8/16/2025
Southern All Stars
Tucker Anderson Repeats with SAS at Sugar Creek Raceway; Wins $5,757 in Russell Thomas Memorial
(BLUE RIDGE, GEORGIA) For the second time this season, Tucker Anderson was victorious with the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises at Sugar Creek Raceway, as he won Saturday’s 4th Annual Russell Thomas Memorial! Tucker, who laid down the fastest lap in Group A during VP Racing Fuels qualifying to earn the pole position, outdueled fellow front row starter Casey Roberts in the 40-lap headliner and took the lead for good on the nineteenth circuit. The Blairsville, Georgia ace then took the checkered flag 3.418 seconds ahead of Roberts to secure the $5,757.57 payday at the nearby Blue Ridge, Georgia oval.
Casey Roberts earned Fast Time honors overall during the qualifying session with his quick lap in Group B and later led the first eighteen laps in the Russell Thomas Memorial before settling for a strong runner-up performance. Sixth-starting David Payne advanced three spots to round out the podium in third and also received an extra $500 bonus for being the highest finishing driver on four American Racer Tires. Newly-crowned Southern Nationals Series Champion Kaede Loudy moved up a position during the 40-lapper to place fourth, while thirteenth-starting Chris Woods nabbed the final spot inside of the top five at the checkers.
“It’s pretty neat, this is like my ninth or tenth Super Late Model race,” commented Anderson in Sugar Creek Raceway victory lane. “So it’s pretty cool to win these type of races early on in my career. We work really hard on this thing - we’ve been pretty good, but we just have to keep working hard to get better. I have to thank all of our great sponsors, my family, my girlfriend, and (Kevin) Rumley.”
Tucker Anderson’s winning #22 Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Cornett Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Beaverdam Trucking, Vinson Sims Construction, Interstate Welding and Steel Supply, Bilstein Shocks, Rumley Engineering, Diamond Coatings, Mountain Water Works, SRI Performance, Ray Cook Racing, Gambler Performance, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tire, and Collins Signs.
A total of 24 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series competitors were on hand at Sugar Creek Raceway for the Russell Thomas Memorial. Zack Mitchell, who broke a brake line during the main event, started his evening off by laying down the quickest lap in MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps with a time of 14.611 seconds. Casey Roberts then knocked down a lap of 14.614 seconds during VP Racing Fuels qualifying to earn Fast Time honors. Kurt English topped the lone consolation race, while Michael Luna and Will Hicks received provisionals to gain access into the 40-lapper.
Next up for the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises will be a trip to the Bluegrass State on Saturday, August 23. The 14th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial will take place at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Kentucky and a $12,022 first place prize will be up for grabs for the ground-pounding Super Late Models. Hall of Famer Ronnie Johnson still leads the SAS point standings heading into Lake Cumberland this Saturday over a top five that includes Dillon Tidmore, Michael Luna, Joe Denby, and Billy Franklin. Additional information on the Harold Hardgrove Memorial can be found online by clicking on www.lcspeedway.net.
Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises
Round 12 Race Summary
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Sugar Creek Raceway - Blue Ridge, Georgia
American Racer Tires Feature Finish (40 Laps):
- (1) Tucker Anderson $5,757.57
- (2) Casey Roberts $2,500
- (6) David Payne $1,700
- (5) Kaede Loudy $1,000
- (13) Chris Woods $800
- (15) Kendall Franklin $750
- (7) Jordy Nipper $700
- (9) Alex Vance $650
- (18) Dillon Daves $625
- (22) Will Hicks $600
- (11) Billy Franklin $570
- (21) Michael Luna $1,060
- (16) Devon Morgan $550
- (3) Kenny Collins $540
- (20) Ronnie Johnson $530
- (4) Zack Mitchell $520
- (17) Kurt English $510
- (19) Chuck Southard $500
- (12) Jamie Oliver $500
- (8) Daniel Wilson $500
