Ross Bailes scored the win in Saturday night’s Southern All Stars Dirt Late Model Series season opener at Screven Motor Speedway. Photo: Kevin Ritchie Photography
Ross Bailes opened the 2023 Southern All Stars Dirt Late Model Series season with a victory Saturday night in the Winter Freeze at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Georgia.
The win was worth a $10,000 payday for the Clover, South Carolina native.
Bailes took the lead on the start, but saw the event slowed on lap 3 when Ben Boyd spun in the middle of turns 3 and 4. Another caution flew five laps later when Will Roland spun between turns 3 and 4, gathering up four other cars in the melee.
Back under green, Bailes slipped high in turn 1, opening the door for Ray Cook to surge to the lead as Bailes dropped back to fourth. Cook extended his led until he caught lapped traffic on lap 21. By that point, Bailes had moved back up to second, and on lap 25, he retook the point from Cook.
Colbert, Georgia’s Kenny Collins mounted a challenge for the lead in heavy lap traffic, even pulling alongside Bailes at one point. But Collins saw his bid for the lead go away when a caution flew on lap 30 for the stopped car of Parker Martin.
Bailes held the lead on the restart, with Collins as the leaders approached lapped traffic on lap 41. But again, Collins’ attempts were foiled by a caution on lap 42. From there, Bailes ran unchallenged to the victory.
Collins had to settle for second, with Steven Roberts third, Trent Ivey fourth, and Benji Hicks fifth.
Caleb Gay, Cook[, Jordy Nipper, Brian Nuttall, Jr., and Billy Franklin rounded out the top 10.
Southern All Stars Dirt Late Model Series returns to action on Saturday, March 5 at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina. For more info, visit SASDirt.com.
Southern All Stars Dirt Late Model Series
Screven Motor Speedway – Sylvania, GA
Winter Freeze – February 4, 2023
1. 79-Ross Bailes
2. 1C-Kenny Collins
3. 111-Steven Roberts
4. 88-Trent Ivey
5. 55-Benji Hicks
6. XJR-Caleb Gay
7. 53-Ray Cook
8. 1N-Jordy Nipper
9. 16-Brian Nuttall, Jr.
10. 17-Billy Franklin
11. 2X-John Henderson
12. 26JR-Jimmy Sharpe, Jr.
13. 5-Chase Oliver
14. 212-Josh Putnam
15. 187-David McCoy
16. 20-Todd Brennan
17. 6JR-Parker Martin
18. 29-Christian Hanger
19. 22-Will Roland
20. 121-Pearson Williams
21. 8-Ben Boyd
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