Derek Ellis of Chatsworth, Ga.
"The Ditch-Digger" Derek Ellis of Chatsworth, Ga., outran fourth-starting Michael Page to emerge victorious in Saturday night's 40-lap 2016 Southern All Star series finale at Talladega Short Track across from NASCAR's Superspeedway.
Ellis in his # 99 'AutoZone, Base Racing Fuels, and Ellis Contracting" sponsored Longhorn / Vic Hill powered Super Late Model took the checkered flag 1.291 seconds ahead of Page for a $4,000 payday in a double-header weekend of dirt track action.
Ellis survived a tangle with a slower car in turn two on lap 25 but was restored to the lead by officials that saw 16 of the event's 24 starters finished on the lead lap.
The SAS championship wrapped up the season with Georgia's Page second,.North Carolina's Jonathan Davenport fourth and Tennessee's Todd Morrow fifth. Ninth-place finisher local racer Jason Hiett of Oxford won the NeSmith Crate Late Model feature, earning $2,500.
On Friday, Ellis finished 10th in the unsanctioned weekend opener. Third-place finisher Riley Hickman of Ooltewah wrapped up an unprecedented fourth SAS series championship
NASCAR Weekend 40* 1. Derek Ellis 2. Michael Page 3. Riley Hickman 4. Jonathan Davenport 5. Todd Morrow 6. Austin Smith 7. Devin Moran 8. Tim Roszell 9. Jason Hiett 10. Jake Knowles 11. Austin Horton 12. Brad Skinner 13. Dillon Tidmore 14. Mark Bangs 15. Jim Rogers 16. Eric Granger 17. Cass Fowler 18. Justin Shipley 19. Ryan King 20. Jason Welshan 21. Will Roland 22. Terry Smith 23. Dylan Ames 24. Brandon Kinzer