JUNCTION CITY, Ky. – Jonathan Davenport enjoyed a weekend off from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series by topping Friday’s Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series Pete Abell Memorial at Ponderosa Speedway.
Scott James and Davenport would bring the field to the green flag, with Davenport jumping to the race lead at the start of the 40-lap feature, while Tanner English, James, Cameron Marlar and Zack Dohm gave chase.
The lone caution of the event appeared on lap two for a three-car tangle involving Tommy Carlton, Glen Hounshell Jr. and Joey Standridge, with all drivers able to continue. Back underway, Davenport and English would quickly scoot away from the pack, with James holding down third, while sixth place running Jacob Hawkins would take fifth Dohm on lap four and fourth from Marlar on lap five, while Dohm would drive by Marlar for fifth on lap seven.
Meanwhile, Davenport and English continued to pull away from the field, with Davenport starting the process of working slower traffic on lap 10, allowing English to close in on the leader and English would actually pull alongside Davenport on a pair of occasions and the duo maneuvered in and out of traffic.
By the halfway mark, James was starting to reel in the front pair ever so slightly, while 12th place starting Michael Chilton had rim-rode his way around the top of the track to charge to sixth. By lap 30, Davenport was slowly pulling away from English with the lead, while James began showing signs of smoke and would exit the event with four laps remaining.
Davenport would go unchallenged the remainder of the way to score the victory and the $4,000 top prize, with English claiming second and Hawkins finishing in third. Dohm and Chilton would complete the top five finishers.
The finish:
Jonathan Davenport, Tanner English, Jacob Hawkins, Zack Dohm, Michael Chilton, Cameron Marlar, Kody Evans, Ryan King, Justin Rattliff, Glen Hounshell Jr., Joey Standridge, Scott James, Dakotah Knuckles, Larry Greer, Tommy Carlton, Mike Simpson, James Rice, Clay Coghlan, P.J. Simpson.