8/31/2025
Southern All Stars
Travis Fultz Finds Victory Lane in Buddy Rogers Memorial for Biggest Career Win
(TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE) The tripleheader weekend for the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises wrapped up on Sunday evening with the 17th edition of the ‘Buddy Rogers Memorial’ and it was first-time series winner Travis Fultz celebrating in Tazewell Speedway victory lane! Travis laid down the fifth quickest lap overall during the qualifying session and later rolled off from the inside of the third row in the 44-lap headliner. Chasing down race-long leader Forrest Trent, Travis made the winning pass on lap 40 and led the final five circuits to capture the $5,000 first place prize money.
The Harrogate, Tennessee native beat Forrest Trent to the checkered flag by 0.863 of a second to collect the biggest win of his career. Forrest, who started from the pole by virtue of earning Fast Time honors during time trials, led the first 39 laps of the ‘Buddy Rogers Memorial’ before settling for a runner-up performance - his second straight podium finish of the weekend with the SAS tour. Josh Henry climbed three spots to round out the podium in third. Outside polesitter Cruz Skinner - making a rare 2025 appearance - slipped to fourth, while series regular Kendall Franklin nabbed the final spot inside of the top five at the finish.
Jordon Horton was credited with a sixth place effort at the completion of the ‘Buddy Rogers Memorial’ and received an extra $500 bonus for being the highest finishing driver on four American Racer tires. The original finishing order of the contest was altered slightly from positions 6-9 due to a transponder issue on the #7 car of Brian Smith. The 44-lapper ran caution-free and lasted just shy of ten minutes in length with seven starters completing the entire distance.
“This feels great - it’s my first Super Late Model win and I couldn't do it anywhere better than here at my home track,” exclaimed an excited Fultz in front of a great crowd at the Tazewell, Tennessee facility. “I have to thank all of these fans for coming out and supporting this deal and most of all our Lord and Savior. This car was great here tonight and I was just trying to be careful and bide my time. When we got to that pack of cars in lapped traffic late in the race, I knew I had to go now (and get the lead) and it all worked out great!”
Travis Fultz piloted a Team Zero by Bloomquist #329 machine powered by a DJ’s Performance Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Phillips Excavating, Quality Masonry, Hopson Racing Fabrication, and Fastlane Signs & Graphics.
A total of 19 competitors were on the grounds at Tazewell Speedway on Sunday for the ‘Buddy Rogers Memorial.’ Thirteen-year-old Beckham Malone was fast right out of the box by laying down the quickest time in MRP Fantasy Racing hot laps with a lap of 11.078 seconds. Forrest Trent then earned Fast Time honors during VP Racing Fuels qualifying with his quick lap of 11.529 seconds. The starting grid for the 44-lap main event was set solely through time trials and Larry James scratched for the night following hot laps.
Next up on the schedule for the Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises will be a visit to Wartburg Speedway on Saturday, September 13. A $5,000 winner’s check will be on the line in the only visit of the year to the Wartburg, Tennessee bullring. Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Ronnie Johnson still finds himself atop of the SAS point standings heading into Wartburg over Michael Luna, Billy Franklin, Kendall Franklin, and Dillon Tidmore. More information on Wartburg Speedway can be found online by clicking on www.wartburgspeedway.net.
Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series presented by Franklin Enterprises
Round 16 Race Summary
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Tazewell Speedway - Tazewell, Tennessee
American Racer Tires Feature Finish (44 Laps):
- (5) Travis Fultz $5,000
- (1) Forrest Trent $2,500
- (6) Josh Henry $1,200
- (2) Cruz Skinner $1,000
- (3) Kendall Franklin $800
- (4) Jordon Horton $1,250
- (8) Ronnie Johnson $700
- (9) Billy Franklin $650
- (7) Brian Smith $625
- (13) Odie Overholt $600
- (17) Beckham Malone $570
- (11) Jeff Neubert $560
- (18) Michael Luna $550
- (15) Matt Melton $540
- (14) Heath Hindman $530
- (12) Steve Smith $520
- (16) Jody Horton $510
- (10) Karl Tipton $500
DNS. (19) Larry James
Entries: 19
Lap Leaders: Forrest Trent (Laps 1-39), Travis Fultz (Laps 40-44)
Cautions: 0
$500 American Racer Tire Bonus: Jordon Horton
MRP Fantasy Racing Hot Laps:
Fastest Lap Overall: Beckham Malone 11.078
VP Racing Fuels Time Trials:
Fast Time Overall: Forrest Trent 11.529
Qualifying Results - (All Cars Transfer into Feature): 1. 101-Forrest Trent, 00:11.529[6]; 2. 18-Cruz Skinner, 00:11.632[8]; 3. 317-Kendall Franklin, 00:11.814[2]; 4. 56H-Jordon Horton, 00:11.829[12]; 5. 329-Travis Fultz, 00:11.892[14]; 6. B00-Josh Henry, 00:11.966[11]; 7. 7-Brian Smith, 00:12.011[9]; 8. 5-Ronnie Johnson, 00:12.081[10]; 9. 17-Billy Franklin, 00:12.111[1]; 10. 22T-Karl Tipton, 00:12.200[13]; 11. 28-Jeff Neubert, 00:12.213[5]; 12. 3-Steve Smith, 00:12.239[19]; 13. 14-Odie Overholt, 00:12.379[16]; 14. 91-Heath Hindman, 00:12.501[4]; 15. 17M-Matt Melton, 00:12.606[18]; 16. 56J-Jody Horton, 00:12.677[15]; 17. 23-Beckham Malone, 00:12.684[3]; 18. 112-Michael Luna, 00:12.965[17]; 19. (DNS) J2-Larry James
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) - JASON
JAMESON
Friday, August 29 - Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, GA) - MICHAEL BROWN
Saturday, August 30 - Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) - VIC HILL
Sunday, August 31 - Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) - TRAVIS FULTZ
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 - 2826
- Michael Luna - 2611
- Billy Franklin - 2574
- Kendall Franklin - 2456
- Dillon Tidmore - 2045
- Joe Denby - 1912
- Josh Henry - 1757
- Jordon Horton - 1402
- Will Hicks - 994
- Cory Hedgecock - 950
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