Mike Marlar
Mike Marlar made the trip a long way from home to the upper Midwest on Thursday night to score a World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series win at Red River Valley Speedway in a race that had been postponed from the night before. The driver of the No. 157 assumed the lead when Ryan Gustin suffered misfortune during a late race caution period.
The Longhorn Chassis driver from Winfield, Tennessee earned $10,000 for his efforts on the track located in West Fargo, ND in a race shown live by DirtVision.com.
A total of 27 cars were signed in for competition
Qualifying Results: 1. Cade Dillard(14.270), 2. Mike Marlar, 3. Tanner English, 4. Ryan Gustin, 5. Todd Cooney, 6. Dennis Erb Jr., 7. Nick Hoffman, 8. Gordy Gundaker, 9. Bobby Pierce, 10. Brent Larson
Heat 1 Results: 1. Ryan Gustin, 2. Cade Dillard, 3. Dustin Walker, 4. Nick Hoffman, 5. Brent Larson, 6. Chris Madden
Heat 2 Results: 1. Todd Cooney, 2. Mike Marlar, 3. Gordy Gundaker, 4. Brandon Sheppard, 5. Blair Nothdurft, 6. Tyler Peterson
Heat 3 Results: 1. