Josh Putnam Wins Spring Nationals Finale at Duck River; Carson Ferguson Crowned Champion!

Photo by Connie

(WHEEL, TENNESSEE)  The 2022 Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals tour wrapped up on Sunday night at Duck River Raceway Park and a new Champion was crowned, along with a brand-new race winner!  Josh Putnam, of Florence, Alabama, etched his name into the long list of #SpringNationals race winners by emerging victorious in the ‘Memorial Day Classic’ at the Wheel, Tennessee facility.  Josh earned Fast Time honors during FK Rod Ends qualifying and later started the 40-lap headliner from the outside of the front row.  He then kept his #212 machine out front for each and every circuit to claim his first series win and the $5,053 top prize.

Payton Freeman finished in the runner-up spot for the second straight evening, as he trailed Putnam by a mere 0.800 seconds at the waving of the checkered flag.  Jadon Frame also stood tall on the podium in the third position, while Matt Cooper was paid for a strong fourth place performance.  Dillon Tidmore rounded out the top five in the contest, which was halted on only one occasion by a slowing Kenny Collins on lap 35.  Fourteen of the twenty starters were on the racetrack at the end of the season finale.

Sixth place finisher Carson Ferguson, of Lincolnton, North Carolina, secured his first Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series title and the $10,053 Championship spoils on the frontstretch following the race.  In the ten miniseries events held this year, Carson racked up one feature victory, five Top Five finishes, and nine Top Ten efforts.  Payton Freeman was also very consistent on the tour and was awarded a second place finish in the final point tally, which was worth an extra $5,053 in point money.  A total of 141 different drivers competed in at least one series race and eight different drivers celebrated in victory lane.

“I’m going to get a little choked up because these guys have worked so hard right here,” commented winner Putnam at the Volunteer State oval following the race.  “These crew guys have worked so hard to give me this stuff to race with.  This car keeps getting better and better.  We made a trip to Illinois two weeks ago and Mark (Richards) helped us a little bit on this car and we learned a few things.  This baby is a work in progress and I think every week, the more we race, the better we can get!”

Josh Putnam piloted a #212 Jeff Greer-owned XR1 Rocket Chassis with a Jay Dickens Racing Engine under the hood.  Sponsorship came in part from Zippy Auto Sales, Randle Chupp Race Consulting, 441 Race Wraps, Gabe’s Tire and Towing, Southern Off-Road Surgeons, North Alabama Ink, and Silver Creek Sales.

A 20 car field piled into the pit area at Duck River Raceway Park for the tenth and final round of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series.  The feature lineup was set solely on time trials.  Payton Freeman clicked off the quickest time in Group A during qualifying to earn the pole position, but Josh Putnam earned Fast Time honors overall during FK Rod Ends qualifying with his quick lap in Group B of 13.135 seconds.

While the Duck River event marked the end of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series, most of these same competitors will be gearing up in upcoming weeks for the 18th edition of the grueling Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series.  For the first time in miniseries history, eight of the twelve shows will pay out $10,053 to the winner.  The tour will once again start at Beckley Motor Speedway in Mount Hope, West Virginia on Friday, July 15.  From there, the Southern Nationals will visit the states of Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Other tracks on the Southern Nationals slate include Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia, Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee, I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tennessee, Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, Georgia, Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Georgia, Swainsboro Raceway in Swainsboro, Georgia, Toccoa Raceway in Toccoa, Georgia, Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, North Carolina, Crossville Speedway in Crossville, Tennessee, and Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, Tennessee.  The high-banked "Taz" will once again serve as the point finale, as it has done every year since the series inception back in 2005, on Saturday, July 30.

Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Round 10 Race Summary
Sunday, May 29, 2022
Duck River Raceway Park - Wheel, Tennessee

Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
1. (2) Josh Putnam $5,053
2. (1) Payton Freeman $2,500
3. (4) Jadon Frame $1,600
4. (3) Matt Cooper $1,200
5. (5) Dillon Tidmore $900
6. (6) Carson Ferguson $700
7. (7) Dalton Cook $675
8. (10) Sam Seawright $650
9. (12) Dillon Crim $625
10. (13) Christian Hanger $600
11. (9) Cody Overton $580
12. (15) Ryan Wilson $560
13. (18) Tommy Taylor $540
14. (11) Joe Denby $520
15. (8) Kenny Collins $500
16. (19) Jay Scott $480
17. (20) Jim Gray $470
18. (14) Todd Morrow $460
19. (16) Grayson Brewer $450
20. (17) Clint Nichols $450

Entries:  20
Lap Leaders:  Josh Putnam (Laps 1-40)
Cautions:  1 (Kenny Collins slowed on frontstretch on Lap 35)

FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall:  Josh Putnam 13.135 seconds
Group A (All Locked In):  Payton Freeman, Matt Cooper, Dillon Tidmore, Dalton Cook, Cody Overton, Joe Denby, Christian Hanger, Ryan Wilson, Clint Nichols, Jay Scott
Group B (All Locked In):  Josh Putnam, Jadon Frame, Carson Ferguson, Kenny Collins, Sam Seawright, Dillon Crim, Todd Morrow, Grayson Brewer, Tommy Taylor, Jim Gray

Final Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Carson Ferguson - 1868
2. Payton Freeman - 1834
3. Cla Knight - 1438
4. Jensen Ford - 1060
5. Joe Denby - 1060
6. Dalton Cook - 890
7. Brandon Overton - 770
8. Josh Putnam - 770
9. Christian Hanger - 738
10. Kenny Collins - 694
11. Heath Hindman - 692
12. Brandon Williams - 686
13. Garrett Smith - 584
14. Michael Page - 582
15. Jadon Frame - 566

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 28, 2022

Mack McCarter Steers to First Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Triumph at Boyd’s Speedway

(RINGGOLD, GEORGIA)  Mack McCarter, of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, recorded his first career Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals victory on Saturday night in the penultimate series event at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia!  Mack clicked off the fastest lap in Group A during the qualifying session to earn the pole position for the 40-lap feature event.  He then tracked down early race leader Jensen Ford and muscled past to grab the point on the twelfth circuit.  From there, Mack controlled the field for the remainder of the distance to collect the $5,053 winner’s check at the Chattanooga-area oval.

Series regular Payton Freeman, who sits second in points, improved four positions during the course of the contest to land an impressive runner-up performance - only 1.570 seconds behind at the checkers.  Current #SpringNationals point leader Carson Ferguson marched past seven competitors to round out the podium in third.  Early pacesetter Jensen Ford, who led the first eleven circuits, came home in the fourth position while Brandon Williams crossed the finish line in fifth after briefly running as high as second.

Only three caution flags slowed the action tonight at Boyd’s Speedway.  A multicar pileup on the second circuit brought out the first yellow flag.  Dillon Crim slowing in turn four on the 24th lap drew another caution.  Justin Cameron then slowed on lap 26 to bring out the third and final yellow of the evening.  Fourteen of the twenty-two starters in the field finished on the lead lap of the entertaining event.

“We are usually terrible here, but we had a hard tire on and I knew if we just hung around the front that we would be there at the end,” quoted McCarter in victory lane.  “I just have to thank everyone associated with this team.  MasterSbilt - this is only our third race on this car - and my whole family and crew for their support.  I couldn’t really tell how big of a lead I had from the signals in the infield, so I just tried to drive as hard as I could and not mess up.”

Mack McCarter drove a McCarter Brothers Racing #51 MasterSbilt Chassis powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine with primary sponsorship from Jim Beeman Lumber, Parkway Liquor Store, West End Package Store, Tennessee Homemade Wines, and Bilstein Shock Absorbers.

