Tucker Anderson Claims $5,000 SAS Win in Sammy Cooper Classic at Penton Raceway
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Round three of the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties season took place on Friday night at Penton Raceway and Tucker Anderson, of Blairsville, Georgia, emerged victorious to pocket the $5,000 first place prize in the ‘Sammy Cooper Classic!’ Tucker, who clicked off the fastest lap in MRP Fantasy Racing time trials, earned the pole position for the main event by virtue of laying down the quickest time in Group A during VP Racing Fuels qualifying. From there, Tucker capitalized on the track position and led each of the forty circuits during the caution-plagued contest to claim his third career SAS triumph.
Finishing 1.088 seconds behind the winning Anderson at the unfurling of the checkered flag was runner-up Dalton Cook. The 2024 SAS Champion set a New Track Record during time trials and ran in the second spot throughout the headliner. Dylan Knowles picked off five competitors to land on the podium in third. Ashton Winger gained a spot to finish fourth, while Matt Cooper improved two positions to lock down a top five effort.
Tucker Anderson’s winning #22 Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Cornett Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Beaverdam Trucking, Vinson Sims Construction, T&S Transportation, Equiplinc Auction Group, Interstate Welding and Steel Supply, Recovery Specialists of North Georgia, Sage Coleman Financial, Bilstein Shocks, Rumley Engineering, Diamond Coatings, Mountain Water Works, Ray Cook Racing, SRI Performance, Gambler Performance, VP Racing Fuels, Collins Signs, and Hoosier Racing Tire.
A total of 29 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series competitors piled into the Penton Raceway pit area on Friday for the annual running of the ‘Sammy Cooper Classic.’ Tucker Anderson went quickest in MRP Fantasy Racing hot laps with his time 13.350 seconds, while Dalton Cook set a New Track Record during VP Racing Fuels qualifying with his lap of 13.326 seconds. Kendall Franklin and Cruz Skinner topped the pair of consolation events, while Dillon Daves, Billy Franklin, and Will Hicks (emergency) received provisionals.
The SAS tour was then scheduled to invade North Georgia Speedway on Saturday, March 7, but the high threat of rain and thunderstorms at race time forced both track and series officials to postpone the now $7,000 to win program to Thursday, March 12. The pit gates will open at 2:00pm and the grandstands will start to allow fans into the storied Chatsworth, Georgia facility an hour later at 3:00pm. The drivers meeting is scheduled for 5:00pm and racing action will start at 6:00pm.
Adult grandstand admission on Thursday will be $25.00, while kids ages 5-11 will be admitted into the stands for $15.00. A pit pass for adults will be $45.00, while kids ages 5-11 will be allowed into the pit area for $20.00. Children ages 4 and under are FREE in both the grandstands and the pits.
Along with the SAS Super Late Models on the North Georgia Speedway season opening card will be the 604 Late Model, 602 Late Model, Open Wheel Modified, Front Wheel Drive, and Stock FWD divisions. North Georgia Speedway is located at 300 North Georgia Raceway Road in Chatsworth, Georgia. For more information on this show, please contact 828-360-5353 or visit www.northgeorgiaspeedway.net.
Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties
Round 3 Race Summary
Friday, March 6, 2026
Penton Raceway - Lafayette, Alabama
American Racer Tires Feature Finish (40 Laps):
1. (1) Tucker Anderson $5,000
2. (2) Dalton Cook $2,000
3. (8) Dylan Knowles $1,200
4. (5) Ashton Winger $1,000
5. (7) Matt Cooper $900
6. (13) Todd Morrow $800
7. (11) Kendall Franklin $700
8. (19) Tyler Millwood $680
9. (9) Payton Freeman $640
10. (21) Dillon Daves $600
11. (23) Will Hicks $80
12. (18) Shay Miller $560
13. (16) Evan Harrell $550
14. (6) Austin Horton $540
15. (10) Tyler Thomason $530
16. (12) Cruz Skinner $520
17. (15) Larry Harrod $510
18. (22) Billy Franklin $500
19. (17) Jake Rainey $500
20. (20) JR Moseley $500
21. (3) Trenton Mathis $500
22. (4) Payton Stevenson $500
23. (14) Lavon Sparks $500
Entries: 29
Lap Leaders: Tucker Anderson (Laps 1-40)
Caution Flags: 7
Deatherage Opticians 4th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Ashton Winger
Deatherage Opticians 13th Place Finisher ($50.00 Product Certificate): Evan Harrell
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Tucker Anderson 13.350
VP Racing Fuels Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Dalton Cook 13.326 - NEW TRACK RECORD
