Josh Rice Wins Wild Southern Nationals Opener At Beckley Motorsports Park For $10,053 Payday

Story By: RYAN DELPH / SOUTHERN NATIONALS SERIES – BECKLEY, WV – In an entertaining Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series season opener, Josh Rice was the fourth and final leader and emerged victorious for a $10,053 payday at Beckley Motorsports Park near Beckley, West Virginia on Friday, July 16!

After clicking off the fifth quickest lap in Group A during the FK Rod Ends qualifying session, Josh placed second in his heat race to earn the inside of the third row for the start of the 53-lap headliner. The young Verona, Kentucky ace then climbed up to the second spot and was in prime position to take advantage of leader Devin Moran’s flat right-side tires under caution to assume the point for a lap 39 restart.

Josh then kept his machine out front of the field in the waning laps and survived a late caution flag with only four circuits remaining to beat a charging Zack Dohm to the checkered flag by 1.529 seconds. Zack, who picked up a $20,000 top prize in the unsanctioned ‘Beckley USA 100’ back on July 4, vaulted from his twelfth starting spot to record the impressive runner-up effort. Outside polesitter Jacob Hawkins, who led the first seven laps of the contest, held on to round out the podium in third despite damage after a skirmish with eventual winner Rice. Fourteenth-starting Donald McIntosh and ninth-starting Jensen Ford both methodically moved forward to land in the fourth and fifth finishing positions respectively.

“I watched a lot of videos from here and seen how good the cushion was,” quoted Rice in victory lane in front of the FloRacing cameras and the large grandstand crowd. “I was like – this looks like my cup of tea. I’ve got to give a big shout out to Zack Dohm who is really good here. To be able to come here and outrun him is really cool. I hate how the deal with (Jacob) Hawkins happened, but I was just so much faster and it was time to go.”

The win in the inaugural series stop to Beckley Motorsports Park marked Josh’s first career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series victory. He became the 42nd different driver to win on the miniseries tour, which celebrates its 17th year of existence in 2021. Josh’s five-figure triumph came aboard a #11 XR1 Rocket Chassis powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine with sponsorship from Sunesis Construction, Blox Spiked Ice, Base Racing Fuels, Slicker Graphics, Integra Racing Shocks, and Rice Brothers Racing.

A 24 car field converged on Beckley Motorsports Park for the first leg of the 12-race Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series. Devin Moran, of Dresden, Ohio, earned Fast Time honors during FK Rod Ends qualifying by posting a fast lap of 13.135 seconds around the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval. Heat race wins went to Moran, Ross Bailes, Jacob Hawkins, and Dale McDowell, while the lone consolation event was won by young gun Benjamin Cranford.

Round two of the 2021 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals campaign is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 17 at the picturesque Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia. The 1/2-mile speedplant has a long history of hosting events with the popular summer series, as previous winners include: Dennis Franklin (’06), Chris Madden (’07 & ’08), Vic Hill (’09), Austin Dillon (’11), Vic Hill (’12), Chris Madden (’13), Jonathan Davenport (’14), Billy Ogle, Jr. (’15), Dale McDowell (’16), Vic Hill (’17), Dale McDowell (’18), and Brandon Overton (’19 & ’20). Another $10,053 top prize will be on the line for the cars and stars racing with the tour at Wythe Raceway with the pit gates opening at 4:00pm, the grandstands opening at 5:00pm, and hot laps slated for 7:00pm.

Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels
Event #1 of 12
Race Summary
Friday, July 16, 2021
Beckley Motorsports Park – Beckley, West Virginia

Schaeffer’s Oil Feature Finish (53 Laps):
1. (5) Josh Rice $10,053
2. (12) Zack Dohm $5,000
3. (2) Jacob Hawkins $2,500
4. (14) Donald McIntosh $1,800
5. (9) Jensen Ford $1,250
6. (1) Devin Moran $900
7. (13) Cody Overton $800
8. (8) Mike Benedum $700
9. (3) Ross Bailes $675
10. (7) Henry Hornsby $650
11. (19) Ahnna Parkhurst $625
12. (11) Stacy Boles $600
13. (17) Benjamin Cranford $575
14. (22) Andy Standridge $550
15. (21) Jeff Neubert $525
16. (6) Michael Brown $500
17. (15) Aaron Barley $500
18. (20) Aaron Carter $500
19. (10) Rick Williams $500
20. (16) Garrett Smith $500
21. (18) Jordy Nipper $500
22. (4) Dale McDowell $500

Entries: 24
Lap Leaders: Jacob Hawkins (Laps 1-7), Ross Bailes (Laps 8-23), Devin Moran (Laps 24-38), Josh Rice (Laps 39-53)
Cautions: 8 (Lap 2 for a slowing Dale McDowell, Lap 2 restart for a botched start, Lap 16 for a slowing Michael Brown, Lap 21 for a slowing Jeff Neubert, Lap 38 for debris, Lap 38 restart for a multiple car tangle, Lap 38 second restart for a multiple car tangle, Lap 49 for a slowing Ross Bailes)

FK Rod Ends Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Devin Moran 13.135
Group A: Devin Moran 13.135
Group B: Jacob Hawkins 13.173

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #1 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Devin Moran, 2. Josh Rice, 3. Jensen Ford, 4. Cody Overton, 5. Aaron Carter, 6. Eslie Bills

American Racer South Heat Race #2 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Ross Bailes, 2. Henry Hornsby, 3. Stacy Boles, 4. Aaron Barley, 5. Andy Standridge, 6. Lenny Stafford

E-Z GO Heat Race #3 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Jacob Hawkins, 2. Michael Brown, 3. Rick Williams, 4. Donald McIntosh, 5. Benjamin Cranford, 6. Jeff Neubert

Delph Communications Heat Race #4 Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. Dale McDowell, 2. Mike Benedum, 3. Zack Dohm, 4. Garrett Smith, 5. Jordy Nipper, 6. Ahnna Parkhurst

Collins Signs B-Main Finish (Top Six Transfer): 1. Benjamin Cranford, 2. Jordy Nipper, 3. Ahnna Parkhurst, 4. Aaron Carter, 5. Jeff Neubert, 6. Andy Standridge, 7. Eslie Bills, DNS. Lenny Stafford

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series Point Standings:
1. Josh Rice – 200
2. Zack Dohm – 196
3. Jacob Hawkins – 194
4. Donald McIntosh – 192
5. Jensen Ford – 190
6. Devin Moran – 188
7. Cody Overton – 186
8. Mike Benedum – 184
9. Ross Bailes – 182
10. Henry Hornsby – 180
11. Ahnna Parkhurst – 178
12. Stacy Boles – 176
13. Benjamin Cranford – 174
14. Andy Standridge – 172
15. Jeff Neubert – 170

2021 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Schedule:
Friday, July 16 – Beckley Motorsports Park (Beckley, WV) – JOSH RICE
Saturday, July 17 – Wythe Raceway (Rural Retreat, VA) – $10,053 to win
Monday, July 19 – Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) – $4,053 to win
Tuesday, July 20 – I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) – $4,053 to win
Thursday, July 22 – West Georgia Speedway (Whitesburg, GA) – $4,053 to win
Friday, July 23 – Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, GA) – $5,053 to win
Saturday, July 24 – Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, GA) – $10,053 to win
Sunday, July 25 – Rome Speedway (Rome, GA) – $4,053 to win
Tuesday, July 27 – Tri-County Race Track (Brasstown, NC) – $4,053 to win
Thursday, July 29 – Boyd’s Speedway (Ringgold, GA) – $4,053 to win
Friday, July 30 – 411 Motor Speedway (Seymour, TN) – $10,053 to win
Saturday, July 31 – Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) – $10,053 to win