Chris "Smokey" Madden (# 44) of Gray Court, SC didn't miss a beat switching teams in mid-season just two weeks ago, winning Friday's Southern Nationals mini series opener at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville.
Bringing with him his Team Drydene sponsorship to the Millwood Plumbing stables in Kingston, Ga., Madden worked past fellow SC racer Ross Bailes for the lead on lap nine of the race and would hold off Chickamauga's Dale McDowell for the $10,053 payday. Local racer Cory Hedgecock would finish third behind McDowell with hard charging Brandon Overton rallying from 17th to fourth at the finish, just ahead of Bailes. The race was broadcast live on DirtonDirt.com to subscribers. Saturday the series heads to Virginia for another $10,053 / 53 lapper.
At Crossville Speedway in the Cumberland Plateau Friday local hot-shoe Randy Weaver (# 116) pocketed the Crate Late Model: Thunder Thru the Mountain's $1,500 to-Win feature. In the Late Model feature Brandon Overton's lil' brother Cody (# 97) took the checkers in the 25 lap feature. Dunlap's Andy Miller was fourth. Brandon Sheppard (# 1) of Illinois won the $10,000 World of Outlaws Late Model series feature in Wisconsin. Tennesseean Scott Bloomquist was 9th. In Kentucky, Jimmy Owens crashed while leading the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series race Friday.
The series leading Tennesseean will get another shot Saturday as the series wraps up a double-tap weekend in Union, Ky. with a second $12,000 Main Event. Florida's Earl Pearson Jr. got the win. Lucas Oil Racing TV aires the races live for subscribers on the internet.
No racing Saturday night in Sweetwater, Tn. or Fort Payne, Al. The only on track action around will be Mountain View Raceway in Dayton/Spring City, north of Chattanooga.