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Bailes scores late-race Lucas Oil victory at Cherokee

In just his fourth start for aboard the M&W Transport No. 58 Dave’s Towing/ Rocket Chassis/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model, Ross Bailes earned the Florida-based Big Frog Motorsports their first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. (Heath Lawson photo)

Taking advantage of Brandon Overton’s deflating right-rear tire on the final lap, Bailes soared to the lead down the backstretch to earn a $12,000 victory in Friday’s 22nd Annual Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, S.C.).

“Man, this is unbelievable. We have been through a lot this year. I am so excited to win this in front of my home crowd. I mean it can’t get any better than that,” said the 30-year-old racer in Victory Lane amid a packed grandstand.

After topping the speed charts in the 37-car field, Bailes cruised to a heat race victory, locking him into the main event.

Rolling off on the front row alongside Chris Ferguson, Ross set the pace for the first 22 circuits before dropping back to second behind Overton. Regaining the lead a few laps later, Bailes commanded the top spot for the next 18 laps but was closing in on lapped traffic. Overton returned to the point on lap 46.

A caution with 48 laps complete set up a dash to the finish. On the restart, Overton had control of the race until his car suddenly slowed exiting turn two on the final lap. Bailes drove by and went on to his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win.

“The car was better than the driver. I just didn’t know what to do in lapped traffic and he [Overton] had the advantage of being behind me and seeing where he needed to go. Overton had a good car too; he probably has the best car in the country right now and we were right there with him. I hate what happened to Brandon, but luckily, I was on the good end of that one at the finish. This is the first Lucas Oil win for Auggie [Burttram], and I wanted to get in his car and prove we could do it. He has as good of equipment as you can get. This is the first night out on a new car and we had a rebuilt Clements engine.”

Full results from the event are available at www.LucasDirt.com.

The following night at Friendship Motor Speedway (Elkin, N.C.) for the Ultimate Southeast Series-sanctioned program, Ross laid down the fastest time in his group, which positioned him second on the starting grid for the $4,000-to-win A-Main.

Holding his spot for all 40-laps, Bailes posted a runner-up finish behind Zack Mitchell with G.R. Smith, Cla Knight, and Pearson Lee Williams rounding out the Top-5.

For complete results from that event, please visit www.UltimateSupers.com.

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