Randy Weaver led all the way for the Iron-Man victory
The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series kicked off a three-race Independence Day weekend on Friday night at Boyd’s Speedway. After a dominating night of racing, it was Randy Weaver who was eventually crowned as the winner at the Ringgold, Georgia track. The Crossville, Tennessee driver was awarded a paycheck valued at $5,000.
A total of 23 cars were signed in for competition.
Randy Weaver was fastest in Group A qualifying after he posted a lap of 15.356 seconds around the third-mile clay oval to beat out Sam Seawright, Pierce McCarter, Heath Hindman and Jed Emert.
Jensen Ford proved to be the quickest in Group B time-trials with an effort of 15.420 seconds besting Dalton Cook, Donald McIntosh, Tyler Millwood and Jordan Rodabaugh.
With only 23 cars on hand, track and series officials opted not to conduct heat races in the interest of saving time.
Weaver immediately went to the front of the pack when the green flag waved over the 40-lap feature. Ford, Seawright, McCarter and McIntosh trailed the front runner at the end of the first lap. However, McIntosh went on the move and took fourth away from McCarter as the cars made their second trip around the track.
By the sixth lap, Weaver and Ford looked as if they might settle the issue among themselves as they began to slip away from the field. But a yellow flag for the slowing car of Rodabaugh would dash the plans of the lead duo.
After multiple attempts to restart the race following the lap 6 caution, the racing action finally resumed with Weaver continuing to lead. Further back, Cook charged by McCarter to grab the fourth position. By lap 10, McIntosh had closed to the rear spoiler of Seawright looking for an opportunity to wrest the third spot away.
A spin by Farrel Skelton brought another caution flag on lap 17. The ensuing restart would see a multi-car accident that would damage the machines of Millwood, Emert, Dillon Tidmore, Tim Thornton and Robby Mason.
Once the action returned to green flag conditions, Weaver and Ford again slipped away from their pursuers. The only real challenge for the front runners during the second half of the race would come from slower traffic. Meanwhile, Seawright, McIntosh, and Cook ran in thight formation as they contested positions 3-5.
But in the end, it would be Randy Weaver who would be the first to sail under the checkered flag.
Feature Finish: 1. Randy Weaver, 2. Jensen Ford, 3. Sam Seawright, 4. Donald McIntosh, 5. Dalton Cook, 6. Pierce McCarter, 7. Wil Herrington, 8. Tyler Millwood, 9. Heath Hindman, 10. Jed Emert, 11. John Ownbey, 12. Dillon Tidmore, 13. Billy Franklin, 14. Jeff Neubert, 15. Dusty Carver, 16. Jason Croft, 17. Andy Picklesimer, 18. Robby Mason, 19. Todd Morrow, 20. Tim Thornton, 21. Farrel Skelton, 22. Jordan Rodabaugh, 23. Tommy Taylor
