What won the race: Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., fired off from the outside pole and led all 40 laps en route to winning Friday's $4,000 Southern All Star Series weekend opener at North Georgia Speedway. Mitchell motored to the $4,000 payday 0.640 of a second ahead of Tucker Anderson for his second feature victory of the season and his first since Cherokee Speedway's March Madness, worth $15,000.

Quotable: “It’s definitely a hell of a lot easier when you got a big gap. I wasn’t the best in the world down here up off of four, I just had to keep my momentum up,” Mitchell said. “The racecar was really good other than that, we just been working our tails off. I gotta thank (my team), they all stick with me through the good and bad. … It feels good to be back in victory lane.”

Key notes: Mitchell notched his second career SAS victory after his first came Sept. 30, 2023, in the Mike Duvall Memorial, also at Cherokee, for a $12,000 top prize. ... Sixth-starting Tucker Anderson grabbed second from Garrett Smith on the 17th lap and trailed Mitchell the rest of the way; Smith settled for third. ... Dillon Tidmore, winner of a $3,000 unsanctioned Super Late Model race there last June, improved five spots to round out the top five. ... Ronnie Johnson and Joe Denby each advanced nine positions after utilizing series provisionals; they finished 12th and 13th, respectively. ... Polesitter David Payne slipped to 12th by lap 15 before slowing to draw the race's fourth and final caution on the 18th lap; he was credited with 16th. ... Tenth-running Booger Brooks retired a few laps earlier. ... The first three slowdowns all came on the opening lap, eliminating Payton Freeman, Kaede Loudy and T.J. Brittain; it took 10 minutes for the first lap to be completed, then just 13 minutes for the final 39. ... Six starters completed 40 laps. ... Casey Turman was scored as winner of the second consolation after apparent winner Tod Hernandez was disqualified; Colten Jackson was awarded a transfer spot.

On the move: Michael Layman of Ringgold, Ga., started 16th and finished seventh; Colten Jackson of Chatsworth, Ga., started 18th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Mitchell's Brett Coltman-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Coltman Farms Racing, Autism Awareness, Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett, MPM Marketing, SoCar Chemical, DirtCarLift.com, Boswell Oil, VP Racing Fuels, SRI Performance, Bayea Headers, Swift Springs and Bilstein Shocks.

Points chase: After North Georgia: 1. Ronnie Johnson (1,432); 2. Joe Denby (1,424); 3. Billy Franklin (1,350); 4. Dillon Tidmore (1,296); 5. Kendall Franklin (1,268).

Current weather: Clear, 75°F

Car count: 35

Fast qualifier: David Payne

Time: 13.373 seconds

Polesitter: David Payne

Consolation race winners: Jordon Horton, Casey Turman, T.J. Brittain, Michael Layman

Provisional starters: Ronnie Johnson, Joe Denby

Next series race: June 21, Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) $5,000