“Big Sexy” Brandon Overton continued his stellar 2020 racing season tonight by recording his second straight ‘Tarheel 50’ title at Ray Cook’s Tri-County Race Track. Overton started the 53 lap headliner from the pole position by virtue of a dash victory but ran in the second spot during the first 44 circuits of the contest.
Hounding race-long pace setter Shane Clanton in and out of lapped traffic, Overton finally found his opportunity to squeeze by Clanton’s No. 25 machine coming off of turn four to lead lap 45. From there, the Evans, Ga. stand-out kept his car out front and picked up the $10,053 windfall by besting Clanton, Dale McDowell, eighth starting Ricky Weiss and Donald McIntosh. It was Overton’s third career Schaeffer’s Oil Fall Nationals Series victory behind the wheel of a Wells Motorsports Longhorn Chassis which was powered by a Clements Racing Engine.
“I just calmed myself back down because, you think it’s fast around here, but the race is pretty slow as far as, you can’t run 53 laps wide open around here,” said Overton in victory lane following the biggest race of the year at Tri-County Race Track. “You’ll fade really fast. So you just gotta kind of pace yourself and pace yourself and wait for the opportunity to come.”
A total of 26 competitors piled into the pit area at the Brasstown Bullring to do battle in the 17th Annual ‘Tarheel 50.’
Race winner Overton also earned fast time honors duing the qualifying session by touring the 1/4-mile oval in a mere 12.364 seconds.
Overton was also victori- ous in the dash, which fea- tured the top three qualifiers from each group, while Casey Roberts and Ricky Weiss each took home heat race triumphs in their respective prelims.
Other winners on the night were Bobby Elkins in the 602 Thunder Series, Charles Devine, Jr. in the Street Stocks and Nike Adams in the Front Wheel Drives.
Tri-County will hold a bonus non-points race Friday, Oct. 30 and will feature the Blue Ridge Outlaw Late Model Series. All other classes will be in action. Racing is set for a 7:30 p.m. start.