RURAL RETREAT, Va. - Dale McDowell brought a $10,053 payday home to Georgia after scoring the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series victory at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia on Saturday night.
The Chickamauga, Georgia speedster topped a 22-car field to record his eighth career series victory at the ½-mile high banked clay oval.
While McDowell celebrated in victory lane, his heart was back in Georgia with the Swims family at Woodstock, Georgia’s Dixie Speedway, who announced earlier in the day the passing of family matriarch Martha Swims.
“First of all, we just heard about the passing of Martha Swims this afternoon and I’d like to dedicate this win to the entire Swims family,” McDowell said. “Dixie Speedway played a big part in my racing career, so I’d like to dedicate this win to them along with Tiffany’s brother who passed away on this date.
“We were really lost after the heat race and didn’t really know what to do to the car after making some mistakes in the heat and being off a bit during qualifying. But Shane (McDowell) kept digging, kept digging, kept digging, and made some adjustments and the car took off and drove right up through there.”
McDowell took the lead from Cory Hedgecock on lap 37, and stayed out front for the rest of the 53-lap feature.
Hedgecock held on to finish in second, with Michael Brown in third, Vic Hill in fourth, and Camaron Marlar in fifth.
A total of four caution flags slowed the event. Second running Carson Ferguson ran into bad luck for the second straight night, as he slowed with mechanical trouble on the second circuit. Jensen Ford then relinquished a spot inside of the top five a lap later by slowing with left front damage. Parker Martin then stopped on the racetrack to draw a yellow flag on lap 17, while Kenny Collins drew the final caution by slowing with steering issues on lap 44.
Matthew Nance, John Henderson, Will Roland, Ross Bailes, and Parker Martin rounded out the top 10.
The third event of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series campaign will be held on Sunday, July 17 at the high-banked Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee. For more information, visit SouthernNationalsSeries.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series
Wythe Raceway – Rural Retreat, VA
Round 2 – July 16, 2022
1. (9) Dale McDowell $10,053
2. (7) Cory Hedgecock $5,000
3. (3) Michael Brown $2,500
4. (1) Vic Hill $1,800
5. (8) Camaron Marlar $1,250
6. (11) Matthew Nance $900
7. (10) John Henderson $800
8. (4) Will Roland $700
9. (14) Ross Bailes $675
10. (17) Parker Martin $650
11. (19) Tim Vance $625
12. (12) Ashton Winger $600
13. (6) Kenny Collins $575
14. (18) Mason Zeigler $550
15. (13) Clay Coghlin $525
16. (21) Brenden Smith $500
17. (15) Zack Mitchell $500
18. (16) Forrest Trent $500
19. (20) Travis Greer $500
20. (5) Jensen Ford $500
21. (22) Dalton Cook $500
22. (2) Carson Ferguson $500