- (10) Jason Deal $500
- (14) Dillon Tidmore $500
Entries: 24
Lap Leaders: Casey Roberts (Laps 1-18), Tucker Anderson (Laps 19-40)
$500 Engine Bonus: Michael Luna
$500 American Racer Tire Bonus: David Payne
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Zack Mitchell 14.611
VP Racing Fuels Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Casey Roberts 14.614
Qualifying - Group A (Top Eight Locked into Feature): 1. 22-Tucker Anderson, 00:14.677[11]; 2. 1C-Kenny Collins, 00:14.728[5]; 3. 126-Kaede Loudy, 00:14.783[8]; 4. 1N-Jordy Nipper, 00:14.892[1]; 5. 95-Alex Vance, 00:15.036[7]; 6. 17-Billy Franklin, 00:15.162[9]; 7. 17W-Chris Woods, 00:15.230[2]; 8. 317-Kendall Franklin, 00:15.294[10]; 9. 17E-Kurt English, 00:15.421[4]; 10. 5-Ronnie Johnson, 00:15.460[3]; 11. 15-Will Hicks, 00:15.970[6]; 12. 3X-Bo Eaton[12]
Qualifying - Group B (Top Eight Locked into Feature): 1. 101-Casey Roberts, 00:14.614[1]; 2. 57-Zack Mitchell, 00:14.826[11]; 3. 8-David Payne, 00:14.911[3]; 4. 12-Daniel WIlson, 00:15.136[6]; 5. 8X-Jason Deal, 00:15.140[5]; 6. 38-Jamie Oliver, 00:15.146[12]; 7. 38T-Dillon Tidmore, 00:15.201[7]; 8. 21-Devon Morgan, 00:15.275[8]; 9. 35-Dillon Daves, 00:15.621[10]; 10. 108-Chuck Southard, 00:16.197[2]; 11. 112-Michael Luna, 00:16.285[9]; 12. 3-Floyd Self, 00:16.658[4]
J&J Construction B-Main Finish (Top Four Transfer): 1. 17E-Kurt English[1]; 2. 35-Dillon Daves[2]; 3. 108-Chuck Southard[4]; 4. 5-Ronnie Johnson[3]; 5. 112-Michael Luna[6]; 6. 3X-Bo Eaton[7]; 7. 3-Floyd Self[8]; 8. (DNS) 15-Will Hicks
Provisionals: Michael Luna, Will Hicks
2025 Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Schedule of Events:
Saturday, February 1 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - CORY HEDGECOCK
Saturday, February 22 - Buckshot Speedway (Clanton, AL) - RAINED OUT
Friday, March 21 - Southern Raceway (Milton, FL) - JOSEPH JOINER
Saturday, March 22 - Southern Raceway (Milton, FL) - RYAN CRANE
Friday, April 11 - Penton Raceway (Lafayette, AL) - CORY HEDGECOCK
Saturday, April 12 - Winder-Barrow Speedway (Winder, GA) - DILLON
TIDMORE
Friday, May 16 - West Alabama Speedway (Winfield, AL) - BILLY FRANKLIN
Saturday, May 17 - North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, AL) - DILLON
TIDMORE
Saturday, June 14 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - POSTPONED TO 8/29
Friday, June 20 - North Georgia Speedway (Chatsworth, GA) - ZACK
MITCHELL
Saturday, June 21 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - TUCKER
ANDERSON
Thursday, July 3 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - GARRETT SMITH
Saturday, July 5 - Mountain View Raceway (Spring City, TN) - RUSTY
BALLENGER
Saturday, August 16 - Sugar Creek Raceway (Blue Ridge, GA) - TUCKER
ANDERSON
Saturday, August 23 - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $12,022
to win
Friday, August 29 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - $4,004 to win
Saturday, August 30 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - $4,000 to win
Sunday, August 31 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - $5,000 to win
Saturday, September 13 - Wartburg Speedway (Wartburg, TN) - $5,000 to
win
Friday, September 19 - Anderson Motor Speedway (Anderson, SC) - $12,000
to win
Saturday, October 11 - Dixie Speedway (Woodstock, GA) - $TBA to win
Saturday, October 25 - I-75 Raceway (Sweetwater, TN) - $10,053 to win
Current Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series Point Standings:
- Ronnie Johnson - 2122
- Dillon Tidmore - 2045
- Michael Luna - 1935
- Joe Denby - 1912
- Billy Franklin - 1856
- Kendall Franklin - 1768
- Josh Henry - 1296
- Jordon Horton - 1036
- David Payne - 894
- Will Hicks - 820
The Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises would like to thank all of our 2025 marketing partners including Franklin Enterprises, American Racer Tires, J&J Construction, VP Racing Fuels, Coltman Farms Racing, Southern Racing Enterprise, 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. More information on the tour can be found online at www.SASDirt.com or by accessing the series Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SouthernAllStarDirtRacingSeries.
Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications
www.DelphCommunications.com