What won the race: Seventh-starting Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., made a dramatic third-to-first move on the 36th lap and cruised the rest of Saturday's Johnny Wheeler Memorial at Lake Cumberland Speedway. Ending a 15-month winless stretch, Owens earned $10,053 for his fifth career Schaeffer's Spring Nationals victory as he took the checkers 2.591 seconds ahead of Garrett Smith in the nonstop 53-lap feature.

Quotable: "The car was really good (and) the track was really, really great tonight," Owens said. "It's the best I've seen this place since I've been coming, I believe. I mean we were all over it. We could run high, low. I know we were three-wide two or three times down the backstretch — and that's a narrow place back yonder. But we was able to capitalize on it."

Key notes: Jimmy Owens notched his first feature victory since Feb. 8, 2024, in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series action at the now-closed East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. ... His previous Spring Nationals victory came May 31, 2021, at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. ... Owens dove under Cory Hedgecock and Garrett Smith in turns one and two, taking command just past the halfway point. ... Polesitter Cory Hedgecock led the first 35 laps but appeared vulnerable after his car sustained right-rear body damage. ... Home-state driver Justin Rattliff ran second the first 29 laps, frequently pressuring Hedgecock before slipping back. He was looking for his second career five-figure payday and first since 2007. ... Nine drivers completed 53 laps. ... The event concluded a Bluegrass State weekend that began Friday with Garrett Smith's victory at Rockcastle Speedway in Mount Vernon. ... Lake Cumberland's event honored Johnny Wheeler, of Campbellsville, Ky., a champion at a number of Kentucky tracks who died seven years ago at the age of 54.

On the move: Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, started 11th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Owens drives a Koehler Motorsports Rocket Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Reece Monument, Ultimate Towing & Recovery, Boomtest Well Service, Tim Short Auto Group, Capital Waste, Five Star Metal Buildings, Red Line Oil, Sybesma Graphics, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Midwest Sheet Metal, Capital Electric and Delph Communications.

Points chase: After Lake Cumberland: 1. Garrett Smith (1,486); 2. Wil Herrington (1,466); 3. Cory Hedgecock (1,264); 4. Jimmy Owens (936); 5. Sam Seawright (880).

Current weather: Clear, 66°F

Car count: 16

Fast qualifier: Garrett Smith

Time: 12.965 seconds

Polesitter: Cory Hedgecock

Heat race winners: Cory Hedgecock, Justin Rattliff

Next series race: May 23, Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) $7,553