Jimmy Owens won a drama filled National 100 preliminary at East Alabama Motor Speedway after Mark Whitener was disqualified.
The drama started on lap one when Tyler Erb got loose in turn 2 while racing Brandon Overton for the lead. He drifted up the track and got up on the cushion. When he attempted to come back down, he made contact with Daulton Wilson. That sent Wilson jumping up Garrett Smith’s car. While that was happening, Terbo came down across the track and collected Dennis Erb Jr., Mike Benedum, Kyle Bronson, Brody Smith, and Brenden Smith. Hadley Greene and JR Moseley also ended up involved.
💥 Things go wrong on lap one of the #National100 at East Alabama pic.twitter.com/jrgr9WVuss
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) November 2, 2025
After reracking the field, Overton would take the lead from Terbo and extend his lead to nearly 1.5 seconds in the opening laps. However, that lead would be erased around five laps in when Garrett Smith lost control of his car and went off the top of turn 2 while racing hard with Mark Whitener.
On the next restart, Whitener was able to slide Terbo through 1 and 2. Terbo responded with his own slider in 3 and 4. However, Whitener countered on the next lap by getting to the inside of Terbo down the back stretch and sliding him through 3 and 4. While they were sliding each other, Overton extended his lead to around 2 seconds.
However, that lead would quickly evaporate when Overton got to the rear of the field and started navigating lap traffic. He struggled to get around Hadley Greene and Whitener drove right to his rear bumper and he brought Jimmy Owens with him. Overton was able to clear Greene and maintain the lead, but once he got to the rear of Matthew Larson he attempted to go below him and lost the grip on his car. Whitener struck shooting to the outside of Overton to take the lead. He then slid Larson in three and four to solidify it.
Whitener would gap both Overton and Owens, but they were both able to close the gap when he got held up by Daulton Wilson. Neither Overton or Owens were able to take advantage of the lap traffic and a caution would come out for Garrett Smith due to a flat right rear tire.
That wouldn’t be the last caution. Terbo, who had fallen to fifth suffered a left front flat tire and spun in three and four. After they went green again, Terbo would suffer another flat, this time a right rear tire. Another caution for a flat for Brody Smith would come out a few laps later.
Whitener would hold off Jimmy Owens, who had gotten by Overton after the first caution for Terbo, and looked to have won the race. However, after going through tech he took a right turn and was disqualified for being light at the scales. Owens would be awarded the win.
Owens said after the race, “A win’s a win. The paycheck’s check really good. But, you know, Mark [Whitener] clearly had the best car there. You know this racing and this rubber can be tricky. It’ll take a bunch of extra rubber off your tires. Just good to be running second tonight.”
🏁 Mark Whitener took the checkered first but doesn’t pass tech, giving the win to @JimmyOwens_20 on night two of the #National100 at East Alabama! pic.twitter.com/7oxBEbETRz
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) November 2, 2025
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