Jimmy Owens Goes Seventh-to-First in Johnny Wheeler Memorial Victory at Lake Cumberland

(May 10, 2025) At Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Kentucky on Saturday night, the annual running of the ‘Johnny Wheeler Memorial’ took place and it was Newport, Tennessee ace Jimmy Owens who stole the show in front of a large grandstand crowd! Jimmy qualified seventh quickest overall during FK Rod Ends time trials prior to finishing fourth in his heat race. After starting the 53-lap Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco headliner from the inside of the fourth row, Jimmy steadily moved forward early in the distance before turning up the wick on the competition during the second half of the contest.

The popular driver known as the “Newport Nightmare” made an impressive third-to-first move to grab the top spot on lap 36 and never looked back during the caution-free affair. Jimmy earned a $10,053 payday in the Coltman Farms Cup event, as he finished 2.591 seconds ahead of miniseries point leader Garrett Smith. Smith, who started in the third spot, settled for a strong runner-up effort after winning on Friday evening at Rockcastle (KY) Speedway. Outside polesitter Justin Rattliff battled for the lead in the early stages of the race before rounding out the podium in third.

Eleventh-starting Ricky Weiss made a charge through the talented field to bring home a fourth place performance, while Jensen Ford finished the non-stop ‘Johnny Wheeler Memorial’ in the fifth position. Polesitter Cory Hedgecock, of Loudon, Tennessee, led the first 35 circuits before fading to a seventh place showing - partly because of right rear quarter panel and spoiler damage.

“The car was really good and the track was really, really great tonight,” quoted Owens in Schaeffer’s Oil Victory Lane. “It is the best I’ve seen this place since I’ve been coming, I believe. I mean we were all over it. We could run high, low - I know we were three wide going down the backstretch two or three different times. That’s a narrow place back yonder, but we were able to capitalize on it. It feels awesome to get back into victory lane and I can’t thank Koehler Motorsports, all of my crew guys, and all of our marketing partners and fans enough for sticking with me!”

In his fifth career Spring Nationals triumph, Jimmy Owens piloted a Koehler Motorsports-owned #20 Rocket Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Ultimate Towing & Recovering, Elite Ready Mix, Capital Waste, Five Star Metal Buildings, Capital Electric, Red Line Oil, Sybesma Graphics, Reece Monument Company, Boomtest Well Service, and Midwest Sheet Metal.

On Saturday at Lake Cumberland Speedway, a total of 16 Super Late Model competitors were on hand to compete in the ‘Johnny Wheeler Memorial,’ which was sanctioned by the Spring Nationals for the second time. Garrett Smith, of Eatonton, Georgia, topped the speed chart in both MRP Fantasy League Hot Laps and FK Rod Ends qualifying prior to Cory Hedgecock and Justin Rattliff taking the win in the pair of heat races.

Next up for the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco will be the final three point races of the 2025 tour. Garrett Smith currently leads Wil Herrington and Cory Hedgecock in both the overall points and the Coltman Farms Cup standings heading into a huge Memorial Day weekend tripleheader. A $7,553 winner’s check will be up for grabs on Friday, May 23 at Sugar Creek Raceway in Blue Ridge, Georgia before the Spring Nationals wraps up with a pair of $10,053 to win throwdowns on Saturday, May 24 at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Georgia and on Sunday, May 25 at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tennessee.

Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 8 Race Summary
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Lake Cumberland Speedway - Burnside, Kentucky

Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (7) Jimmy Owens $10,053
2. (3) Garrett Smith $5,000
3. (2) Justin Rattliff $3,000
4. (11) Ricky Weiss $2,000
5. (4) Jensen Ford $1,500
6. (8) Camaron Marlar $1,000
7. (1) Cory Hedgecock $800
8. (9) Jason Jameson $700
9. (10) Wil Herrington $675
10. (12) Justin Smith $650
11. (14) Carson Brown $625
12. (15) Jeff Neubert $600
13. (16) Luke Morey $575
14. (5) Sam Seawright $550
15. (13) Michael Chilton $525
16. (6) Haiden Cowan $500

Entries: 16
Lap Leaders: Cory Hedgecock (Laps 1-35), Jimmy Owens (Laps 36-53)
DirtCarLift.com Cautions: 0

