FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gutsy Move Lifts Brandon Overton to Needmore Victory & Southern Nationals Points Lead

By Chris Tilley & Michael Despain

NORMAN PARK, GEORGIA (July 17, 2020)—Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga. made an outside move of Donald McIntosh with 16 laps to go to take the lead and go on to win the $10,053 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series by Sunoco Race Fuels event at Needmore Speedway on Friday Night.

Overton drove the Wells and Sons Motorsports, Crossfit Overton, Allstar Concrete, RW Powell Construction, Allstar Performance, Hoosier, Penske, E-Z-GO and Big Dog Stump and Tree-sponsored Clements Racing Engine-powered Longhorn Chassis to his 16th career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals by Sunoco Race Fuels victory, his second victory of the 12-race tour.

Donald McIntosh would take the lead at the start of the fifty-three-lap event, with Ross Bailes, Brandon Overton, Mark Whitener, and Chris Madden in pursuit. McIntosh would lead the opening seven circuits of the event until Bailes would drive past him for the race lead on lap eight. McIntosh would maintain second, with Overton still third, while Madden and Whitener would begin to battle for the fourth position until the pair made contact entering turn three on lap fourteen, with Whitener stopping on the track while Madden did a complete spin around and never stopped. Once action resumed, Bailes would continue to lead, with McIntosh and Overton giving chase until misfortune would strike Bailes as he would slow on the backchute on lap twenty-one with a flat tire. The restart would see another wild scramble as Madden and Wil Herrington would make contact on the backstretch, but both would be able to continue. Another restart would be called back for a multi-car tangle in turn two that would see several cars involved, with only two drivers not able to continue.

Once racing resumed, McIntosh would inherit the lead after Bailes had the flat tire earlier, with Overton running second. McIntosh would hold a comfortable lead until he caught slower traffic on lap thirty-three and Overton would close right up on McIntosh and take the lead with a gutsy outside pass of McIntosh to take the race lead on lap thirty-seven. Overton would lead the remainder of the way and score the victory, with McIntosh limping his mount home in second after suffering a flat right-rear tire on the final lap. Hometown racer John Baker would score his career finish with the tour by claiming third. Michael Page and Pearson Lee Williams would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten finishers would be Bailes, Madden, Jake Knowles, Russell Brown, Jr., and Herrington.

The next event for the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series will be Saturday July 18, 2020 at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. paying $10,053-to-win.

For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels, please log on to www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or call promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353.

Sponsors of the Southern Nationals Series include: Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants, Sunoco Race Fuels, American Race Tires, Delph Communications, E-Z-GO, Arizona Sport Shirts, Capital Race Cars, Collins Signs, DirtonDirt.com, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Keyser Manufacturing, MasterSbilt Race Cars, RockAuto.com, Wiles Driveshafts, Vic Hill Racing Engines, The Steering Buddy, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Coosa Heating & Cooling, Dirt Scenes, The Joie of Seating, and DirtCarLift.com.

Official Summary of Results
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Needmore Speedway-Norman Park, GA
July 17, 2020

Feature Finish:

1. Brandon Overton-Evans, Ga.
2. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
3. John Baker-Norman Park, Ga.
4. Michael Page-Douglasville, Ga.
5. Pearson Lee Williams-Dublin, Ga.
6. Ross Bailes-Clover, S.C.
7. Chris Madden-Gray Court, S.C.
8. Jake Knowles-Rome, Ga.
9. Russell Brown Jr.-Valdosta, Ga.
10. Wil Herrington-Hawkinsville, Ga.
11. John Henderson-North Augusta, S.C.
12. Cla Knight-North Augusta, S.C.
13. Dalton Polston-Lithia Springs, Ga.
14. Tristan Sealy-Moultrie, Ga.
15. Parker Martin-Milledgeville, Ga.
16. Matthew Nance-Ronda, N.C.
17. Larry Harrod-Plains, Ga.
18. Mark Whitener-Middleburg, Fla.
19. Tyler Millwood-Kingston, Ga.
20. Colby Boyett-Bainbridge, Ga.
21. Brian Connor-Martinez, Ga.
22. Matt Dooley-Brooks, Ga.

Time of Race: 44 minutes, 57 seconds
Margin of Victory: 2.860 seconds
Yellow Flags: Six (laps 13, 21, 21, 21, 42, 48)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: McIntosh (1-7), Bailes (8-20), Overton (37-53)
Entries: 27
Overall Fast Qualifier: Ross Bailes-14.548 seconds
Highest Finishing CT525 Engine ($200): None
Highest Finishing Steel Head/SPEC Engine ($1,000 from track): Russell Brown Jr.
Provisional Starters: None

Heat One Finish: Ross Bailes, Chris Madden, John Baker, Michael Page, Brian Connor, Jake Knowles, Kyle Bridges.

Heat Two Finish: Brandon Overton, John Henderson, Russell Brown Jr., Tristan Sealy, Larry Harrod, Jimmy Sharpe Jr.

Heat Three Finish: Donald McIntosh, Tyler Millwood, Matthew Nance, Cla Knight, Parker Martin, Matt Dooley.

Heat Four Finish: Mark Whitener, Wil Herrington, Pearson Lee Williams, Dalton Polston, Colby Boyett.

Consolation Race Finish: Brian Connor, Parker Martin, Jake Knowles, Larry Harrod, Matt Dooley, Colby Boyett, Kyle Bridges, Jimmy Sharpe Jr.

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Points (after 7/17/20)
1. Brandon Overton-1,182
2. Chris Madden-1,174
3. Donald McIntosh-1,130
4. Ross Bailes-1,116
5. Tyler Millwood-1,072
6. Pearson Lee Williams-1,050
7. Jake Knowles-1,038
8. Cory Hedgecock-940
9. Ryan Crane-753
10. Mark Whitener-720

2020 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday July 10-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-CHRIS MADDEN
Saturday July 11-Wythe Raceway-Rural Retreat, VA-BRANDON OVERTON
Monday July 13-Volunteer Speedway-Bulls Gap, TN-CHRIS MADDEN
Tuesday July 14-I-75 Raceway-Sweetwater, TN-CORY HEDGECOCK
Thursday July 16-Senoia Raceway-Senoia, GA-BRANDON OVERTON
Friday July 17-Needmore Speedway-Norman Park, GA-BRANDON OVERTON
Saturday July 18-Screven Motor Speedway-Sylvania, GA-$10,053 to win
Sunday July 19-Cochran Motor Speedway-Cochran, GA-$3,500 to win
Tuesday July 21-Tri-County Race Track-Brasstown, NC-$3,500 to win
Thursday July 23-Crossville Speedway-Crossville, TN-$3,500 to win
Friday July 24-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-$10,053 to win
Saturday July 25-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$10,053 to win