LUCAMA, NC – Chase Burrow overcame mechanical issues to score the victory in Saturday’s 125-lap Late Model Stock Car feature at Southern National Motorsports Park, while familiar faces and a first-time winner also picked up wins in the Spooktacular.
Transmission issues in qualifying forced Burrow to start at the rear of the field in the I-95 Showdown Late Model Stock Car race. Burrow methodically worked his way up through the field, eventually racing his way to second on lap 75. A caution with 27 laps to go allowed him to set his sights on the win and, on the ensuing restart, he made the move to get past Ayden Millette to score the victory.
“I knew we had a really good car,” Burrow said. “I knew we had plenty of tire but I didn’t know what he had, obviously. Starting last, struggled a little bit to get through traffic but I was able to do it without slipping a tire. I knew, when the yellow came out, that was our shot so we had to take advantage of that shot. Huge shout out to all my guys. They worked hard this weekend and it feels good.”
Millette led the race from the offset before surrendering the lead and finishing in the runner-up position. Tristan Brunelli, Andrew Grady and Cole Robie rounded out the top-five.
Bradley McCaskill, who is no stranger to victory lane at Southern National, took the victory in the KONI Charger feature, holding off a hard charging Leo Bennett. Rusty Daniels finished in third while Michael O’Brien and Brian Runstrom finished fourth and fifth.
“They definitely got a good group of guys working on those cars,” McCaskill said after the race, talking about the challenge from Bennett. “They’re going to be tough here coming up for sure. Trophies are nice.”
After being sent to the rear of the field for his involvement in an early race incident, Jack Acton stormed to the front of the field to take the win in the 15 lap Bandolero feature in his first start at Southern National.
“That was really exciting. This is the biggest track I’ve raced on. Biggest track I’ve raced on. Fastest track. It’s super fun, had good competition. Can’t thank everyone enough. Really fun race, glad I could bring it home.”
Andrew Watson was victorious in the Any Car feature while Donovan Freeman and Johnny Johnson scored wins in their respective classes in the East Coast Flathead Ford Racing Association.
Southern National Motorsports Park paid tribute to longtime spotter Lloyd Garner, who passed away earlier this weekend following a battle with cancer.
The spotter stand was dedicated in Garner’s memory with a banner depicting his image and the slogans “Eye in the Sky” and “Spotter Strong.”
Garner had been spotting for Andrew Grady in recent years. Grady was in the field, finishing fourth in the race. Prior to the race, he reflected on Garner.
“It’s been rough, man,” Grady said. “This whole week has just been rough on the entire racing community, man. He was such a great guy. He helped so many people. He was the life in every room. I sure as hell miss his phone call this morning. I used to talk to the man every day and now I wanted to talk to him this morning so bad on the way to this racetrack. I didn’t know what to do, so I called my wife and was just, hey, maybe talk to me, I’m upset, I’m losing it. She was like, go do your thing and, like Lloyd always told me, keep all four wheels engaged, don’t spin them or slide them.”
Track owner Michael Diaz also paid tribute to Garner during pre-race ceremonies.
Southern National Motorsports Park will host two of the region’s biggest events in November, the North-South Shootout for Open Wheel Modifieds on Saturday, November 7, and the Thanksgiving Classic on Sunday, November 29 (with racing also taking place on November 27-28).
Race Results
I-95 Showdown Feature Race (125 Laps): 1. 00B-Chase Burrow[9]; 2. 9-Ayden Millette[2]; 3. 18-Tristan Brunelli[3]; 4. 1-Andrew Grady[8]; 5. 27-Cole Robie[6]; 6. 8-Landon McGowan[1]; 7. 51B-Chris Chapman[10]; 8. 00-Kyle Barnes[7]; 9. 29-Adam Medek[13]; 10. 88-Phoenyx Kimball[12]; 11. 15-Clay Jones[4]; 12. 17-Matthew Laprade[5]; 13. 84-Delaney Gray[11]
KONI Charger (35 Laps): 1. 7M-Bradley McCaskill[1]; 2. 16-Leo Bennett[2]; 3. 16D-Rusty Daniels[4]; 4. 61-Michael O’Brien[5]; 5. 88-Brian Rundstrom[9]; 6. 51C-Tyler Chapman[15]; 7. 14-Davis Renfrow[3]; 8. 3-Landon Burbage[8]; 9. 16H-Brandon Head[7]; 10. 71-Gator Williams[11]; 11. J12-Wesley Johnson[12]; 12. 21-Landon Strickland[10]; 13. 51-Scotty Benford[6]; 14. 41-Austin Ferrell[13]; 15. 22-Joshua Culbreth[16]; 16. (DNF) 7-Mike Cooper[14]
Any Car (20 Laps): 1. 08-Andrew Watson[7]; 2. 45-Mike Sliger[5]; 3. 9-Bradley Morgan[4]; 4. 8-Stephen Flinn[3]; 5. 75-James Barbour[1]; 6. 07-Jonathan Thompson[6]; 7. 000-Wyatt Castle[2]
Bandolero (15 Laps): 1. 59-Jack Acton[2]; 2. 69-Grayson Gurkin[3]; 3. 111-Evan Jernigan[6]; 4. 14-Ethan Greenley[1]; 5. 11-Easton Carroll[8]; 6. 88-AC Waller[4]; 7. 32-William Rodriquez[9]; 8. 16-Abigail Rodriquez[10]; 9. (DNF) 2-Grayson Givens[5]; 10. (DNF) 5-Connor Waller[7]; 11. (DNS) 1-Jackson Collier; 12. (DNS) 46-Paxton Smith
