Zack Mitchell motored to his first career Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco victory on Saturday evening at Lake Cumberland Speedway! Zack timed in fourth quickest overall during the qualifying session and later placed second in his heat race. The Enoree, South Carolina native then rolled off from the outside of the second row in the 53-lap ‘Johnny Wheeler Memorial’ and inherited the point on lap 22 when leaders Kyle Strickler and Camaron Marlar were collected by a spinning lapped car.
From there, Zack led the final 32 circuits of the headliner to collect the $10,031 payday. Finishing 0.621 of a second behind at the unfurling of the checkered flag was runner-up Jason Jameson, who started in the tenth position. Eighth-starting Mike Marlar, who won on Friday night with the tour at the nearby Ponderosa Speedway, worked his way past a handful of competitors to nab the last spot on the podium. Jadon Frame was able to blast past eleven cars to finish fourth, while series point leader Garrett Smith captured the final position inside of the top five.
“I hate that for Camaron (Marlar) and Kyle (Strickler) man, that’s a tough way to lose one,” commented the winning Mitchell in victory lane at the Burnside, Kentucky facility. “I really hate it for them, just glad we were the one to be able to capitalize on it. I knew he (Jason Jameson) was pretty close there at the end and we had that caution with about 10 to go. We had a soft right front and a soft left rear on, so I knew we could fire off after that red flag. If I could just hold my own on that restart, I knew I’d be good for about ten laps.”
Zack Mitchell’s #57 Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Clements Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Nichols Plumbing, Clary Hood, Inc. Crescent Moon Pools, Upstate Land Management, Tap Three, Mark Tutor Racing, Hoosier Racing Tires, Gorsuch Performance, FK Rod Ends, VP Racing Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, and a special thanks to Daniel Williams.
A total of 16 Super Late Model competitors were in the pit area on Saturday at Lake Cumberland Speedway for round eight of the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco. Michael Chilton laid down the quickest lap in MRP Fantasy Racing hot laps with a time of 12.605 seconds, while Garrett Smith went fastest in FK Rod Ends qualifying with a lap of 12.804 seconds. The pair of heat races were won by Camaron Marlar and Kyle Strickler, which enabled both of them to start on the front row of the ‘Johnny Wheeler Memorial.’
The 53-lap contest was slowed on only four occasions. Justin Rattliff brought out a caution flag on the initial start of the race after suffering right front damage. Alex Vance then spun in front of the field on lap 22 and collected Kaede Loudy, Oakley Johns, second-running Camaron Marlar, and Kyle Strickler, who had held the point for the first twenty-one circuits. Matthew Brocato and Jack Franklin then tangled on lap 37 to draw the third yellow flag of the race. The final stoppage occurred on lap 45 when Benji Hicks barrel rolled down the frontstretch to necessitate a 10-minute red flag situation. Benji thankfully emerged unscathed from his battered #55 Double Nickel racecar.
Next up for the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series will be a season-ending triple shot over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The miniseries will wrap up from May 22-24 at Sugar Creek Raceway in Blue Ridge, Georgia, North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Georgia, and Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tennessee. So far in the eight Spring Nationals races that have escaped the wrath of Mother Nature, there have been seven different winners with only Brandon Overton winning on two occasions.
Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing
Round 8 Race Summary
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, Kentucky)
Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (4) Zack Mitchell $10,031
2. (10) Jason Jameson $5,000
3. (8) Mike Marlar $3,000
4. (15) Jadon Frame $2,000
5. (9) Garrett Smith $1,500
6. (12) Kaede Loudy $1,000
7. (1) Camaron Marlar $800
8. (5) Jeremy Steele $700
9. (3) Michael Chilton $675
10. (7) Oakley Johns $650
11. (13) Matthew Brocato $625
12. (11) Benji Hicks $600
13. (14) Jack Franklin $575
14. (2) Kyle Strickler $550
15. (16) Alex Vance $525
16. (6) Justin Rattliff $500
Entries: 16
Lap Leaders: Kyle Strickler (Laps 1-21), Zack Mitchell (Laps 22-53)
Caution Flags: 4
Deatherage Opticians 4th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Jadon Frame
Deatherage Opticians 13th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Jack Franklin
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Michael Chilton 12.605
FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Garrett Smith 12.804
Full Qualifying Results: 1. 10-Garrett Smith, 12.804[9]; 2. 8-Kyle Strickler, 12.928[15]; 3. 57M-Camaron Marlar, 12.947[2]; 4. 57-Zack Mitchell, 13.023[13]; 5. 11-Michael Chilton, 13.110[14]; 6. 12-Jason Jameson, 13.115[5]; 7. 55-Benji Hicks, 13.125[10]; 8. 16-Justin Rattliff, 13.137[7]; 9. 79-Jeremy Steele, 13.141[4]; 10. 157-Mike Marlar, 13.201[11]; 11. 81F-Jadon Frame, 13.246[16]; 12. 12F-Jack Franklin, 13.419[8]; 13. C6-Oakley Johns, 13.421[6]; 14. 126-Kaede Loudy, 13.660[1]; 15. 78-Matthew Brocato, 13.756[12]; 16. 95-Alex Vance, 14.132[3]
Sunoco Race Fuels Heat #1 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 57M-Camaron Marlar[2]; 2. 11-Michael Chilton[3]; 3. 79-Jeremy Steele[5]; 4. C6-Oakley Johns[7]; 5. 10-Garrett Smith[1]; 6. 55-Benji Hicks[4]; 7. 78-Matthew Brocato[8]; 8. 81F-Jadon Frame[6]
American Racer South Heat #2 Finish (All Cars Transfer): 1. 8-Kyle Strickler[1]; 2. 57-Zack Mitchell[2]; 3. 16-Justin Rattliff[4]; 4. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 5. 12-Jason Jameson[3]; 6. 126-Kaede Loudy[7]; 7. 12F-Jack Franklin[6]; 8. 95-Alex Vance[8]
Current Spring Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Garrett Smith – 1548
2. Brandon Overton – 924
3. Benji Hicks – 916
4. Kaede Loudy – 912
5. Jack Franklin – 894
6. Tucker Anderson – 790
7. Zack Mitchell – 786
8. Mike Marlar – 774
9. Hudson O’Neal – 588
10. Kendall Franklin – 586
2026 Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series Schedule:
February 27 – Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, GA) – RAINED OUT
February 28 – Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) – RAINED OUT
March 20 – Modoc Speedway (Modoc, SC) – BRANDON OVERTON
March 21 – Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) – CHRIS MADDEN
March 27 – Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, TN) – RAINED OUT
March 28 – Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, TN) – GARRETT SMITH
April 2 – I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) – DALE MCDOWELL
April 3 – Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, VA) – HUDSON O’NEAL
April 4 – Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) – BRANDON OVERTON
May 7 – Hidden Hollow Speedway (Colson, KY) – RAINED OUT
May 8 – Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) – MIKE MARLAR
May 9 – Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) – ZACK MITCHELL
May 22 – Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) – $5,053 to win
May 23 – North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) – $7,553 to win
May 24 – Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) – $10,053 to win
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.
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