Chris Madden Goes Back-to-Back with Southern Nationals in Winning Scott Sexton Memorial
BULLS GAP, Tenn.—In a terrific race on Monday night at Volunteer Speedway, Chris Madden, of Gray Court, South Carolina, went back-to-back with the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco in winning the annual ‘Scott Sexton Memorial!’ Chris knocked down the fastest lap overall during FK Rod Ends qualifying to earn the pole position for the 52-lap headliner, but it was outside polesitter Garrett Smith that got the jump at the drop of the green flag. In front of a great crowd at the Bulls Gap, Tennessee venue, Garrett led the first 37 circuits with Madden riding close behind in the second spot. (MRM Racing Photo)
On the 38th lap, “Smokey” pounced and grabbed the point away from Smith’s #10 machine. Chris then held off late-race charges by brothers Mike Marlar and Camaron Marlar to bag the $7,552 winner’s check. Seventh-starting Mike Marlar temporarily took the lead with a lap 40 slider, but finished 1.308 seconds behind at the unfurling of the checkered lag. Camaron Marlar earned Hard Charger honors for the evening with his sterling 15th-to-3rd place run, while Jimmy Owens took over the Southern Nationals point lead with his strong fourth place effort. Sam Seawright got by early leader Garrett Smith late in the distance to claim the final spot inside of the top five.
“I’d like to thank Vic Hill and Scott Sexton’s family for continuing this race for him,” quoted Madden following his 31st career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series triumph. “As well as all of the drivers who got a chance to race with Scott (Sexton)
back in his time. He was a really good racer in this part of the country and everybody looked up to Scott and thought he was the one to beat back in the day when we used to come here and race. Hats off to them for doing that. What a great race man. If you fans don’t like that, you don’t like racing!”
Madden’s second straight victory with Kale Green Motorsports came aboard a #44 Longhorn Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine with sponsorship in part from Jesse’s Well Pump and Filtration, Trans-Tel, Inc., Henderson Amusement, Millwood Plumbing, Penske Racing Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, DirtCarLift.com, and Hardison Suspension Technologies.
At “The Gap” on Monday, there were 31 Southern Nationals Series competitors on hand for the $7,552 to win ‘Scott Sexton Memorial.’ Chris Madden topped the speed charts during both MRP Fantasy League Hot Laps and FK Rod Ends qualifying. Cody Overton and Jensen Ford won the pair of consolation events, while Beckham Malone and Stacy Boles were awarded series provisionals. Dillon Daves and Jeff Neubert utilized emergency provisionals to start shotgun on the feature field.
The 52-lap A-Main lasted just shy of 17 minutes in length and was slowed by only one caution flag. Third-running Dale McDowell and Camaron Marlar made contact on lap 34 with McDowell slowing to draw the yellow and ultimately retiring from the race in the eighteenth position. A total of 12 starters completed the entire ‘Scott Sexton Memorial’ distance.
Round four of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco will take place on Tuesday night, July 15 at I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tennessee. A $7,553 first place prize will be up for grabs in the fifth-ever stop by the tour to the Volunteer State oval. Jimmy Owens, of Newport, Tennessee, will bring the point lead into I-75 Raceway over Garrett Smith and Kaede Loudy, who are tied for the second spot. Mike Benedum and Beckham Malone round out the top five in the latest point tally. More information on I-75 Raceway can be found online at www.i-75racewaypark.com.
Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 3 Race Summary
Monday, July 14, 2025
Volunteer Speedway - Bulls Gap, Tennessee
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (52 Laps):
1. (1) Chris Madden $7,552
2. (7) Mike Marlar $3,500
3. (15) Camaron Marlar $2,000
4. (6) Jimmy Owens $1,500
5. (3) Sam Seawright $1,200
6. (2) Garrett Smith $900
7. (12) Blake Brown $700
8. (9) Forrest Trent $650
9. (5) Pierce McCarter $600
10. (10) Mike Benedum $575
11. (13) Cody Overton $550
12. (18) Tucker Anderson $540
13. (21) Beckham Malone $530
14. (17) Kaede Loudy $520
15. (14) Jensen Ford $510
16. (22) Stacy Boles $500
17. (24) Jeff Neubert $75
18. (4) Dale McDowell $500
19. (8) Benji Hicks $500
20. (19) Haiden Cowan $500
21. (11) Christian Hanger $500
22. (16) David Crabtree $500
23. (23) Dillon Daves $75
24. (20) Jordon Horton $500
Entries: 31
Lap Leaders: Garrett Smith (Laps 1-37), Chris Madden (Laps 38-52)
Caution Flags: 1
Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger Award: Camaron Marlar (+12)
MRP Fantasy League Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Chris Madden 12.363
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Chris Madden 12.322
Qualifying Results - Group A (Top Six Locked Into Feature): 1. 44-Chris Madden, 00:12.322[4]; 2. 16-Sam Seawright, 00:12.601[5]; 3. 71-Pierce McCarter, 00:12.686[6]; 4. 157-Mike Marlar, 00:12.713[16]; 5. 101-Forrest Trent, 00:12.764[12]; 6. 29-Christian Hanger, 00:12.840[8]; 7. 2-Cody Overton, 00:12.846[1]; 8. 126-Kaede Loudy, 00:12.879[3]; 9. 57M-Camaron Marlar, 00:13.102[10]; 10. 14-Haiden Cowan, 00:13.139[7]; 11. B00-Josh Henry, 00:13.144[11]; 12. 11B-Stacy Boles, 00:13.201[9]; 13. 23-Beckham Malone, 00:13.451[15]; 14. 3D-Dakota Smith, 00:13.746[2]; 15. 3-Steve Smith, 00:13.861[13]; 16. (DNS) H22-Brandon Hardgrove
Qualifying Results - Group B (Top Six Locked Into Feature): 1. 10-Garrett Smith, 00:12.414[8]; 2. 17M-Dale McDowell, 00:12.484[7]; 3. 58V-Jimmy Owens, 00:12.651[6]; 4. 55-Benji Hicks, 00:12.670[11]; 5. 25-Mike Benedum, 00:12.751[1]; 6. 1-Blake Brown, 00:12.825[10]; 7. 83-Jensen Ford, 00:12.828[9]; 8. 56H-Jordon Horton, 00:13.077[4]; 9. C5-David Crabtree, 00:13.119[12]; 10. 22-Tucker Anderson, 00:13.155[13]; 11. 15-Noah Phillips, 00:13.202[3]; 12. 28N-Jeff Neubert, 00:13.876[14]; 13. 95-Alex Vance, 00:13.919[15]; 14. 35-Dillon Daves, 00:13.923[5]; 15. 1G-Dylan Barrow, 00:14.157[2]
Coltman Farms Racing B-Main #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 2-Cody Overton[1]; 2. 57M-Camaron Marlar[3]; 3. 126-Kaede Loudy[2]; 4. 14-Haiden Cowan[4]; 5. B00-Josh Henry[5]; 6. 11B-Stacy Boles[6]; 7. 3D-Dakota Smith[8]; 8. 3-Steve Smith[9]; 9. (DNS) 23-Beckham Malone; 10. (DNS) H22-Brandon Hardgrove
Coltman Farms Racing B-Main #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 83-Jensen Ford[1]; 2. C5-David Crabtree[3]; 3. 22-Tucker Anderson[4]; 4. 56H-Jordon Horton[2]; 5. 15-Noah Phillips[5]; 6. 35-Dillon Daves[8]; 7. 28N-Jeff Neubert[6]; 8. 95-Alex Vance[7]; 9. 1G-Dylan Barrow[9]
Series Provisionals: Beckham Malone, Stacy Boles
Emergency Provisionals: Dillon Daves, Jeff Neubert
Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Jimmy Owens - 574
2. Garrett Smith - 550
2. Kaede Loudy - 550
4. Mike Benedum - 544
5. Beckham Malone - 528
6. Jensen Ford - 516
7. Stacy Boles - 510
8. Dillon Daves - 476
9. Chris Madden - 400
10. Chris Ferguson - 392
Current Coltman Farms Cup Point Standings (Spans Both Spring & Southern Nationals):
1. Garrett Smith - 1290
2. Jimmy Owens - 1124
3. Wil Herrington - 910
4. Cory Hedgecock - 908
5. Jensen Ford - 890
6. Mike Benedum - 878
7. Kaede Loudy - 710
8. Michael Leach - 698
9. Brandon Overton - 582
10. Ricky Weiss - 570
2025 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Schedule
Friday, July 11 - Beckley Motor Speedway (Mount Hope, WV) - ROSS BAILES
Saturday, July 12 - Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, VA) - CHRIS MADDEN
Monday, July 14 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - CHRIS MADDEN
Tuesday, July 15 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 17 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - $7,544 to win
Friday, July 18 - Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, GA) - $7,553 to win
Saturday, July 19 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - $10,053 to win
Tuesday, July 22 - Toccoa Raceway (Toccoa, GA) - $7,553 to win
Thursday, July 24 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - $7,553 to win
Friday, July 25 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - $10,053 to win
Saturday, July 26 - 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 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.
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