BURNSIDE, Ky. — The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series would be in competition at Lake Cumberland Speedway on Saturday for the 12th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial presented by SPEDA with a track record $15,022 up for grabs to the winner and Josh Rice would score the biggest win of his career and score his second consecutive victory in the event.
The win by the 25-year-old Rice would be his sixth series win of the season and his 12th career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and would come behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis with a Vic Hill Race Engine.
A multi-car in turn two on the first attempted start of the 12th Annual Harold Hardgrove Memorial presented by SPEDA Valvoline A-Main would see the field gathered back together and the second start would be a go as Michael Chilton would take the race lead, followed by Rice, Devin Gilpin, Greg Johnson and Skylar Marlar.
The front five would remain the same and just as Chilton was about to catch the rear of the field, the caution would wave again on lap seven for debris.
Chilton would lead Rice and Gilpin on the restart, while Marlar challenged Johnson for fourth and would take the position on lap eight. Chilton would begin to again catch and start working lapped traffic when Josh Henry would slow on the frontstretch with a flat right-rear tire.
Chilton and Rice would hold first and second on the restart, while Marlar would work by Gilpin for third. Meanwhile, 17th-place starter Jason Jameson had charged his way through the field and would make his way to fifth by Johnson on lap 16 and would claim fourth from Gilpin one circuit later.
Gilpin would draw the next caution when he slowed in turn three on lap 21 and would be done for the event. Chilton maintained the top spot on the restart, with Rice and Marlar giving chase, while Johnson would take from Jameson, only to see Jameson reclaim the fourth spot one lap later.
Camaron Marlar would make his way into the top five on lap 25, as Rice began to pressure Chilton for the lead. Rice would finally make his move and grab the top spot from Chilton on lap 30 with the caution waving again one lap later for a slowed Grant Garrison on the backstretch.
Rice would lead the field back to the restart, while Skylar Marlar would take second from Chilton, followed by Jameson and Johnson. Camaron Marlar would draw the next caution on lap 32 as he made hard contact with the turn two retaining wall.
Rice would lead Skylar Marlar on the restart, however, only one more lap would be completed as Zak Blackwood would spin in turn four. Rice again commanded the field on the restart, with Skylar Marlar second and Jameson now third, trailed by Johnson and Tyler Nicely.
Debris on the track would be the reason for the next caution on lap 37 and third place Jameson would pull to the work area with a flat right-rear tire.
This restart would continue to see Rice lead, with Skylar Marlar second, followed by Johnson, Nicely and Rod Conley. Conley would take fourth from Nicely on lap 41 and 16th-place starter Tripp Gerrald would take from Nicely on the same lap.
Caution would wave again with 47 laps completed when Nicely would slow on the frontstretch.
The restart would see Shane Bailey spin in turn four and again set up a three-lap dash to the finish. Rice would maintain a comfortable advantage after the final restart and score the victory, followed by Skylar Marlar, Johnson, Conley and Gerrald.
Feature Finish (50 Laps)
1. Josh Rice-Verona, Ky., 2. Skylar Marlar-Winfield, Tenn., 3. Greg Johnson-Bedford, Ind., 4. Rod Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio, 5. Tripp Gerrald-Lexington, Ky., 6. Josh Henry-Newport, Tenn., 7. Jesse Lay-Walton, Ky., 8. Jason Jameson-Lawrenceburg, Ind., 9. Rusty Ballenger-Seymour, Tenn., 10. Austin Lay-Walton, Ky., 11. Shane Bailey-Grayson, Ky., 12. Dallas Miller-Hamilton, Ohio, 13. Tyler Nicely-Owensboro, Ky., 14. Zak Blackwood-Columbus, Ind., 15. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky., 16. Camaron Marlar-Winfield, Tenn., 17. Grant Garrison-Walton, Ky., 18. Scott Cook-Shelbyville, Tenn., 19. Devin Gilpin-Columbus, Ind., 20. Shane Irvin-Dunnville, Ky.