BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP Racing Fuels would visit the Jackson County Fairgrounds at the historic Brownstown Speedway on Saturday evening for the track’s 10th Annual Born Free 40 event.
Devin Gilpin would lead all 40 laps on his way to the $5,000 victory and his fifth Born Free 40 victory at the track.
The win for the 33-year-old Gilpin was his first of the season with the series and third career series victory and came aboard a Rocket Chassis powered by a Clements Race Engine.
The start of the 10th Annual Born Free 40 Valvoline A-Main would not see a full lap completed before Tucker Chastain would spin his machine in turn four. The second attempt at the start would stay green, with Gilpin taking the race lead and Matt Boknecht, Shelby Miles, Seth Daniels and Zak Blackwood giving chase.
Miles would grab second from Boknecht on lap two, while Daniels would drive past Boknecht and Miles to grab second on lap three. With Gilpin sprinting out to a comfortable lead, Jordan Wever would make his way into the top five and would take fourth from Boknecht on lap four. Rusty Schlenk would charge his way from his 11th starting position and would make his way into the top five past Boknecht on lap six.
With Gilpin still maintaining a comfortable lead out front, Wever would pressure Miles for third and take the spot on lap 11. Gilpin would begin the process of lapping slower traffic on lap 12, but the second and final caution of the event would wave with 14 laps completed for Blackwood, whose entry slowed on the backstretch.
The restart would see Gilpin maintain the race lead, while Wever would snag the second position away from Daniels, with Schlenk and Miles in tow. Miles would take fourth from Schlenk on lap 17, with Miles and Schlenk both working past Daniels and shuffling him to fifth on lap 19.
Gilpin and Wever would remain first and second, while Miles and Schlenk would settle into a great battle for the third position, with the duo trading the position on lap 20 and 21.
Gilpin would catch the rear of the field and begin working slower traffic on lap 25 and Wever would reel in Gilpin, but couldn’t get close enough to challenge for the lead. Gilpin would work his way through heavy lapped traffic on lap 29. Gilpin would weave his way through slower traffic, with Wever still giving chase, while Miles and Schlenk renewed their battle for the third position, trading the spot again on lap 30 and 31.
Gilpin would slowly put some distance on Wever in the final few laps and score the victory, with Wever taking second, while Schlenk would nip Miles at the checkered flag for third with a turn four, last lap pass.
Zachary Stalker would complete the top five.