What won the race: Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., overtook Wil Herrington for the lead on lap six and never looked back en route to capturing Saturday night’s 40-lap Limited Late Model portion of the 54th annual Alabama State Championship at East Alabama Motor Speedway. The veteran turned back a lap-33 restart challenge from Austin Horton and beat the Georgia driver by 1.959 seconds for a $7,500 victory.

Quotable: “We got a National Late Model (Series) motor in it,” Whitener said. “These guys got a little more power than we got, but I think it fell in our cards. We just wasn’t spinning the tires as much as them guys was. I can see y’all saying I had to block (Horton on a late restart), but them guys got bigger motors than me and I can’t go with them on the starts but once I get going I’m OK. But, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Key notes: Whitener pulled away after Horton’s late restart challenge to record his 17th overall special-event triumph at EAMS since 2008. He won his second Limited Late Model and seventh overall Alabama State Championship event at the 3/8-mile oval; his previous Limited victory came in 2024 and he also won State race trophies with the 604 Crates (2017, ’19), National Late Model Series (’19), unsanctioned Super Late Models (’21) and 602 Crates (’22). … Noted mechanic Cody Mallory was turning wrenches on Whitener’s equipment for the weekend. … Wil Herrington, who led laps 1-6, had his hopes end on lap 10 when he slowed with terminal mechanical trouble while running second. … Bubba Roling, the 2024 Alabama State Championship winner in 602 Crate action, reached second place on lap 21 and was closing on Whitener when a lap-28 caution flag flew for Donnie Lumpkin. On the restart, however, Roling lost second to Horton and then, on lap 33, slowed while running third and retired with smoke wafting from underneath his car’s hood. … Chad Wallace, who was disqualified in technical inspection after winning Friday's first heat race, climbed forward from 13th to finish fourth. … Seven of the 16 starters were running at the finish of the feature, which was slowed by four caution flags. … A brief caution was needed on lap nine when sprinkles began to fall, but the precipitation quickly subsided. Heavier rain earlier in the day delayed the start of the program. … Jody Knowles scratched and is expected to focus on Sunday's 50-lap, $10,000-to-win 604 Crate Late Model feature serving as the multiday event's finale.

On the move: Austin Horton of Whitesburg, Ga., started 16th and finished second.

Winner's sponsors: Whitener’s Cody Jett-owned Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Southeast Ship Repair, Whitener’s Tractor Service, Johnny Doan Plumbing, Ocala Restaurant Supply, Jett Concrete Works, ML Motorsports, Angry Elephant Tattoo and Piercing, DT Welding, Baker Farms, RaceCar Engineering, ETG, Chad Tuten at Boswell Oil, VP Racing Fuels, FK Rod Ends, Penske Racing Shocks, Swift Springs and Hoosier Racing Tire.

Current weather: Clear, 75°F

Car count: 16

Fast qualifier: Chad Wallace

Time: 15.433 seconds

Polesitter: Dusty Jones

Heat race winners: Dusty Jones, Wil Herrington