A 24 car field assembled at Boyd’s Speedway tonight for round nine of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series.  Jensen Ford earned a $100 bonus for picking up Fast Time honors with his quick lap of 14.637 seconds.  Dalton Cook and Dusty Carver recorded the victories in the pair of consolation events.

The 2022 edition of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals will conclude on Sunday, May 29 at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tennessee.  The pit gates will swing open at 2:00pm tomorrow and the grandstands will open shortly after at 3:00pm.  The Driver’s Meeting is scheduled for 4:00pm with hot laps taking to the racetrack at 4:30pm.  Racing action for the ‘Memorial Day Classic’ presented by Victory Fun Park will begin by 6:00pm.  If you can’t make it to the track, we invite you to watch all of the action LIVE on www.FloRacing.com.

In addition to the Spring Nationals competitors gunning for the $5,053 payday in the season finale, other classes in dirt-slinging action will include 604 Late Models ($1,000 to win), 602 Late Models ($1,000 to win), CRUSA Open Wheel Modifieds ($1,000 to win), Modified Street ($700 to win), Pure Pony ($1,000 to win), FWD Rookie ($300 to win), Factory Stocks ($600 to win), Dwarf ($400 to win), CRUSA Street Stock ($800 to win), Mod Lites ($750 to win), and Kids Mini Cup.  Duck River Raceway Park is located at 1100 Haskins Chapel Road in Lewisburg, Tennessee 37091.  For additional information, please call the track at 615-474-2505 or log onto their official website at www.duckriverracewaypark.com.

Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Round 9 Race Summary
Saturday, May 28, 2022
Boyd’s Speedway - Ringgold, Georgia

Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
1. (1) Mack McCarter $5,053
2. (6) Payton Freeman $2,500
3. (10) Carson Ferguson $1,600
4. (2) Jensen Ford $1,200
5. (4) Brandon Williams $900
6. (7) Cody Overton $700
7. (5) Jason Croft $675
8. (3) Eli Beets $650
9. (11) Dalton Cook $625
10. (15) Will Roland $600
11. (20) Justin Cameron $580
12. (14) Jordy Nipper $560
13. (12) Dusty Carver $540
14. (8) John Ownbey $520
15. (17) Joe Denby $500
16. (19) Brian Burke $480
17. (18) Dillon Crim $470
18. (13) Heath Hindman $460
19. (21) Tim Thornton $450
20. (9) Kenny Collins $450
21. (16) David Crabtree $450
22. (22) Stanton Davis $450

Entries:  24
Lap Leaders:  Jensen Ford (Laps 1-11), Mack McCarter (Laps 12-40)
Cautions:  3 (Multicar Pileup on Lap 2, Dillon Crim Slowed on Lap 24, and Justin Cameron Slowed on Lap 26)

FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall:  Jensen Ford 14.637 seconds
Group A (Top Five Locked In):  Mack McCarter, Eli Beets, Jason Croft, Cody Overton, Kenny Collins
Group B (Top Five Locked In):  Jensen Ford, Brandon Williams, Payton Freeman, John Ownbey, Carson Ferguson

Sunoco Race Fuels B-Main #1 Finish (Top Six Transfer):  1. Dalton Cook, 2. Heath Hindman, 3. Will Roland, 4. Joe Denby, 5. Brian Burke, 6. Tim Thornton, 7. Craig Greer

American Racer South B-Main #2 Finish (Top Six Transfer):  1. Dusty Carver, 2. Jordy Nipper, 3. David Crabtree, 4. Dillon Crim, 5. Justin Cameron, 6. Stanton Davis, 7. Tyler Nichols

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Carson Ferguson - 1680
2. Payton Freeman - 1638
3. Cla Knight - 1438
4. Jensen Ford - 1060
5. Joe Denby - 888
6. Brandon Overton - 770
7. Dalton Cook - 704
8. Heath Hindman - 692
9. Brandon Williams - 686
10. Garrett Smith - 584