What won the race: Polesitter Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., cleared Michael Chilton out of turn two on the opening lap and fought off midrace challenges while navigating lapped traffic en route to a flag-to-flag victory in Friday's Jerry Denson Memorial at Ponderosa Speedway. Mitchell beat Cody Overton by 1.489 seconds for the $7,502 payday, his third career Southern All Star Series victory and fourth overall win of the season.

Quotable: "After last week at Toccoa, this is a huge relief now," Mitchell said. "We just flat got our tails handed to us last weekend and we went back this week, busted our butts and we had this thing down to the damn-near bare frame Monday. We went to work on this thing, this old car has always been really good. I gotta thank (car owners) G.R. and Stacey (Smith), I know they’re back home watching. I just gotta thank them for the opportunity."

Key notes: Mitchell led all 40 laps for his first Southern All Star Series victory since June 20, 2025, at Chatsworth's North Georgia Speedway. ... It's his second victory in the last nine days for new car owner G.R. Smith; he won Aug. 20's Schaeffer's Southern Nationals finale at Toccoa (Ga.) Raceway. ... Mitchell earned $102 for fast time from Shelton’s Body Shop. ... Second-starting Michael Chilton briefly took the runner-up spot from Cody Overton on lap 19 and crossed the line just 0.252 of a second behind Mitchell as the frontrunners raced through traffic. ... Overton retook second from Chilton on a lap-23 restart but never seriously challenged Mitchell with Chilton settling for third. ... Mike Marlar, who pitted under the lap-23 caution with heavy right-side damage, briefly took fourth on the ensuing restart until slowing a lap later while trailing heavy smoke; he retired in 11th. ... Fourth-finishing Garrett Smith inherited the spot on lap 24 after Marlar's woes with Jason Jameson, a two-time Ponderosa winner this season, completing the top-five finishers. ... Points leader Tucker Anderson slowed from fourth with a flat left-rear tire to trigger the lap-23 caution and retired. ... Will Hicks slammed the turn-one wall on lap five for the race's first slowdown before requiring a tow pitside. ... Dustin Linville pulled off on the second lap as the race's first retiree after suffering heavy damage in the B-main. ... The event honored Jerry Denson of Middleburg, Ky., a former Dirt Late Model racer and promoter of Ponderosa Speedway; Denson died on Sept. 3, 2021, at the age of 53. ... The 40-lapper lasted 22 minutes with seven starters completing the distance and 10 running at the finish.

On the move: Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., started 11th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Mitchell‘s Team 22 Inc. Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Victory Circle Auto Sales, Gambler Transport, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Brick House Tavern, LakeHouse Bar & Grill, Unified Electrical Services, SJK Construction, VG Performance, Bilstein Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, STAKT Racing Products and Dirt King Apparel.

Points chase: After Ponderosa: 1. Tucker Anderson (2,242); 2. Kendall Franklin (2,132); 3. Dillon Daves (2,108); 4. Billy Franklin (1,970); 5. Will Hicks (1,884).

Current weather: Clear, 73°F

Car count: 16

Fast qualifier: Zack Mitchell

Time: 12.558 seconds

Polesitter: Zack Mitchell

Consolation race winners: Beckham Malone

Next series race: August 29, Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) $12,022