BURNSIDE, Ky. — The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series made its first visit of the 2023 racing season to Lake Cumberland Speedway and Josh Rice scored his second straight series victory and take the checkered flag first to claim the $7,531 payday.
For the 24-year-old Rice, it would be his second series win of the season and his eighth career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis with a Vic Hill Race Engine.
Polesitter Josh Henry and outside front row starter Josh Rice would battle for the race lead on the opening lap of the sixth annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial Valvoline A-Main contest, with Rice taking the lead off turn four over Henry, followed by Zack Dohm, Camaron Marlar and Justin Rattliff.
Marlar would get by Dohm for third on lap two, with Michael Chilton working past Rattliff for fifth on the same circuit. Marlar would pressure Henry for second and take the spot on lap four.
With Rice pulling away a bit at this point in the race, Dohm would chase down Henry and take the third spot on lap seven. Rice would begin to start working slower traffic on lap 10 and by lap thirteen, Marlar would begin to close the gap between himself and Rice at the front. Chilton would challenge Henry for fourth at this point, with the duo battling side by side until Chilton would claim the position on lap eighteen.
Rice weaved his way through some more lapped traffic just past the halfway point and actually put some distance between he and Marlar. Rattliff would begin to pressure Henry for the fifth and make his way back into the top five on lap 24. Rice maintained about a one-second advantage over Marlar, who would begin to get some pressure from Dohm for the runner-up slot by lap 30.
Rice struggled a bit with slower traffic for a couple of laps with around five laps remaining, allowing Marlar to close in slightly, but Rice would not be denied and claimed his second straight victory of the weekend, with Marlar placing second and Dohm finishing third.
The finish:
Josh Rice, Camaron Marlar, Zack Dohm, Michael Chilton, Justin Rattliff, Dakotah Knuckles, Josh Henry, Adam Ahl, Austin Lay, Skylar Marlar, Henry Hornsby III, Shane Irvin, Stacy Boles, Larry Martin Jr., Josh Sneed, Jeff Watson, Mike Bargo, Jensen Ford, Victor Lee.