COLUMBUS, Miss. — Chris Madden knew he had a car capable of delivering a second career Magnolia State Cotton Pickin’ 100 victory. As long as there were no missteps during prelims, the Gray Court, S.C., driver felt like the odds were in his favor to add a second cotton-filled trophy to his case.

He was right. And now he has some rearranging to handle upon his return home. Madden took the lead from Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, on lap 23 and led the rest of Saturday’s 70-lap main event at Magnolia Motor Speedway. He topped Friday’s 30-lap preliminary feature winner Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., by 2.303 seconds for a $12,000 payday.

Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., improved nine positions to finish third, his second podium finish of the weekend, and 18th-starting Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., rallied to fourth. Erb, who led the first 23 laps after starting outside the front row, completed the top five despite slipping back to seventh following a caution with 13 laps reaming.

“We were extremely good last night in the feature, we just buried ourself, made some wrong calls in the heat race,” said Madden, who started 11th and finished fourth in Friday’s feature. “We almost done that tonight again, but we was able to hold on to second there (in the heat) and get us a good top-five starting spot. That was the key, to start up front.”

Erb wrestled the lead from McCreadie on the opening lap and paced the field comfortably for 20 circuits. But Madden slowly worked forward from fifth. Once he caught the leader, Madden followed for two laps before ducking low on the backstretch and pulling alongside. He finally completed the pass as they raced off of turn four two laps later.

“Obviously I was behind those guys and I was able to judge where I needed to be on the racetrack, where my car was better compared to those guys,” said Madden. “We took the lead and I just got my car where I felt like I was the best at and run 70 laps there.”

After taking the top spot from Erb, Madden was never seriously challenged. McCreadie slipped by Erb a few laps later and gave chase, but couldn’t replicate Friday’s performance.

“I could almost run with him for about six laps and then I’d just get so tight, just too tight,” said McCreadie of the fading handling on his two-race old Longhorn Chassis. “We we’re not very maneuverable like last night. That’s part of it though. Chris and them guys went to work and hat’s off to them. I just a … it just wasn’t enough. I gave it all I had. I thought man, if he doesn’t know I’m up here, I can snooker him once. He just moved his arc into (turn) three a little bit and I just couldn’t get in no more and once he got a little distance, that was it.

“I’m not complaining about second. To be up on the podium each night with these guys here, some of the best guys in the country. We just keep getting a little better and tonight we missed it. But we missed it a little bit and still ran right in the top two, so that’s pretty cool.”

Finishing nearly five seconds back, Moyer wasn’t a factor for the win Saturday after leading 15 laps on Friday from the front row. He said it would have helped had he had another prime starting spot.

“If I could’ve started up front, I might have had a shot to at least try (to race with Madden),” said Moyer. “I’m dang sure not gonna say I had something for ‘em. If I could have started in the first three rows, maybe won a heat, I might have could’ve got up there and at least diced a little, but I don’t think I’m on them guys’ level. At the end we weren’t bad.”

The win was Madden’s seventh of 2020 and his second since restarting his own team in early October. He made a point to mention those who helped him rejuvenate his own team, making it the fourth different team his driven for this season and the third he’s managed to reach victory lane with.

“We got to thank Billy Franklin and his family. Him and Todd and some of his kids are here tonight. Some of his family raced tonight too. But we’ve gotta give hat’s off to him for coming and going my team this year. I really appreciate him. And Mike Millwood and his family, Derrick come down and helped us this weekend. All my guys, A.J. and Jeff and Ricky’s come on board this year. He’s been a great help. We need each and every one of them and each means as much as the other.”

Notes: Madden's previous win in the event was a $20,000 triumph in 2016. ... Ten of the 24 starters completed 70 laps. … Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., lost a potential top-five finish when he collided with Whiteville, Tenn.’s Jonathan Rowan late in the distance. … Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville, Ill., made only 34 laps after contact with Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., resulted in a bent tie rod. … Two-time event winner Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., retired on lap six. … Rusty Schlenk of McClure, Ohio, soldiered around the 12th position for much of the race, but following a caution on lap 57, Schlenk powered into the top five before eventually settling for seventh.

Preliminary notes and results:

Feature lineup

Row 1: Tim McCreadie, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Morgan Bagley, Mike Marlar
Row 3: Chris Madden, Dane Dacus
Row 4: Shane Clanton, Scott Dedwylder
Row 5: Chad Thrash, Dalton Cook
Row 6: Brian Rickman, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 7: Dennis Erb Jr., Ross Camponovo
Row 8: Kenny Collins, Cade Dillard
Row 9: Rusty Schlenk, Chris Ferguson
Row 10: Spencer Hughes, Jonathan Rowan
Row 11: Kyle Beard, Myles Moos
Row 12: B.J. Robinson, Dean Carpenter