MRP Fantasy League Hot Laps:
Fast Time Overall: Garrett Smith 12.794

FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Garrett Smith 12.965

Qualifying Results: 1. 10-Garrett Smith, 00:12.965[8]; 2. 16R-Justin Rattliff, 00:13.208[2]; 3. 23V-Cory Hedgecock, 00:13.283[3]; 4. 14-Haiden Cowan, 00:13.422[12]; 5. 16-Sam Seawright, 00:13.423[1]; 6. 83-Jensen Ford, 00:13.439[16]; 7. 20-Jimmy Owens, 00:13.509[10]; 8. 57-Camaron Marlar, 00:13.537[9]; 9. 7-Ricky Weiss, 00:13.556[14]; 10. 15K-Wil Herrington, 00:13.603[11]; 11. 697-Michael Chilton, 00:13.644[4]; 12. 49-Luke Morey, 00:13.652[5]; 13. 12-Jason Jameson, 00:13.711[6]; 14. 7S-Justin Smith, 00:13.790[13]; 15. 28N-Jeff Neubert, 00:14.100[15]; 16. 28-Carson Brown, 00:14.139[7]

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat #1 Finish: 1. 23V-Cory Hedgecock[2]; 2. 10-Garrett Smith[1]; 3. 16-Sam Seawright[3]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[4]; 5. 12-Jason Jameson[7]; 6. 7-Ricky Weiss[5]; 7. 697-Michael Chilton[6]; 8. 28N-Jeff Neubert[8]

American Racer South Heat #2 Finish: 1. 16R-Justin Rattliff[1]; 2. 83-Jensen Ford[3]; 3. 14-Haiden Cowan[2]; 4. 57-Camaron Marlar[4]; 5. 15K-Wil Herrington[5]; 6. 7S-Justin Smith[7]; 7. 28-Carson Brown[8]; 8. 49-Luke Morey[6]

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1) Garrett Smith - 1486
2) Wil Herrington - 1466
3) Cory Hedgecock - 1264
4) Jimmy Owens - 936
5) Sam Seawright - 880
6) Michael Leach - 870
7) Ricky Weiss - 760
8) Cody Overton - 754
9) Mike Benedum - 694
10) Camaron Marlar - 595

Current Coltman Farms Cup Point Standings:
1) Garrett Smith - 928
2) Wil Herrington - 910
3) Cory Hedgecock - 908
4) Jimmy Owens - 742
5) Michael Leach - 698
6) Brandon Overton - 582
7) Ricky Weiss - 570
8) Jensen Ford - 544
9) Mike Benedum - 514
10) Sam Seawright - 514

2025 Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Schedule:
Friday, February 28 - Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, GA) - CHRIS MADDEN
Saturday, March 1 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - CODY OVERTON
Friday, March 28 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - GARRETT SMITH
Saturday, March 29 - East AL Motor Speedway (Phenix City, AL) - BRANDON OVERTON
Friday, April 18 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - RICKY WEISS
Saturday, April 19 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - TYLER ERB
Friday, April 25 - Beckley Motor Speedway (Mount Hope, WV) - PPD TO 10/9
Saturday, April 26 - Beckley Motor Speedway (Mount Hope, WV) - PPD TO 10/10
Friday, May 2 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - PPD TO 5/23
Saturday, May 3 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - PPD TO 10/11
Friday, May 9 - Rockcastle Speedway (Mount Vernon, KY) - GARRETT SMITH
Saturday, May 10 - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - JIMMY OWENS
Friday, May 23 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - $7,553 to win
Saturday, May 24 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - $10,053 to win
Sunday, May 25 - Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) - $10,053 to win
Thursday, October 9 - Beckley Motor Speedway (Mount Hope, WV) - $4,053 to win*
Friday, October 10 - Beckley Motor Speedway (Mount Hope, WV) - $15,053 to win*
Saturday, October 11 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - $TBA to win*
* Non-Points Race

For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco, please point your Internet browser to www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com or feel free to call/text series promoter Ray Cook at 828-360-5353. You can also follow us across social media platforms on facebook.com/southernnationalsseries and on Twitter @sonationals.

The tour would like to thank all of our valued marketing partners including: Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants, Coltman Farms Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, American Race Tires, American Racer South, Delph Communications, E-Z-GO, Spring Pro Precision Equipment, Arizona Sport Shirts, Capital Race Cars, Collins Signs, DirtCarLift.com, DirtonDirt.com, FK Rod Ends, Interstate Welding & Steel Supply, JM Custom Laser, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, MasterSbilt Race Cars, MyRacePass Fantasy Racing, SFP Performance Systems, The Joie of Seating, The Steering Buddy, Velocita-USA, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Vidalia Powersports, Vinson Sims Construction, and Wiles Driveshafts.

About Schaeffer’s Oil & Specialized Lubricants:
Schaeffer's Specialized Lubricants: synthetic motor oils, hydraulic fluids, and diesel fuel additives have achieved a world-class reputation for improving engine performance and fuel economy, but their diverse product line includes all types of industrial lubricants, industrial greases, and industrial oils as well as specialty items like their chain lubes and degreasers. Founded in 1839, their philosophy is to provide advanced lubricants for improved performance, reliability, and fuel economy. Learn more or find a rep near you at www.SchaefferOil.com.

Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com

###