The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco made an inaugural stop at Harris Speedway on Tuesday night and Garrett Smith recorded the victory in front of a packed grandstand crowd! Garrett, who is the two-time and defending Spring Nationals champion, knocked down the third quickest lap in Group A during the qualifying session and was slated to start fifth on the grid in the 40-lap feature. However, with polesitter Trent Ivey sent to the rear of the field after presenting his car for the A-Main with an unapproved tire compound on the right rear, the entire inside row moved up and Garrett found himself starting in the third spot.
The Madison, Georgia ace then worked his way by early leader Dale Timms on the third circuit and held off challenges by Cody Overton and Zack Mitchell to lead the remainder of the contest. At the checkers, Garrett was out front by 1.480 seconds to collect the $7,553 winner’s check at the Rutherfordton, North Carolina facility.
Two-time Southern Nationals champion Donald McIntosh made a charge through the top ten to earn an impressive runner-up performance in his second night back in the Billy Hicks Racing #79 ride. Defending Southern Nationals champion Kaede Loudy wheeled his brand-new MasterSbilt racecar past a trio of competitors to round out the podium in third. Outside polesitter Zack Mitchell, who briefly took the lead from Smith’s #10 machine before an untimely caution flag, slipped back to the fourth spot, while Dale Timms nabbed the final position inside of the top five after leading the opening two laps.
“I knew (Zack) Mitchell was coming, but I really wasn’t sure where I needed to be at on the racetrack,” quoted the winning Smith. “With the humidity out here, it really got the surface kinda greasy. I couldn’t really steer like I wanted to, but I’m sure everyone was having that issue. Gotta thank all of my great sponsors on this thing and I’m super pumped to get the win - especially with how our night went at Bulls Gap last night.”
Garrett Smith picked up his second career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series triumph aboard a #10 Longhorn Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from The World Famous Cadillac Ranch, Atlanta Paving & Concrete Construction, Chase Motorsports Coach & Trailers, Stanley Painting, Will Moseley Music, SS Enterprises, Boswell Oil, VP Racing Fuels, JM Custom Laser, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, and Slicker Graphics.
A strong 29 car field converged at Harris Speedway on Tuesday for the series debut at the Tar Heel State venue. Garrett Smith turned the fastest lap in MRP Fantasy Racing hot laps with a time of 14.591 seconds, while Trent Ivey earned Fast Time honors with a 14.532 second lap during FK Rod Ends qualifying. The pair of B-Mains were won by Gray Parton - with a last lap pass - and Beckham Malone. Series provisionals were awarded to Mike Benedum and Mathew Porter, while emergency provisionals were granted to both Daniel Boles and Landen Zakalowski.
Following an off day on Wednesday, the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco will invade Modoc Speedway in Modoc, South Carolina on Thursday evening, July 16. The ‘Ken Knight Memorial’ will shell out a $7,542 payday for the ground-pounding Super Late Models. Fifteen drivers have competed in the first two Southern Nationals races of 2026 and Zack Mitchell will enter Modoc as the current point leader over Donald McIntosh, Garrett Smith, Kaede Loudy, and Joseph Joiner.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 2 Race Summary
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Harris Speedway - Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
1. (5) Garrett Smith $7,553
2. (9) Donald McIntosh $3,800
3. (6) Kaede Loudy $2,000
4. (2) Zack Mitchell $2,000
5. (3) Dale Timms $1,200
6. (11) Gray Parton $900
7. (4) Cody Overton $700
8. (15) Dylan Barrow $650
9. (7) Jeremy Steele $600
10. (8) Joseph Joiner $1,075
11. (21) Mike Benedum $550
12. (14) Allen Styck $840
13. (13) Benji Hicks $1,030
