LUCAMA, N.C. – While Sunday marked the beginning of a new season for Southern National Motorsports Park’s hometown divisions, it was a familiar story in Charger and Any Car.
Rusty Daniels, who picked up four of his 14 wins in 2025 at Southern National, led 64 of 75 laps in the KONI Charger division to take the win. He faced a challenge from Michael O’Brien early but retook the lead after the two drivers tangled in turn four, then held off challenges from J.D. Eversole and Brandon Clements to hang on for the victory.,
“We had a really good car,” Daniels said in victory lane. “Can’t thank the racetrack enough, all my sponsors. It’s great, first one of the year. It’s nice to win, it don’t matter how many cars, but it’s very nice to win in a 24 car field like this.”
Daniels will chase the KONI Charger division championship at Southern National in 2026. Last year, he won the championship at Carteret County Speedway and won the Six Pack Charger Series championship, which was a series held at both Southern National and Carteret.
Clements mounted a charge late but had to settle for a second place finish.
“His stuff was really, really good,” Clements said. “We had plenty of drive. We saved right rear but, in saving right rear, we killed the right front. So when it got time to go, we just couldn’t roll the middle quite as well as he could, but we’re happy with a second place run today.”
Justin Mitchell finished in third while J.D. Eversole and Aiden McConnaughey rounded out the top-five.
Michael Sliger and Andrew Watson battled side-by-side throughout much of the 20-lap Any Car race, swapping the lead amongst each other. Watson, however, saved his best for last, making the race winning pass on the final lap to kickstart his quest for a third consecutive division championship at Southern National.
After the race, Watson went to the grandstands and gave his race winning trophy to a young fan.
“This win’s awesome,” Watson said. “I’m just trying to motivate kids to get into racing and continue our sport. It kind of seems like a dying breed. If I can motivate somebody, that’s what I’m here to do. And that was an awesome race with Slider. I think the lapped car helped us there.”
A.J. Sanders scored the victory in the Mini Stock race over Robert Arch and Jason Garwood. Dennis Werner, meanwhile, took the overall win in the Southern National Vintage Series while Kevin Floars won in Sportsman. Barry Dalton took the checkered flag in the Virgina Vintage Racers portion of the race.