Group A (Top Five Locked Into A-Main): 1. 22-Tucker Anderson, 13.491[9]; 2. 5-Trenton Mathis, 13.533[14]; 3. 12W-Ashton Winger, 13.612[10]; 4. 18C-Matt Cooper, 13.665[6]; 5. F1-Payton Freeman, 13.731[2]; 6. T1-Todd Morrow, 13.769[13]; 7. 317-Kendall Franklin, 13.794[5]; 8. 27-Larry Harrod, 13.863[7]; 9. 87-Jake Rainey, 13.980[12]; 10. 31-Tyler Millwood, 13.988[3]; 11. 35-Dillon Daves, 14.113[11]; 12. 07-Chase Oliver, 14.185; 13. 12-Jack Franklin, 14.369[8]; 14. 15-Will Hicks, 14.515[4]; 15. 11B-Lance Brasington, 14.515[1]
Group B (Top Five Locked Into A-Main): 1. 44D-Dalton Cook, 13.326[3]; 2. 24-Payton Stevenson, 13.606[11]; 3. 3-Austin Horton, 13.708[12]; 4. 66K-Dylan Knowles, 13.711[8]; 5. 7-Tyler Thomason, 13.804[14]; 6. 11-Lavon Sparks, 13.855[13]; 7. 11S-Allen Styck, 13.865[10]; 8. 11C-Cruz Skinner, 13.885[2]; 9. 28-Evan Harrell, 13.908[7]; 10. 21-Shay Miller, 13.952[9]; 11. 17-Billy Franklin, 14.018[4]; 12. 99-JR Moseley, 14.023[6]; 13. 38-Dillon Tidmore, 14.090[1]; 14. 108-Chuck Southard, 14.846[5]
J&J Construction B-Main #1 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 317-Kendall Franklin[2]; 2. T1-Todd Morrow[1]; 3. 27-Larry Harrod[3]; 4. 87-Jake Rainey[4]; 5. 31-Tyler Millwood[5]; 6. 35-Dillon Daves[6]; 7. 07-Chase Oliver[7]; 8. 12-Jack Franklin[8]; 9. 15-Will Hicks[9]; 10. (DNS) 11B-Lance Brasington
Southern Racing Enterprise B-Main #2 Finish (Top Five Transfer): 1. 11C-Cruz Skinner[3]; 2. 11-Lavon Sparks[2]; 3. 28-Evan Harrell[4]; 4. 21-Shay Miller[5]; 5. 99-JR Moseley[7]; 6. 38-Dillon Tidmore[8]; 7. 17-Billy Franklin[6]; 8. 108-Chuck Southard[9]; 9. 11S-Allen Styck[1]
Provisionals: Dillon Daves, Billy Franklin
Emergency Provisional: Will Hicks
Current Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Point Standings:
1. Tucker Anderson - 386
2. Payton Freeman - 374
3. Dalton Cook - 362
4. Dillon Daves - 360
5. Kendall Franklin - 358
6. Billy Franklin - 340
7. Payton Stevenson - 332
T-8. Allen Styck - 253
T-8. Will Hicks - 253
10. Evan Harrell - 249
2026 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Schedule:
February 5 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - RAINED OUT
February 6 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
February 7 - Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) - BRANDON OVERTON
March 6 - Penton Raceway (Lafayette, AL) - TUCKER ANDERSON
March 7 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - PPD TO 3/12
March 12 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - $7,000 to win
March 20 - Modoc Speedway (Modoc, SC) - $10,004 to win
March 21 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - $20,053 to win
April 10 - Hartwell Speedway (Hartwell, GA) - $4,000 to win
April 11 - Winder-Barrow Speedway (Winder, GA) - $5,000 to win
May 1 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - $5,000 to win
May 2 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - $7,500 to win
May 15 - Golden Mountain Speedway (Sparta, TN) - $5,000 to win
May 16 - Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) - $5,000 to win
June 12 - Cochran Motor Speedway (Cochran, GA) - $TBA to win
June 13 - Senoia Raceway (Senoia, GA) - $7,500 to win
July 3 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - $5,000 to win
August 14 - To Be Announced
August 15 - Thunderhill Raceway (Summertown, TN) - $5,026 to win
August 28 - Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) - $7,500 to win
August 29 - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $12,022 to win
September 4 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - $5,004 to win
September 5 - To Be Announced
September 6 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - $5,000 to win
September 17 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - $10,018 to win
October 9 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - $TBA to win
October 10 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - $TBA to win
October 25 - Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, SC) - $30,000 to win
The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Showtime Properties would like to thank all of our marketing partners including Showtime Properties, American Racer Tires, J&J Construction, VP Racing Fuels, Coltman Farms Racing, Southern Racing Enterprise, Deatherage Opticians, Fullmoon Graphics, Gentry Used Auto Parts & Recycling, RockAuto.com, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Olivia Gentry Real Estate, MD3 Body Panels, Delph Communications, and Rugged Radios.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com
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