MINERAL WELLS, W. Va. — The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP would be in action for the Mark Balzano Memorial at West Virginia Motor Speedway on Sunday evening and Drake Troutman claimed victory.
The Pennsylvania native made a 13-hour overnight trip from Wisconsin pay off with a $10,000 victory.
The win for the 20-year-old Troutman would be his first career series win and make him the 179th different winner in Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP history.
Troutman would take the lead at the start of the Mark Balzano Memorial Valvoline A-Main, with Freddie Carpenter, Henry Hornsby III, Benji Hicks, and Luke Morey giving chase. Tyler Carpenter would take fifth from Morey on lap three, while Troutman set a torrid pace out front and began to lap slower traffic on lap six. Carpenter, Hicks, and Hornsby III would go three wide for third on lap 10 with Tyler Carpenter going from fifth to third. Troutman would work traffic masterfully and continue to build his lead, while Tyler Carpenter would challenge Freddie Carpenter for second and take the spot on lap 15.
The first caution would wave on lap eighteen for Colten Burdette’s slowed machine in turn four. Troutman would command the restart, while Freddie Carpenter worked back around Tyler Carpenter for second, with Hicks and Morey fourth and fifth. Hornsby III would get back into the top five around Morey on lap twenty. Troutman’s lead would be almost a full straightaway when the caution waved again on lap 25 when Caiden Black slowed in turn four with significant body damage on his entry.
The restart would again see Troutman maintain the lead, followed by Freddie Carpenter, Hornsby III, Tyler Carpenter, and Hicks. Tyler Carpenter would retake third from Hornsby III on lap 26. Meanwhile, Devin Moran would make his way into the top five and take fourth on lap twenty-seven. Hornsby III would see his night go sour when he slowed to stop at the top of turn one on lap 31.
The restart would not see a lap completed as the caution appeared once again and Troutman would get a great restart to hold command of the event over Freddie Carpenter, while Morey would go from fifth to third after a three wide battle over Tyler Carpenter and Moran. Zack Dohm would slow in turn two to draw yet another caution on lap 34 and the restart would not see a lap completed as Benji Hicks would make contact with the backstretch wall to keep the action under caution, with the next attempted restart also coming back when Ryan Markham make contact with the outside wall in turn three.
The final restart would see Troutman again get a great launch, with Morey taking second from Freddie Carpenter, while Moran and Montgomery completed the top five. Troutman would not be seriously challenged in the final few circuits to secure the victory, with Morey, Freddie Carpenter, Moran, and Montgomery rounding out the top five.
The finish:
Drake Troutman, Luke Morey, Freddie Carpenter, Devin Moran, Ryan Montgomery, Carson Ferguson, Justin Cooper, Levi Yetter, R.J. Conley, Tyler Carpenter, Miles Cook II, Corey Conley, Rod Conley, Todd Brennan, Travis Carr, Colten Burdette, Ryan Markham, Seth Daniels, Benji Hicks, Zack Dohm, Henry Hornsby III, Kyle Hardy, Caiden Black, Mason Zeigler, K.C. Burdette.