Pre-feature notes

Four former race winners are in the feature lineup for Saturday’s 70-lap finale. Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., won in 2004, ’10 and ’19. Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., was the 2007 and ’09 winner. Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., won in 2016 and Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas, won in 2015. … The 24 feature starters represent 12 states with Mississippi drivers leading the way with six entries. There are three from Tennessee, two drivers each from Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana and Texas; and one apiece from Alabama, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina. … Only six feature starters — Bagley, Marlar, Chris Ferguson, Dane Dacus, Chad Thrash and Brian Rickman — started the 2019 event. … Six drivers — Tim McCreadie, Dalton Cook, Kenny Collins, Rusty Schlenk, Jonathan Rowan, and Myles Moos — are each starting their first career Magnolia State Cotton Pickin’ 100 finale. … Parker Martin of Milledgeville, Ga., the fastest qualifier in the second group, had mechanical trouble before his heat and scratched for the rest of the program. … Three drivers didn’t return from Friday, while one, Kyle Beard, joined the event.

Consolation results

First consolation: Rusty Schlenk, Spencer Hughes, Kyle Beard, B.J. Robinson, Josh Putnam, Blake McClain, Jeff Young.

Second consolation: Chris Ferguson, Jonathan Rowan, Myles Moos,  Dean Carpenter, Jason Hiett, Austin Franklin, Jamie Elam. DNS: Parker Martin.

Consolation lineups

(10 laps, top four advance)
First consolation
Row 1: Rusty Schlenk, B.J. Robinson
Row 2: Spencer Hughes, Josh Putnam
Row 3: Kyle Beard, Blake McClain
Row 4: Jeff Young, Noah Daspit
Second consolation
Row 1: Jason Hiett, Chris Ferguson
Row 2: Myles Moos, Jamie Elam
Row 3: Austin Franklin, Dean Carpenter
Row 4: Parker Martin, Parker Martin

Heat results

First heat (top for advance): Tim McCreadie, Chris Madden, Chad Thrash, Dennis Erb Jr., Rusty Schlenk, Spencer Hughes, Kyle Beard, Jeff Young,

Second heat: (top four advance): Morgan Bagley, Shane Clanton, Brian Rickman, Kenny Collins, B.J. Robinson, Josh Putnam, Blake McClain. DNS: Noah Daspit.

Third heat (top four advance): Tyler Erb, Dane Dacus, Dalton Cook, Ross Camponovo, Jason Hiett, Myles Moos, Austin Franklin. DNS: Parker Martin.

Fourth heat (top four advance): Mike Marlar, Scott Dedwylder, Billy Moyer Jr., Cade Dillard, Chris Ferguson, Jamie Elam, Dean Carpenter, Jonathan Rowan.

Heat lineups

(10 laps, top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Chris Madden, Tim McCreadie
Row 2: Rusty Schlenk, Spencer Hughes
Row 3: Chad Thrash, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 4: Kyle Beard, Jeff Young
Second heat
Row 1: Shane Clanton, Brian Rickman
Row 2: Morgan Bagley, Josh Putnam
Row 3: B.J. Robinson, Kenny Collins
Row 4: Blake McClain, Noah Daspit
Third heat
Row 1: Parker Martin, Ross Camponovo
Row 2: Tyler Erb, Austin Franklin
Row 3: Dane Dacus, Dalton Cook
Row 4: Jason Hiett, Myles Moos
Fourth heat
Row 1: Mike Marlar, Scott Dedwylder
Row 2: Cade Dillard, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 3: Chris Ferguson, Jonathan Rowan
Row 4: Dean Carpenter, Jamie Elam

Time trial results (unofficial)

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
First group
Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 13.360
Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 13.413
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 13.473
Brian Rickman (90), Columbus, Miss., 13.653
Rusty Schlenk (91), McClure, Ohio, 13.700
Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, 13.752
Spencer Hughes (11), Meridian, Miss., 13.782
Josh Putnam (212), Florence, Ala. 13.835
Chad Thrash (1), Meridian, Miss., 13.841
B.J. Robinson (1R), Haughton, La., 13.853
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.885
Kenny Collins (48), Colbert, Ga., 13.912
Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 13.951
Blake McCain (15), Coldwater, Miss., 14.734
Jeff Young (1J), Tutwiler, Miss., 14.797
Noah Daspit (34), Picayune, Miss., no time
Second group
Parker Martin (6jr), Milledgeville, Ga., 13.499
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 13.615
Ross Camponovo (18), Clarksdale, Miss., 13.838
Scott Dedwylder (33), Vossburg, Miss., 13.975
Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.011
Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.016
Austin Franklin (22), Motevallo, Ala., 14.083
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 14.094
Dane Dacus (54), Lakeland, Tenn., 14.186
Chris Ferguson (22), Mount Holly, N.C., 14.222
Dalton Cook (44D), Smiths Station, Ala., 14.325
Jonathan Rowan (56R), Whiteville, Tenn., 14.401
Jason Hiett (1H), Oxford, Ala., 14.501
Dean Carpenter (51), Coldwater, Miss., 14.543
Myles Moos (84), Lincoln, Ill., 14.586
Jamie Elam (12), Senatobia, Miss., 14.761