What won the race: Taking control when race-long leader Chris Madden slowed with right-front suspension damage out of turn four on the 44th lap, third-starting Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., led the final seven laps of Thursday's third annual Scott Bloomquist Memorial Scorcher at Volunteer Speedway. McDowell beat Jake O'Neil by 0.942 of a second for the $12,018 payday, his first Southern All Star Series victory of the season and 46th of his career.

Quotable: "I hate it for Chris (Madden), he had problems with the right front. Me and him had a pretty equal car there, so you always hate to see that happen, I had to take advantage of that," McDowell said. "This race is all for the Scott Bloomquist fans and the Bloomquist family and this is one of his cars. This was a special place to him and we worked together, him and (car owner) Shane (McDowell) worked really hard together on these things and he accomplished so much in his career. For us to be able to still run these cars and carry that legacy on, it’s pretty special."

Key notes: McDowell nearly passed Madden twice before cautions spoiled his passes for the lead on laps 36 and 42. ... McDowell captured his third career Scorcher (2014, '17) and 14th major win since 2009 at Volunteer, earning more than $260,000 over that span. ... It was his third overall feature win of the season and first Southern All Stars victory since Sept. 25, 2021, at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. ... Madden led the opening 43 laps before fading to fifth after suffering right-front suspension damage following contact with Alex Vance on lap 41. ... Jake O'Neil, winner of July's Southern Nationals visit, made a fourth-to-second move by Madden and Garrett Smith on lap 46, leaving Smith settling for third. ... Ninth-starting Jimmy Owens passed Madden for fourth a lap later. ... Kaede Loudy finished eighth in his debut aboard the No. 79 Billy Hicks Racing Longhorn. ... Points leader Tucker Anderson soldiered to place 10th after failing to finish his heat race and scratching from time trials earlier in the evening; he was the last starter to complete 50 laps. ... The race was slowed nine times, including three red flags: lap 16 for Kendall Franklin, Will Hicks and Brock Morris spinning in turn one; lap 36 for Vance's turn-one spin that eliminated third-running Carson Ferguson; lap 37 for Will Hicks's turn-three spin; Hicks was later disqualified for running to Billy Franklin's stopped machine and attempting to initiate a physical altercation. ... Forrest Trent was also DQ'd for hitting Benji Hicks's machine under the lap-42 caution and security was again called to the infield to prevent a brawl. ... The event honored Scott Bloomquist, the Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer who hailed from nearby Mooresburg, Tenn., and accumulated 23 career feature wins at the high-banked Bulls Gap, Tenn., oval. ... The race lasted nearly 64 minutes with 12 starters running at the finish. ... Vic Hill and Camaron Marlar scratched after separate heat race incidents, but were moved ahead of Trent and Will Hicks after their DQ's.

On the move: Mathew Porter of Austinville, Va., started 21st and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: McDowell’s Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero Race Car is powered by a Clements Racing engine and sponsored by Reece Monument Company, Cometic Gaskets, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Ace Doran Trucking & Rigging, Otterly Baths, Black Rock Enterprises, BSI Well Service, Mount Airy Polaris, Campbell Insulation, M&S Motors, Jason Wright Excavating, AAA General Contractors, RimTek, Go Lithium Batteries, Northeastern Fabrication and Fox Racing Shox.

Points chase: Before Volunteer: 1. Tucker Anderson (2,820); 2. Kendall Franklin (2,688); 3. Dillon Daves (2,638); 4. Billy Franklin (2,506); 5. Will Hicks (2,416).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 73°F

Car count: 23

Fast qualifier: Benji Hicks

Time: 12.277 seconds

Polesitter: Carson Ferguson

Heat race winners: Carson Ferguson, Chris Madden, Dale McDowell

Next series race: September 19, I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) $5,000