Benedum banks $10,053 for Ray Varner Ford 53 victory; Loudy wins Southern Nationals Championship

Published 11:23 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The 21st edition of the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by GoSunoco concluded on Saturday night, July 26, at Tazewell Speedway and it was Mike Benedeum who emerged victorious after a wild Ray Varner Ford 53.

Mike was fast right off the trailer at the high-banked oval and earned Fast Time honors during FK Rod Ends qualifying prior to picking up the victory in the first heat race of the evening. After starting the main event from the pole position, Mike inherited the point on a lap seventeen restart when leader Dale McDowell broke a J-bar and dropped a driveshaft – also collecting second-running Jimmy Owens who rolled over in the incident.

Once out front, the Salem, West Virginia native never looked back in leading the remainder of the 53-lap series finale to pocket the $10,053 first place prize money. Finishing a close second – only 0.794 of a second back – was seventh-starting Kaede Loudy. With other title contenders Garrett Smith and Jimmy Owens encountering trouble during the caution-filled race, Kaede capitalized on their misfortune and his runner-up performance locked up both Championship and Rookie of the Year honors for the young Rogersville, Tennessee ace.

Finishing third and rounding out the podium in the ‘Ray Varner Ford 53’ was thirteen-year-old Beckham Malone, who started in the fifth spot, but rallied from the tail after slowing to draw the first yellow flag on lap six. Josh Sneed earned Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger honors for his 17th-to-4th place effort, while Jeff Neubert was able to improve nine positions to nab the final spot inside of the top five.

“I love Tazewell,” the winning Benedum simply stated in Schaeffer’s Oil victory lane. “The track was so rough there that I decided that I’d roll the outside and I’m sure glad I did because I would have been right in the middle of that lap 17 rollover crash. I hate it for those guys, I wanted to beat them fair and square. I didn’t want them to wreck, but I thought we had a pretty good hot rod anyway because I was holding on right there with them.”

The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series season finale drew a 20 car field to Tazewell Speedway on Saturday to vie for the $10,053 payday in the ‘Ray Varner Ford 53.’ Garrett Smith topped the speed chart in MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps, while Mike Benedum laid down a lap of 11.265 seconds in FK Rod Ends qualifying to earn Fast Time honors. The three heat races were then won by Benedum, Camaron Marlar, and Garrett Smith.

After the checkered flag flew and the points were tabulated, Kaede Loudy also celebrated in victory lane and was presented with both a $10,053 check for the Southern Nationals Series Championship and a $1,000 check for claiming the Rookie of the Year title. With only the top nine finishes for each driver counting towards the final series points, Garrett Smith and Jimmy Owens tied for the second spot with Smith winning the tiebreaker by virtue of his triumph at Screven Motor Speedway on July 19. Tazewell victor Mike Benedum finished fourth in the final series point standings, while youngster Beckham Malone placed fifth in Championship points and second in the Rookie of the Year tally.

Complete Results from July 26, 2025

Super Late Models

Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):

1. (1) Mike Benedum $10,053
2. (7) Kaede Loudy $5,000
3. (5) Beckham Malone $3,000
4. (17) Josh Sneed $2,000
5. (14) Jeff Neubert $1,500
6. (19) Jody Horton $1,000
7. (13) Dakota Smith $800
8. (6) Dale McDowell $700
9. (4) Jimmy Owens $675
10. (12) Zack Mitchell $650
11. (2) Camaron Marlar $625
12. (15) Dillon Daves $600
13. ( 8 ) Jensen Ford $575
14. (10) Kenny Collins $550
15. (3) Garrett Smith $525
16. (20) Josh Henry $500
17. (9) David Payne $500
18. (11) David Crabtree $500
19. (16) Forrest Trent DNS
20. (18) Steve Smith DNS

Sportsman

1. 50 Adam Mitchell
2. 00 Chris Raines
3. 17 Logan Seal
4. 54 Mitchell Burke
5. 2 A.J. Ferguson
6. 52 Troy Eads
7. 28 Richard Cox
8. 5C Jacob Sutton
9. 33 Chris Hickman
10. 3C Jimmy Calloway
11. 11 Tim Bounds
12. 000 Greg Goins
13. 15 Chris Griffin
14. 22B Tyson Britt

Street Stock

1. 10 Colby Long
2. 69 Gary Blanken
3. 23 Austin Maples
4. 11 Tim Stevens
5. 44 Clyde Overholt
6. 206 Allen Vaughn
7. 5 Greg Harville
8. 88 Chris Nix
9. 26Z Zach Campbell
10. 2 John Stevens
11. H2 Glen Hankins
12. 8 Eli Keck
13. 01 Luke Sharp
14. 69 Jesse Hickman

DNS 7 Dylan Boggs

Classic Car

1. 44 Richie Overholser
2. 00 Mac Lockhart
3. 16 Will Carey
4. 14 Lee Merritt
5. 28 Ryan Bailey
6. 31 Brandon Muncey
7. XXX Josh Chesney
8. 22 Hunter Graybeal
9. 20 Preston Atkins