Dale McDowell couldn’t help becoming a little sentimental after winning Saturday night’s 41st annual Comp Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway.

At the age of 57 and just under two years removed from undergoing successful prostate cancer surgery, the veteran driver from Chickamauga, Ga., was understandably aware that capturing the crown jewel event for the second time — 19 years after his first victory in 2004 — was like pouring some gravy on his superb career.

As McDowell spoke while receiving his $50,000 winner’s check in victory lane, his interview with pit reporter Ben Shelton was interrupted for a moment by Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who finished second after ceding the lead to McDowell on lap 35. Davenport poured a cup of ice water on McDowell’s head, making the victor cringe in delight.

And McDowell deserved the praise from the 39-year-old Davenport, who led laps 2-34 but couldn’t stop the relentless inside assault authored by the respected driver known as Mac Daddy. Davenport threatened McDowell a few times in lapped traffic over the race’s final two-thirds and closed to within 0.303 of a second at the checkered flag, but McDowell seemed to be in control once he gained command.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., led the race’s first lap but gave up second to McDowell on lap 13 and settled for a third-place finish. Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, reached fourth place on lap 28 and held the position to the finish while two-time Topless 100 winner Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., completed the top five after taking the fifth spot on lap 40.

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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Topless 100 Highlights From Batesville

Winning Quote From Dale McDowell

“When you get my age and we’re looking at the end of our career, you don’t know how many more times you’re gonna get to come to these places. You don’t think about that when you’re younger, but when you get a little older, and you’re able to come to them and be competitive — and more than that, win — it’s very, very special.”

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Topless 100 Results From Batesville

1. Dale McDowell

2. Jonathan Davenport

3. Ricky Thornton Jr.

4. Devin Moran

5. Tim McCreadie

6. Hudson O'Neal

7. Stormy Scott

8. Earl Pearson Jr.

9. Brandon Overton

10. Cade Dillard

11. Daulton Wilson

12. Tyler Erb

13. Garrett Smith

14. Max Blair

15. Kyle Beard

16. Logan Martin

17. Spencer Hughes

18. Ross Robinson

19. Garrett Alberson

20. Hunter Rasdon

21. Brandon Sheppard

22. B.J. Robinson

23. Billy Moyer Jr.

24. Jeremy Shaw

25. Scott Crigler

26. Jared Landers

27. Morgan Bagley

28. Boom Briggs

29. Jon Mitchell

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Point Standings

Ricky Thornton, Jr. leads the point standings by 350 points over Hudson O'Neal. Jonathan Davenport holds down the third spot, while Tim McCreadie now leads Brandon Overton by five points for the all-important fourth position. 

Full Point Standings

Last Race: Topless 100 Prelim Night at Batesville Motor Speedway - August 18

Next Race: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Georgetown Speedway - August 24