WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio — The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP Racing Fuels would make its final appearance of the season on Friday evening at MRP Raceway Park for the track’s 17th Annual Ike Moler Memorial event and Josh Rice would take the lead on lap 16 and lead the rest of the way to claim the $5,000 victory.
The win by the 25-year-old Rice was his second of the season with the tour and his 15th career series victory.
A full lap wasn’t completed as Austin Lay and Tyler Collins tangled exiting turn four to cause a complete restart. The second attempted start would see Ryan Missler take the race lead, followed by Rice, Adam Stricker, Kirk Phillips and Devin Gilpin.
The front five remained the same as Missler began working slower traffic on lap seven. Missler and Rice would pull away a bit, while Gilpin would challenge Phillips for the fourth position and take the spot on lap 13.
Missler and Rice would encounter heavy traffic on lap 14 and Stricker would close in on the front two, with Rice working past Missler for the lead exiting turn four to complete lap 15.
Missler and Stricker would battle for second and the pair would make contact entering turn three, with Missler spinning and Gilpin spinning to avoid Missler. The restart would see Rice out front, with Stricker now second, while Gilpin was third, with Rusty Schlenk taking fourth from Phillips.
Rice would get into working lapped traffic on lap 25. Rice would have some breathing room, while Gilpin would challenge Stricker for second and take the spot on lap 30. The final caution would appear on lap 37 when Missler slowed with a flat left-rear tire and during the caution, second place Gilpin would pull pit-side with a flat right-rear tire and would not return.
The final restart would see Rice maintain the lead, followed by Stricker and Schlenk, while Seth Daniels would take fourth from Phillips. The front five would remain the same the remainder of the way, with Rice taking the victory, followed by Stricker, Schlenk, Daniels and Phillips.