14. (10) Hunter Kohn $520
15. (16) Stacy Boles $510
16. (17) Braden Jones $500
17. (12) Beckham Malone $500
18. (1) Trent Ivey $500
19. (20) Brandon Dockery $500
20. (23) Daniel Boles $75
21. (22) Mathew Porter $500
22. (18) Griffin Smith $500
23. (24) Landen Zakalowski $75
24. (19) Jake Jackson $500
Entries: 29
Lap Leaders: Dale Timms (Laps 1-2), Garrett Smith (Laps 3-40)
Caution Flags: 6
Deatherage Opticians 4th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Zack Mitchell
Deatherage Opticians 13th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Benji Hicks
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Garrett Smith 14.591
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Trent Ivey 14.532
Qualifying - Group A (Top Five Transfer): 1. 88-Trent Ivey, 14.532[11]; 2. 07-Dale Timms, 14.571[13]; 3. 10-Garrett Smith, 14.690[10]; 4. 22-Jeremy Steele, 14.706[12]; 5. 79-Donald McIntosh, 14.751[9]; 6. 18P-Gray Parton, 14.757[5]; 7. 5J-Braden Jones, 14.808[1]; 8. 55-Benji Hicks, 14.837[3]; 9. B17-Dylan Barrow, 15.002[4]; 10. 20-Daniel Boles, 15.042[2]; 11. J1-Jake Jackson, 15.055[6]; 12. 25-Mike Benedum, 15.141[7]; 13. 4N-Matthew Nance, 15.281[8]; 14. 95-Alex Vance, 15.795[14]; 15. 1C-Kenny Collins[15]
Qualifying - Group B (Top Five Transfer): 1. 22*-Zack Mitchell, 14.627[2]; 2. 97-Cody Overton, 14.813[9]; 3. 126-Kaede Loudy, 15.071[10]; 4. 10J-Joseph Joiner, 15.073[7]; 5. 48-Hunter Kohn, 15.113[14]; 6. 11-Allen Styck, 15.214[12]; 7. 22S-Griffin Smith, 15.326[8]; 8. 23-Beckham Malone, 15.389[6]; 9. 57-Landen Zakalowski, 15.453[13]; 10. 11B-Stacy Boles, 15.583[5]; 11. 95W-Fletcher Wulff, 15.687[1]; 12. 00-Brandon Dockery, 15.742[11]; 13. 19P-Mathew Porter, 15.806[4]; 14. 20H-Bryson Harper, 16.263[3]
Sunoco Race Fuels B-Main #1 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 18P-Gray Parton[1]; 2. 55-Benji Hicks[3]; 3. B17-Dylan Barrow[4]; 4. 5J-Braden Jones[2]; 5. J1-Jake Jackson[6]; 6. 4N-Matthew Nance[8]; 7. 25-Mike Benedum[7]; 8. 20-Daniel Boles[5]; 9. 95-Alex Vance[9]; 10. (DNS) 1C-Kenny Collins
Coltman Farms Racing B-Main #2 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 23-Beckham Malone[3]; 2. 11-Allen Styck[1]; 3. 11B-Stacy Boles[5]; 4. 22S-Griffin Smith[2]; 5. 00-Brandon Dockery[7]; 6. 19P-Mathew Porter[8]; 7. 95W-Fletcher Wulff[6]; 8. 20H-Bryson Harper[9]; 9. 57-Landen Zakalowski[4]
Series Provisionals: Mike Benedum, Mathew Porter
Series Emergency Provisionals: Daniel Boles, Landen Zakalowski
Current Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Zack Mitchell - 386
2. Donald McIntosh - 380
3. Garrett Smith - 378
4. Kaede Loudy - 376
5. Joseph Joiner - 368
6. Benji Hicks - 366
7. Allen Styck - 362 ®
8. Mike Benedum - 358
9. Stacy Boles - 342
10. Mathew Porter - 332
11. Daniel Boles - 328 ®
12. Landen Zakalowski - 316 ®
13. Kenny Collins - 239
14. Alex Vance - 235
15. Matthew Nance - 231
2026 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule:
July 12 - Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, VA) - RAINED OUT
July 13 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - JAKE O’NEIL
July 14 - Harris Speedway (Rutherfordton, NC) - GARRETT SMITH
July 16 - Modoc Speedway (Modoc, SC) - $7,542 to win
July 17 - Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, GA) - $7,553 to win
July 18 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - $10,053 to win
July 19 - Toccoa Raceway (Toccoa, GA) - $10,071 to win
July 21 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - $7,544 to win
July 23 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - $7,553 to win
July 24 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - $10,053 to win
July 25 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - $10,053 to win
For more information on the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern 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, Deatherage Opticians, 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, 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
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