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Mike Marlar Picks Up Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series Pete Abell Memorial Win at Ponderosa Speedway

JUNCTION CITY, KENTUCKY (August 6, 2021)– The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series would be in competition at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY on Friday evening for the track’s 23rd Annual Pete Abell Memorial event and Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN would see the checkered flag first in the 50 lap contest and garner a $10,000 payday. This would be round seven of the Sunoco Race Fuels $10,000 Plus Challenge Mini-Series.

The win by the 43 year-old Marlar would be his first career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and come behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis powered by a Cornett Race Engine. Marlar’s winning mount carries sponsorship from Delk Equipment Sales, Tri-Rivers Enterprises, Rocket Fuels, RS Equipment Sales and Rentals, and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Hudson O’Neal would jump to the lead at the start of the 23rd Annual Pete Abell Memorial main event, with Mike Marlar, Tyler Erb, Dustin Linville, and Spencer Hughes following. Erb would work past Marlar on lap three for second, while Hughes would drive under Linville to take fourth on lap four, with Michael Chilton claiming the fifth position from Linville one circuit later. O’Neal would maintain a comfortable lead until lap thirteen when Erb began to close in on O’Neal, bringing Marlar and Hughes along in the chase. Erb would be nipping at O’Neal’s heels by lap twenty and began to pressure O’Neal for the top spot as a competition caution was thrown with twenty-five laps complete due to the heavy track conditions caused by a heavy rain shower earlier in the afternoon to allow drivers to change helmets or add tear-offs. During the caution period, Erb would pull to the work area with a flat right-rear tire and change it and return and then action would be halted for a few minutes due to a power failure with the lights in turns one and two. Once power was restored and action resumed, O’Neal would maintain the race lead, with Marlar now in second and pressuring O’Neal for the top spot and Marlar would motor around O’Neal for the lead on lap twenty-eight. The second caution of the race would wave on lap thirty when Ricky Thornton, Jr. would slow on the backchute and have to be pushed off the track, done for the event. Marlar would maintain the lead on the restart, with O’Neal, Hughes, Chilton, and Jason Jameson giving chase. Chilton would slip high in turn two on lap thirty-two, allowing Jameson and Zack Dohm to take the fourth and fifth positions. Marlar and O’Neal would put some distance back to Hughes, who would suffer mechanical issues on lap thirty-eight and slow in turn two to bring out the final caution of the event. Marlar and O’Neal would quickly pull away from the field on the restart, while Erb, who had mounted a charge from the back of the pack after his flat-tire on lap twenty-five, would get around Chilton for the fifth position on lap thirty-nine. As Marlar and O’Neal continued to drive away from the field, with Jameson still in third and Dohm fourth, Erb and Chilton would battle for the fifth position, with Chilton regaining the spot on lap forty-two. Marlar would maintain the lead, but O’Neal would mount one final charge over the final four laps, only to see Marlar hang on for a 0.107 second victory at the checkered over O’Neal, with Jameson finishing third, with Dohm and Chilton completing the top five. The remainder of the top ten finishers would be Erb, fifteenth-place starter Scott James, Darrell Lanigan, Jared Hawkins, and Justin Rattliff.

The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will be at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN on Saturday August 7 for the track’s 17th Annual Hall of Fame Classic, paying $10,000 to win. This event is a points event for the Northern and Southern divisions of the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series.

For more information about the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, please contact Chris Tilley at (828) 361-5981 or visit the tour’s webpage at www.IMDIRT.net or visit the tour page Iron-Man Racing Series on Facebook and Iron-Man Series (@CTPROMOTE) on Twitter.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their support of the 2021 racing season: Valvoline, Zerex by Valvoline, Brucebilt Performance, Hoosier Racing Tire, E-Z-GO, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, DirtonDirt.com, FloRacing, XS Power Batteries, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Swafford Signs, MSR Mafia, Envy Suspension, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, Cruise with the Champions, KND Safety, Impact RaceGear, Race Clean, and Denby’s J&J Construction.

About Valvoline™

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. It operates and franchises approximately 1,400 quick-lube locations, and it is the No. 2 chain by number of stores in the United States under the Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeSM brand and the No. 3 chain by number of stores in Canada under the Valvoline Great Canadian Oil Change brand. It also markets Valvoline lubricants and automotive chemicals, including the Valvoline High Mileage with MaxLife technology motor oil for engines over 75,000 miles; Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic motor oil; Valvoline Premium Blue™ heavy-duty motor oil; Valvoline Multi-Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid; and Zerex™ antifreeze. To learn more, visit www.valvoline.com.

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series 23rd Annual Pete Abell Memorial at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY on Friday August 6, 2021

1. Mike Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
2. Hudson O’Neal-Martinsville, Ind.
3. Jason Jameson-Lawrenceburg, Ind.
4. Zack Dohm-Cross Lanes, West Va.
5. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
6. Tyler Erb-New Waverly, Tx.
7. Scott James-Lawrenceburg, Ind.
8. Darrell Lanigan-Union, Ky.
9. Jared Hawkins-Fairmont, West Va.
10. Justin Rattliff-Campbellsville, Ky.
11. Dustin Nobbe-Batesville, Ind.
12. Tristan Chamberlain-Richmond, Ind.
13. Spencer Hughes-Meridan, Miss.
14. David Webb-Nicholasville, Ky.
15. Ricky Thornton, Jr.-Adel, Ia.
16. Dustin Linville-Bryantsville, Ky.
17. Chris Combs-Isom, Ky.
18. Devin Gilpin-Columbus, Ind.
19. Jensen Ford-Johnson City, Tenn.
20. Ted Nobbe-Batesville, Ind.
21. Rod Carter, Jr.-Woodbine, Ky.
22. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.

Time of Race: 47 minutes, 38 seconds
Margin of Victory: 0.107 seconds
Yellow Flags: Three (lap 25, 30, 38)
Red Flags: One (lap 25)
Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal 1-27, Mike Marlar 28-50
Entries: 24
E-Z-GO Time Trials Top Qualifier: Jenson Ford (Group B) 12.757 seconds
Provisional Starters: Ted Nobbe, Chris Combs

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat One Finish (8 laps/top 4 transfer): Hudson O’Neal, Zack Dohm, Jason Jameson, Justin Rattliff, Tristan Chamberlain, Chris Combs

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Two Finish (8 laps/top 4 transfer): Spencer Hughes, Michael Chilton, Devin Gilpin, Scott James, Rod Carter, Jr., Jeff Rawlings

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Three Finish (8 laps/top 4 transfer): Mike Marlar, Dustin Linville, Darrell Lanigan, Jensen Ford, Vic Hill, Steve Godsey

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Four Finish (8 laps/top 4 transfer): Tyler Erb, David Webb, Jared Hawkins, Dustin Nobbe, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Ted Nobbe

Impact RaceGear B-Main One Finish (8 laps/top 4 transfer): Tristan Chamberlain, Rod Carter, Jr., Ricky Thornton, Jr., Vic Hill, Chris Combs, Steve Godsey, Jeff Rawlings, Ted Nobbe

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