Chris Madden in victory lane after his Cherokee victory.
What won the race: Series points leader and reigning champ Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., led unchallenged for 40 laps to capture Sunday’s Frostbite 40 at Cherokee Speedway for a $5,000 Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series victory.
Quotable: “We wasn’t really that good in the heat race, but we made some adjustments here for the feature, and man, we had a really, really good race car for the feature,” Madden said. “It’s probably one of the best cars I’ve had here in this track condition here tonight."
Key notes: Madden, who started outside the front row, led by margins of as much as five seconds. ... Runner-up Ross Bailes was in the Billy Hicks Racing No. 79, the car he drove to a series victory the previous day at Lake View (S.C.) Motor Speedway. ... Six cautions slowed Cherokee's action, most for single-car incidents. ... David Yandle spun on lap six just in front of Madden. \"That was big uh-oh,\" said Madden, who narrowly avoided Yandle's car. ... Trent Ivey and Zack Mitchell (flat) fell out of the top five late. ... Daulton Wilson held second early but fell from contention with a left-rear blowout on lap 14. ... John Ruggiero Jr. won Sunday's 602 Crate Late Model feature.
On the move: Stewart Friesen of Sprakers, N.Y., started 16th and finished fifth.
Winner's sponsors: The Chris Madden Racing Rocket Chassis is powered by an Andy Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Drydene Performance Products, Franklin Enterprises, Henderson Amusement, Millwood Plumbing, Petroff Towing, Century Plastics, Davis Diesel Service, Worley Monument, VP Racing Fuels, Penske Racing Shocks, Hoosier Racing Tire and Cole Perkins Media & Promotions.
Points chase: After Cherokee: 1. Chris Madden (300) 2. Kyle Strickler (275); 3. Daulton Wilson (240); 4. Anthony Sanders (224) 5. Trent Ivey (213).
Current weather: Clear, 48°F
Car count: 29
Fast qualifier: Kyle Strickler
Time: 14.985 seconds
Polesitter: Ross Bailes
Heat race winners: Kyle Strickler, Zack Mitchell, Ross Bailes, , , , ,
Consolation race winners: Stewart Friesen, , ,
Provisional starters: Tim Vance, David Yandle, Matthew Nance, Larry Grube,
Next series race: February 27, Modoc Raceway (Modoc, SC) $7,000