, an event highlighted by a 53-lap, $10,053-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Overcoming contact with pole-starting Donald McIntosh at the race's initial start, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., dominated Friday's 53-lap Schaeffer's Southern Nationals feature at North Georgia Speedway. McDowell was never seriously challenged en route to a $10,053 payday, his third series victory of the season and the 16th of his career. It's McDowell's second straight Southern Nationals victory at North Georgia after earning $10,053 there last year. Series points leader, McIntosh, of Dawsonville, Ga., regained the runner-up spot on lap 22 and trailed McDowell the rest of the way, taking the checkers 1.448 seconds back. The two drivers made contact as the main event went green, nearly sending McIntosh spinning in front of the field.

Feature lineup

(53 laps)

Row 1: Donald McIntosh, Dale McDowell
Row 2: Cory Hedgecock, Sam Seawright
Row 3: Heath Hindman, Michael Page
Row 4: David Payne, Benji Hicks
Row 5: Zack Mitchell, Mike Benedum
Row 6: Colten Jackson, Will Roland
Row 7: Wil Herrington, David McCoy
Row 8: Jason Croft, Gavin Cowan
Row 9: Josh Henry, Travis Fultz
Row 10: Landon Gentry, Joe Denby
Row 11: Tyler Nichols, Stacy Boles

Consolation results

(10 laps; top five transfer)

Finish: Gavin Cowan, Josh Henry, Travis Fultz, Landon Gentry, Joe Denby, Tyler Nichols, Andy Picklesimer, Will Hicks, Ethan Hunter. Scratched: Corey Roulette, Stacy Boles

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Donald McIntosh, Sam Seawright, David Payne, Mike Benedum, Wil Herrington, Josh Henry, Landon Gentry, Tyler Nichols, Andy Picklesimer.

Second heat: Dale McDowell, Heath Hindman, Benji Hicks, Colten Jackson, David McCoy, Gavin Cowan, Travis Fultz, Stacy Boles, Will Hicks.

Third heat: Cory Hedgecock, Michael Page, Zack Mitchell, Will Roland, Jason Croft, Corey Roulette, Joe Denby, Ethan Hunter.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Donald McIntosh (79), Dawsonville, Ga., 14.168
2. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 14.211
3. Michael Page (16x), Douglasville, Ga., 14.290
4. Sam Seawright (16), Rainsville, Ala., 14.330
5. Heath Hindman (91), Signal Mountain, Tenn., 14.357
6. Cory Hedgecock (36), Loudon, Tenn., 14.366
7. David Payne (8), Murphy, N.C., 14.370
8. David McCoy (11), Franklin, N.C., 14.418
9. Corey Roulette (05), Dahlonega, Ga., 14.467
10. Mike Benedum (25), Salem, W.Va., 14.467
11. Benji Hicks (55), Mount Airy, N.C., 14.518
12. Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 14.522
13. Wil Herrington (27H), Hawkinsville, Ga., 14.560
14. Gavin Cowan (219), Rincon, Ga., 14.588
15. Will Roland (22), Jasper, Ga., 14.612
16. Landon Gentry (629), Rossville, Ga., 14.618
17. Colten Jackson (J4), Chatsworth, Ga., 14.622
18. Jason Croft (9), Woodstock, Ga., 14.682
19. Andy Picklesimer (P1), Ooltewah, Tenn., 14.723
20. Stacy Boles (11B), Clinton, Tenn., 14.792
21. Ethan Hunter (15), Harrison, Tenn., 14.829
22. Tyler Nichols (5n), Ringgold, Ga., 14.847
23. Travis Fultz (329), Harrogate, Tenn., 14.881
24. Joe Denby (27), Winchester, Tenn., 14.937
25. Josh Henry (B00), Newport, Tenn., 14.986
26. Will Hicks (15H), Cleveland, Tenn., 15.093

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
3:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7:00 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- 604 Crate hot laps
- 602 Crate hot laps
- Front-wheel drive hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- 604 Crate time trials
- 602 Crate time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Beginner heats (5 laps)
- Front-wheel drive heats (6 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- 602 Crate feature (20 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- 604 Crate feature (25 laps)
- Late Model feature (53 laps)
- Front-wheel drive feature (15 laps)
- Beginners feature (12 laps)