WALLINGFORD, Ky. — The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP Racing Fuels would roll into Mudlick Valley Raceway to kick off a weekend doubleheader of racing action with the Cheap’s Chevrolet 30 presented by Story Realty and Big Blue Outdoor.
Fifth-place starter Freddie Carpenter would inherit the lead when leader Jason Jameson had a flat right-rear tire under caution with three laps remaining and would drive on the grab the victory and $5,000 payday.
The win for Carpenter, who turned 54-years-old on Thursday, would be his first-career Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP Racing Fuels win and would make him the 13th different winner in 17 events with the tour so far this season.
Jason Jameson would take the lead at the start of the Cheap’s Chevrolet 30 Valvoline A-Main contest, with Rusty Schlenk, Seth Daniels, Carpenter and Ryan Missler giving chase.
A caution for debris in turn three would wave on lap two and during the caution, second place-running Schlenk would have a flat right-rear tire and go to the work area, change it and return. Jameson would maintain the top spot on the restart, with Daniels, Carpenter and Missler second through fourth, with Devin Shiels now fifth.
Missler would see his night come to an end one lap later and draw a caution as he slowed on the backstretch after breaking an oil-pump belt. The attempted restart would not see a lap completed as Kirk Phillips and Derek Fisher would tangle exiting turn two, with both drivers finished for the night.
Jameson would again control the lead on the restart, with Daniels and Carpenter in pursuit, while Tim Dohm would drive around Shiels for the fourth position. The front five remained the same until a caution on lap seven for an incident involving Austin Lay and Zach Hill would slow the action. The restart would see the top five remain the same as Jameson would begin to put some distance on the field and would start lapping slower traffic on lap 15, with Carpenter taking second from Daniels on the same circuit.
As Jameson continued to pull away from the field, Carpenter would stave off the challenges of Daniels, while Shannon Thornsberry would make a daring move by Devin Shiels to go to fifth. With Jameson garnering just a tick over a three second lead, the final caution of the race waved on lap 28 when Schlenk, who had pitted for a flat tire during the debris caution on lap two, would slow with another flat right-rear tire after working his way back up to sixth.
It would be during the caution period that disaster would strike for Jameson, as he would pull off the track into the work area with a flat right-rear tire, would change it and return. This turn of events would put Carpenter to the race lead and he would maintain the top spot on the restart, followed by Daniels and Dohm, while Thornsberry would grab fourth from Shiels.
Carpenter would maintain the top spot and take the checkered flag first 0.900 seconds ahead of Daniels, while Dohm, Thornsberry and Shiels completed the top five.
Feature Finish (30 Laps)
1. Freddie Carpenter-Parkersburg, W.V., 2. Seth Daniels-Jackson, Ohio, 3. Tim Dohm-Cross Lanes, W.V., 4. Shannon Thornsberry-Martin, Ky., 5. Devin Shiels-Britton, Mich., 6. Rod Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio , 7. R.J. Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio, 8. Kenneth Howell-Inez, Ky., 9. Rusty Schlenk-McClure, Ohio , 10. Luke Morey-Denver, N.C., 11. Clint Keenan-Pataskala, Ohio , 12. Jason Jameson-Lawrenceburg, Ind., 13. Billy Green-Walton, Ky., 14. Rob Anderzack-Swanton, Ohio , 15. Nicky Pennington-Morehead, Ky., 16. Justin Cooper-Wheelersburg, Ohio, 17. Austin Lay-Walton, Ky., 18. Zach Hill-Red House, W.V., 19. Ryan Missler-Bellevue, Ohio , 20. Kirk Phillips-Ashland, Ky., 21. Shane Bailey-Grayson, Ky., 22. Derek Fisher-Olympia, Ky., 23. Kenny Christy-Vanceburg, Ky.