11/20/2022
Payton Freeman
Freeman nets career payday in Southern Showcase at Deep South Speedway
Payton Freeman picked up the biggest win of his young career on Sunday evening during the finale of the Hunt The Front Southern Showcase at Deep South Speedway.
Not only did the $22,000 victory represent the richest of his young career, but it also marked his first win in the G.R. Smith-owned Gambler Transport / Victory Circle Auto Sales No. 22 Team 22 Inc. / Coltman Farms Racing / Longhorn Race Car / Cornett Racing Engine Super Late Model.
Freeman’s triumph came over a hard-charging Brandon Overton.
“I’ve got a lot of emotions going through me,” Freeman said in Victory Lane. “I rode behind Brandon [Overton] for a little while earlier in the race so I could see where he was attacking and what he could do. I knew he was going to try roll me on the outside, but if I protected the bottom and hit my marks, it was going to be hard for him to get me.
“But, man props to him [Brandon Overton]. He beat me on the start there and I hate he had bad luck there (flat tire). I guess it’s better to be lucky than good. We’ve had a really fast Longhorn race car but luck hasn’t been on our side. Tonight, everything came together and we got the big win. Just thanks to G.R. Smith. This is awesome.”
Payton Freeman returned to the driver’s seat of the Team 22 Inc. No. 22 Late Model on Friday afternoon for the two-day Hunt the Front Southern Showcase at Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.).
Drawing 27 Late Models for the unsanctioned event, Freeman followed up the second-fastest qualifying effort with a heat race win.
Chasing race-long pacesetter Brandon Overton to the checkers Friday’s prelim, Payton raced to runner-up finish in the 25-lapper with Joseph Joiner rounding out the podium.
With a rain shower Saturday afternoon pushing the finale to Sunday, Payton outran Bo Slay in his heat to pick up the eight-lap victory. Keeping a threatening Brandon Overton at bay in the closing laps of the main event, Freeman rolled to his biggest career win, a $22,000 payday aboard the G.R. Smith-owned entry.
He grabbed the lead on lap 26 when the leaders slowed and held off Overton's charge after a late race restart to secure his third win of the 2022 campaign.
Overton, Spencer Hughes, Josh Putnam, and Joseph Joiner trailed him to the checkers in the 50-lap affair.
Full results from the weekend are available at www.DeepSouthSpeedway.org.
Article Credit: Josh James Artwork image
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