PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — In front of a large crowd, the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP would be in action on Saturday evening at Portsmouth Raceway Park for the 23rd Annual CT Promotions Iron-Man Classic.
Kody Evans led all 30 laps on his way to his biggest win with the $7,500 payday. The event was co-sanctioned with the Coltman Farms Racing Battle of the Bluegrass DIRTcar Series presented by Slicker Graphics.
The win by Evans made him the 15th different winner in 18 series so far in 2026.
The win by the 28-year-old Evans was his first career Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series victory and saw him become the 182nd different winner in series history.
With the drop of the green flag on the 23rd Annual CT Promotions Iron-Man Classic Valvoline A-Main, Kody Evans would grab the race lead, with Rod Conley, Justin Cooper, Kirk Phillips, and Josh Bocook giving chase in positions two through five. Eighth place starter Henry Hornsby III would quickly make his way into the top five by taking the fifth position from Bocook on lap three.
Evans would set a torrid pace out front and would begin lapping slower cars on lap six, while Phillps would work past Cooper for third on the same circuit. Evans would see Conley close in a bit in lapped traffic, but Evans would work traffic a bit better than Conley and maintain a comfortable lead.
While Evans would maintain the race lead, Cooper and Hornsby III would close on Phillips and Phillips would slip up in turn two, allowing Cooper to go to third and Phillips to fourth, sliding Phillips back to fifth. The first caution would wave on lap twenty-three for a slowed Lucas Crooks in turn four with a flat tire.
The restart would see Evans maintain the lead, with Conley holding second, while Hornsby III would make a two for one pass and went from fifth to third, followed by Phillips and Cooper. The final caution would wave for Cooper on lap 26 when Cooper would shred a right-rear tire and be finished for the event.
Evans controlled the field and continued to lead after the restart, while Colten Burdette, who went to fifth place after Cooper’s flat tire, would take the fourth position from Phillips on lap 26.
Evans would maintain out front and grab the victory, with Conley and Hornsby III completing the podium finishers, with Burdette and Phillips finishing fourth and fifth. The remainder of the top ten finishers would be Josh Bocook, Adam Stricker, Matt Melvin, Miles Cook II, and Shane Bailey.
The finish:
Kody Evans, Rod Conley, Henry Hornsby III, Colten Burdette, Kirk Phillips, Josh Bocook, Adam Stricker, Matt Melvin, Miles Cook II, Shane Bailey, R.J. Conley, Seth Daniels, Austin Mullett, Kent Keyser, Justin Cooper, Zach Hill, Ralph Withem, Lucas Crooks, Kevin Wagner, Travis Carr, Shawn Martin, Patrick Solari, Corey Lewis.
