FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 26, 2026
Davenport Cashes $30,000 for Winning Second Blue Gray 100 Title; Anderson Wins SAS Championship!
(GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA) The 2026 version of the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties wrapped up on Sunday, October 25 in the 36th Annual ‘Blue Gray 100’ at the renowned Cherokee Speedway. When the dust had settled at the storied Gaffney, South Carolina facility, it was all Blairsville, Georgia all the time, as Jonathan Davenport celebrated his second ‘Blue Gray 100’ win and Tucker Anderson clinched his first SAS Championship!
Jonathan knocked down the second quickest time in Group B during the qualifying session prior to securing a victory in his heat race. After rolling off from the outside of the second row in the 70-lap headliner and watching both Ross Bailes and Tyler Erb lead laps around the 4/10-mile oval, Jonathan was in second when mechanical issues to the leading Bailes on a lap 64 restart forced officials to send him pitside to make repairs for safety reasons. Inheriting the top spot, Jonathan led the remaining seven circuits to pocket the hefty $30,000 first place prize money.
Finishing 1.312 seconds behind the #49 at the unfurling of the checkered flag was nine-time ‘Blue Gray 100’ winner Chris Madden, who started in the seventh position. Ben Watkins was solid all race long to round out the podium in third. Zack Mitchell, who wheeled the #79 machine for car owner Billy Hicks, finished fourth, while Tyler Erb rebounded from making a pit stop to place fifth at the checkers after leading laps 38-56.
"I definitely hate it for Ross (Bailes) there,” Davenport said in victory lane. “His right-side spring steel broke and was rubbing his wheel and that's what was throwing all of the sparks. But he was really worn down (on his right-rear tire). I couldn't see any circumference grooves in his right rear from like two previous restarts. So, that's when I started going a little harder.”
“I knew it was a race between me and (Chris) Madden to get to second, whenever Ross was gonna blow out there,” Davenport went on to say. “So essentially that's what won us the race. I have to thank all of my guys, they’ve been working really hard and this victory capped off a very good weekend for us!”
Jonathan Davenport’s eleventh career SAS victory came aboard a Double L Motorsports #49 Longhorn Chassis with sponsorship in part from Ace Doran Hauling & Rigging, Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing and HVAC, Mt. Airy Polaris, Bilstein Shock Absorbers, VP Racing Fuels, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mark 4 Wytheville, VA, GO Lithium, Kevko Racing, and Swift Springs.
Following the completion of the 70-lapper and interviews with the podium finishers, Tucker Anderson was celebrated as the 2026 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Champion. Tucker will receive $15,000 for winning the points title and an additional $3,000 for winning Rookie of the Year honors. Kendall Franklin finished in the runner-up spot ($10,000), while last year’s champion Billy Franklin was third in the final point tally ($6,000). Dillon Daves will receive $4,000 for his fourth place effort in the tour point standings and an additional $2,000 for finishing second in the Rookie of the Year battle. Will Hicks placed fifth in the standings and will receive $3,000.
With the 2026 season now complete and a total of nineteen Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series shows in the books, there were officially fifteen different winners - Brandon Overton (three victories), Tucker Anderson (three victories), Chris Madden, Trae Kirk, Bo Slay, Sam Seawright, Shane Clanton, Michael Page, Jadon Frame, Zack Mitchell, Garrett Smith, Kaede Loudy, Dale McDowell, Cory Hedgec0ck, and Jonathan Davenport. 189 different drivers entered at least one SAS event this year with 176 drivers making at least one feature start. The average car count per event was 23.7 with the largest car count coming in both the first race of the season at Screven Motor Speedway and the final event of the year at Cherokee Speedway (32 cars).
Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties
Round 19 Race Summary
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Cherokee Speedway - Gaffney, South Carolina
American Racer Tires Feature Finish (70 Laps):
1. (4) Jonathan Davenport $30,000
2. (7) Chris Madden $12,000
3. (5) Ben Watkins $7,500
4. (3) Zack Mitchell $4,000
5. (6) Tyler Erb $2,000
6. (13) Carson Ferguson $1,900
7. (10) Trent Ivey $1,800
8. (11) Layton Sullivan $1,700
9. (16) Kyle Strickler $1,600
10. (17) Daulton Wilson $1,500
11. (12) Brandon Overton $1,400
12. (14) Chris Ferguson $1,350
13. (1) Ross Bailes $1,300
14. (15) Willie Milliken $1,250
15. (8) Ethan Wilson $1,200
16. (18) Gray Parton $1,150
17. (9) Jeremy Steele $1,100
18. (19) Luke Morey $1,050
19. (21) Tucker Anderson $1,000
20. (20) Kendall Franklin $1,000
21. (2) Ryan Gustin $1,000
22. (22) Billy Franklin $1,000
Entries: 32
Lap Leaders: Ross Bailes (Laps 1-37), Tyler Erb (Laps 38-56), Ross Bailes (57-63), Jonathan Davenport (Laps 64-70)
Cautions: 6
Deatherage Opticians 4th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Zack Mitchell
Deatherage Opticians 13th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Ross Bailes
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Beckham Malone 15.278
VP Racing Fuels Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Ross Bailes 15.185
Heat #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 16B-Ross Bailes[1]; 2. 16-Ben Watkins[2]; 3. 22J-Jeremy Steele[3]; 4. 93-Carson Ferguson[6]; 5. 58V-Daulton Wilson[4]; 6. 49-Luke Morey[5]; 7. 55E-Eli Johnson[8]; 8. (DNS) 157-Mike Marlar
Heat #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 2. 1-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 88-Trent Ivey[2]; 4. 22-Chris Ferguson[6]; 5. 57Z-Landen Zakalowski[8]; 6. 17-Billy Franklin[7]; 7. 22A-Tucker Anderson[4]; 8. 4-Kale Green
Heat #3 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 79-Zack Mitchell[2]; 2. 44-Chris Madden[3]; 3. 2-Layton Sullivan[1]; 4. 1M-Willie Milliken[7]; 5. 18P-Gray Parton[4]; 6. 23-Beckham Malone[5]; 7. 22G-Griffin Smith[6]; 8. (DNS) 17P-Taylor Puckett
Heat #4 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 49D-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 5-Ethan Wilson[2]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 4. 8-Kyle Strickler[4]; 5. 317-Kendall Franklin[7]; 6. 57-Adam Yarbrough[6]; 7. 3-Brent Robinson[5]; 8. R12-AJ Weeks[8]
B-Main #1 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. 58V-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 49-Luke Morey[3]; 3. 57Z-Landen Zakalowski[2]; 4. 17-Billy Franklin[4]; 5. 55E-Eli Johnson[5]; 6. (DNS) 22A-Tucker Anderson; 7. (DNS) 4-Kale Green
B-Main #2 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. 18P-Gray Parton[1]; 2. 317-Kendall Franklin[2]; 3. 57-Adam Yarbrough[4]; 4. 3-Brent Robinson[6]; 5. 22G-Griffin Smith[5]; 6. 23-Beckham Malone[3]; 7. (DNS) 17P-Taylor Puckett; 8. (DNS) R12-AJ Weeks
Provisionals: Tucker Anderson, Billy Franklin
Final Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Point Standings w/ Two Races Dropped:
1. Tucker Anderson - 3028
2. Kendall Franklin - 2892
3. Billy Franklin - 2862
4. Dillon Daves - 2836
5. Will Hicks - 2416
6. Cruz Skinner - 2002
7. Zack Mitchell - 1148
8. Garrett Smith - 1138
9. Payton Stevenson - 1016
10. Beckham Malone - 977
2026 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Schedule:
February 5 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - RAINED OUT
February 6 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
February 7 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
March 6 - Penton Raceway (Lafayette, AL) - TUCKER ANDERSON
March 7 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - PPD TO 3/12
March 12 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - RAINED OUT
March 20 - Modoc Speedway (Modoc, SC) - BRANDON OVERTON
March 21 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - CHRIS MADDEN
April 10 - Hartwell Speedway (Hartwell, GA) - TUCKER ANDERSON
April 11 - Winder-Barrow Speedway (Winder, GA) - TRAE KIRK
May 1 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - PPD TO 8/14
May 2 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - PPD TO 5/15
May 15 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - BO SLAY
May 16 - Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) - SAM SEAWRIGHT
June 12 - Cochran Motor Speedway (Cochran, GA) - SHANE CLANTON
June 13 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - MICHAEL PAGE
July 3 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - PPD TO 9/19
August 14 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - CANCELED
August 15 - Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, TN) - JADON FRAME
August 28 - Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) - ZACK MITCHELL
August 29 - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - GARRETT SMITH
September 4 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - TUCKER ANDERSON
September 5 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - RAINED OUT
September 6 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - KAEDE LOUDY
September 17 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - DALE MCDOWELL
September 18 - Hidden Hollow Speedway (Colson, KY) - CANCELED
September 19 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - CORY HEDGEC0CK
October 9 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - RAINED OUT
October 10 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - RAINED OUT
October 25 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - JONATHAN DAVENPORT
The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties would like to thank all of our marketing partners including Showtime Properties, American Racer Tires, J&J Construction, VP Racing Fuels, ArrowVision.Live, Coltman Farms Racing, Southern Racing Enterprise, Deatherage Opticians, Fullmoon Graphics, Gentry Used Auto Parts & Recycling, RockAuto.com, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Olivia Gentry Real Estate, MD3 Body Panels, Delph Communications, and Rugged Radios.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications
October 26, 2026
Davenport Cashes $30,000 for Winning Second Blue Gray 100 Title; Anderson Wins SAS Championship!
(GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA) The 2026 version of the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties wrapped up on Sunday, October 25 in the 36th Annual ‘Blue Gray 100’ at the renowned Cherokee Speedway. When the dust had settled at the storied Gaffney, South Carolina facility, it was all Blairsville, Georgia all the time, as Jonathan Davenport celebrated his second ‘Blue Gray 100’ win and Tucker Anderson clinched his first SAS Championship!
Jonathan knocked down the second quickest time in Group B during the qualifying session prior to securing a victory in his heat race. After rolling off from the outside of the second row in the 70-lap headliner and watching both Ross Bailes and Tyler Erb lead laps around the 4/10-mile oval, Jonathan was in second when mechanical issues to the leading Bailes on a lap 64 restart forced officials to send him pitside to make repairs for safety reasons. Inheriting the top spot, Jonathan led the remaining seven circuits to pocket the hefty $30,000 first place prize money.
Finishing 1.312 seconds behind the #49 at the unfurling of the checkered flag was nine-time ‘Blue Gray 100’ winner Chris Madden, who started in the seventh position. Ben Watkins was solid all race long to round out the podium in third. Zack Mitchell, who wheeled the #79 machine for car owner Billy Hicks, finished fourth, while Tyler Erb rebounded from making a pit stop to place fifth at the checkers after leading laps 38-56.
"I definitely hate it for Ross (Bailes) there,” Davenport said in victory lane. “His right-side spring steel broke and was rubbing his wheel and that's what was throwing all of the sparks. But he was really worn down (on his right-rear tire). I couldn't see any circumference grooves in his right rear from like two previous restarts. So, that's when I started going a little harder.”
“I knew it was a race between me and (Chris) Madden to get to second, whenever Ross was gonna blow out there,” Davenport went on to say. “So essentially that's what won us the race. I have to thank all of my guys, they’ve been working really hard and this victory capped off a very good weekend for us!”
Jonathan Davenport’s eleventh career SAS victory came aboard a Double L Motorsports #49 Longhorn Chassis with sponsorship in part from Ace Doran Hauling & Rigging, Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing and HVAC, Mt. Airy Polaris, Bilstein Shock Absorbers, VP Racing Fuels, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mark 4 Wytheville, VA, GO Lithium, Kevko Racing, and Swift Springs.
Following the completion of the 70-lapper and interviews with the podium finishers, Tucker Anderson was celebrated as the 2026 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Champion. Tucker will receive $15,000 for winning the points title and an additional $3,000 for winning Rookie of the Year honors. Kendall Franklin finished in the runner-up spot ($10,000), while last year’s champion Billy Franklin was third in the final point tally ($6,000). Dillon Daves will receive $4,000 for his fourth place effort in the tour point standings and an additional $2,000 for finishing second in the Rookie of the Year battle. Will Hicks placed fifth in the standings and will receive $3,000.
With the 2026 season now complete and a total of nineteen Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series shows in the books, there were officially fifteen different winners - Brandon Overton (three victories), Tucker Anderson (three victories), Chris Madden, Trae Kirk, Bo Slay, Sam Seawright, Shane Clanton, Michael Page, Jadon Frame, Zack Mitchell, Garrett Smith, Kaede Loudy, Dale McDowell, Cory Hedgec0ck, and Jonathan Davenport. 189 different drivers entered at least one SAS event this year with 176 drivers making at least one feature start. The average car count per event was 23.7 with the largest car count coming in both the first race of the season at Screven Motor Speedway and the final event of the year at Cherokee Speedway (32 cars).
Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties
Round 19 Race Summary
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Cherokee Speedway - Gaffney, South Carolina
American Racer Tires Feature Finish (70 Laps):
1. (4) Jonathan Davenport $30,000
2. (7) Chris Madden $12,000
3. (5) Ben Watkins $7,500
4. (3) Zack Mitchell $4,000
5. (6) Tyler Erb $2,000
6. (13) Carson Ferguson $1,900
7. (10) Trent Ivey $1,800
8. (11) Layton Sullivan $1,700
9. (16) Kyle Strickler $1,600
10. (17) Daulton Wilson $1,500
11. (12) Brandon Overton $1,400
12. (14) Chris Ferguson $1,350
13. (1) Ross Bailes $1,300
14. (15) Willie Milliken $1,250
15. (8) Ethan Wilson $1,200
16. (18) Gray Parton $1,150
17. (9) Jeremy Steele $1,100
18. (19) Luke Morey $1,050
19. (21) Tucker Anderson $1,000
20. (20) Kendall Franklin $1,000
21. (2) Ryan Gustin $1,000
22. (22) Billy Franklin $1,000
Entries: 32
Lap Leaders: Ross Bailes (Laps 1-37), Tyler Erb (Laps 38-56), Ross Bailes (57-63), Jonathan Davenport (Laps 64-70)
Cautions: 6
Deatherage Opticians 4th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Zack Mitchell
Deatherage Opticians 13th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Ross Bailes
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Beckham Malone 15.278
VP Racing Fuels Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Ross Bailes 15.185
Heat #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 16B-Ross Bailes[1]; 2. 16-Ben Watkins[2]; 3. 22J-Jeremy Steele[3]; 4. 93-Carson Ferguson[6]; 5. 58V-Daulton Wilson[4]; 6. 49-Luke Morey[5]; 7. 55E-Eli Johnson[8]; 8. (DNS) 157-Mike Marlar
Heat #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 2. 1-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 88-Trent Ivey[2]; 4. 22-Chris Ferguson[6]; 5. 57Z-Landen Zakalowski[8]; 6. 17-Billy Franklin[7]; 7. 22A-Tucker Anderson[4]; 8. 4-Kale Green
Heat #3 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 79-Zack Mitchell[2]; 2. 44-Chris Madden[3]; 3. 2-Layton Sullivan[1]; 4. 1M-Willie Milliken[7]; 5. 18P-Gray Parton[4]; 6. 23-Beckham Malone[5]; 7. 22G-Griffin Smith[6]; 8. (DNS) 17P-Taylor Puckett
Heat #4 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 49D-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 5-Ethan Wilson[2]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 4. 8-Kyle Strickler[4]; 5. 317-Kendall Franklin[7]; 6. 57-Adam Yarbrough[6]; 7. 3-Brent Robinson[5]; 8. R12-AJ Weeks[8]
B-Main #1 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. 58V-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 49-Luke Morey[3]; 3. 57Z-Landen Zakalowski[2]; 4. 17-Billy Franklin[4]; 5. 55E-Eli Johnson[5]; 6. (DNS) 22A-Tucker Anderson; 7. (DNS) 4-Kale Green
B-Main #2 Finish (Top Two Transfer): 1. 18P-Gray Parton[1]; 2. 317-Kendall Franklin[2]; 3. 57-Adam Yarbrough[4]; 4. 3-Brent Robinson[6]; 5. 22G-Griffin Smith[5]; 6. 23-Beckham Malone[3]; 7. (DNS) 17P-Taylor Puckett; 8. (DNS) R12-AJ Weeks
Provisionals: Tucker Anderson, Billy Franklin
Final Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Point Standings w/ Two Races Dropped:
1. Tucker Anderson - 3028
2. Kendall Franklin - 2892
3. Billy Franklin - 2862
4. Dillon Daves - 2836
5. Will Hicks - 2416
6. Cruz Skinner - 2002
7. Zack Mitchell - 1148
8. Garrett Smith - 1138
9. Payton Stevenson - 1016
10. Beckham Malone - 977
2026 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Schedule:
February 5 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - RAINED OUT
February 6 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
February 7 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
March 6 - Penton Raceway (Lafayette, AL) - TUCKER ANDERSON
March 7 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - PPD TO 3/12
March 12 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - RAINED OUT
March 20 - Modoc Speedway (Modoc, SC) - BRANDON OVERTON
March 21 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - CHRIS MADDEN
April 10 - Hartwell Speedway (Hartwell, GA) - TUCKER ANDERSON
April 11 - Winder-Barrow Speedway (Winder, GA) - TRAE KIRK
May 1 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - PPD TO 8/14
May 2 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - PPD TO 5/15
May 15 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - BO SLAY
May 16 - Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) - SAM SEAWRIGHT
June 12 - Cochran Motor Speedway (Cochran, GA) - SHANE CLANTON
June 13 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - MICHAEL PAGE
July 3 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - PPD TO 9/19
August 14 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - CANCELED
August 15 - Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, TN) - JADON FRAME
August 28 - Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) - ZACK MITCHELL
August 29 - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - GARRETT SMITH
September 4 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - TUCKER ANDERSON
September 5 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - RAINED OUT
September 6 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - KAEDE LOUDY
September 17 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - DALE MCDOWELL
September 18 - Hidden Hollow Speedway (Colson, KY) - CANCELED
September 19 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - CORY HEDGEC0CK
October 9 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - RAINED OUT
October 10 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - RAINED OUT
October 25 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - JONATHAN DAVENPORT
The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties would like to thank all of our marketing partners including Showtime Properties, American Racer Tires, J&J Construction, VP Racing Fuels, ArrowVision.Live, Coltman Farms Racing, Southern Racing Enterprise, Deatherage Opticians, Fullmoon Graphics, Gentry Used Auto Parts & Recycling, RockAuto.com, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Olivia Gentry Real Estate, MD3 Body Panels, Delph Communications, and Rugged Radios.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications