What won the race: Winning a free-for-all on a restart with six laps to go, Dalton Cook of Smiths Station, Ala., shot forward from restarting fifth to capture the $8,000 Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series weekend opener at Whynot Motorsports Park. The ninth-starting Cook seemingly came from nowhere on a lap-35 restart to take his second career HTF feature in topping eighth-starting Joseph Joiner and 24th-starting Jimmy Owens.

Quotable: "I just kind of seen a pattern with some of the racers' lines and with some things that were going on," Cook said. "I kept trying to pinch around a uke tire a little too much and I knew I had to start floating out. I found some brown in some different ways and made it a real big circle and the opportunity presented itself and I got this thing about as wide as we can go."

Key notes: Dalton Cook took the green flag fifth on the final restart (moving up a spot after Kaede Loudy's retirement), got up to third on lap 35 and took command on lap 36 in winning the 40-lapper. ... Cook's first series victory came June 1, 2024, at Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway. ... Brandon Overton led laps 25-35 but was shuffled back to seventh on the final restart. ... Ethan Dotson, who drove ASD Motorsports teammate John Henderson's No. 2x machine, got into the wall on the final restart running second and faded to 18th. ... Ashton Winger was running third when he was squeezed into the frontstretch wall on lap 27 while battling Josh Putnam for second moments after Overton took the lead from Putnam, who led the first 24 laps; Winger's damaged car was towed off the track. ... Polesitter Kaede Loudy dropped out of the top five after 18 laps, restarted fifth on lap 35 but got the worst of a turn-one skirmish and spun into the infield. ... Besides the Winger and Loudy cautions, a lap-35 yellow dropped for Sam Seawright's spin. ... Whynot standout Tyler Erb was running ninth at midway when he dropped to the infield with mechanical problems. ... Jackson Hise got into the frontstretch wall near halfway but managed to keep rolling. ... After breaking two motors in Thursday's practice, Trey Mills piloted Ashton Winger's backup car to a 13th-place result. ... Saturday's $12,000-to-win House of Hook Showdown finale was cancelled after Friday's program with thunderstorms and severe weather expected to hit the area.

On the move: Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., started 28th and finished third; Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., started 13th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Cook’s Rocket Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Three Trade Consultants, Parker's Towing, TMT Utilities @ Grading, River Side Window & Door, Cook Heating & Air, Parker’s Towing, JWC Roofing, Hoffman's Bonded Locksmithing, Sanders Logging, Hoosier Tire South, Fox Shocks, WrapTech and CP Diesel Performance.

Points chase: After Whynot: 1. Dalton Cook (188); 2. Ricky Weiss (186); 3. Zack Mitchell (174); 4. Jimmy Owens (172); 5. Trey Mills (162).

Current weather: Clear, 72°F

Car count: 45

Fast qualifier: Josh Putnam

Time: 12.617 seconds

Polesitter: Kaede Loudy

Heat race winners: Kaede Loudy, Brandon Overton, Josh Putnam, Ashton Winger

Consolation race winners: Neil Baggett, Michael Leach

Provisional starters: Ricky Weiss, Jimmy Owens, Michael Page, Sam Seawright, Christian Hanger, Dillard Hatchett

Next series race: April 4, Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, AL) $8,000