McDowell Wins Tazewell, Hedgecock Takes SNS Title

Dale McDowell (left) celebrates in victory lane after winning Saturday night’s Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series season finale at Tazewell Speedway. Cory Hedgecock (right) wrapped up the 2022 series championship with an 11th place finish. Photos: Rick Neff

Dale McDowell secured his third Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series triumph of the year in the miniseries finale on Saturday night at Tennessee’s Tazewell Speedway.

The Chickamauga, Georgia racer took advantage of leader Dakotah Knuckles’ misfortune with a lapped car to inherit the point on lap 41. From there, McDowell led the rest of the way to record the victory and a $10,053 payday.

Mack McCarter came home in second, with Ricky Weiss in third, David Payne in fourth, and Forrest Trent in fifth.

A total of four caution periods slowed the action at the high-banked Tazewell, Tennessee oval. Series point leader Cory Hedgecock slowed to draw the first yellow flag on lap 19 with a flat left rear tire. Dakotah Knuckles, who led laps 10-40, was then out front working on lap 41 when he tangled with another competitor in heavy lapped traffic and ultimately spun to a stop. The third caution came on lap 46 when a multicar pileup blocked the track in turn four. McDowell stopped to avoid the incident, but was not part of the caution and therefore kept his spot in front of the field. The fourth and final yellow then waved on lap 51 when third running Eli Beets, who paced the field for the first nine circuits, spun on the backstretch after contact with another competitor.

Hedgecock came home with an 11th place finish, giving the Loudon, Tennessee driver the 2022 series championship, along with an extra $10,053.

For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series, visit SouthernNationalsSeries.com.

Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series
Tazewell Speedway – Tazewell, TN
Round 12 – July 30, 2022

1. (4) Dale McDowell $10,053
2. (6) Mack McCarter $5,000
3. (9) Ricky Weiss $2,500
4. (3) David Payne $1,800
5. (10) Forrest Trent $1,250
6. (5) Kenny Collins $900
7. (15) Vic Hill $800
8. (12) Austin Neely $700
9. (11) John Henderson $675
10. (7) Parker Martin $650
11. (8) Cory Hedgecock $625
12. (13) Will Roland $600
13. (18) Jensen Ford $575
14. (16) Ryan Winchester $550
15. (17) Aaron Guinn $525
16. (22) Brenden Smith $500
17. (19) Josh Sneed $500
18. (1) Eli Beets $500
19. (14) Wil Herrington $500
20. (2) Dakotah Knuckles $500
21. (21) Matt Tharp $500
22. (20) Steve Smith $500

 

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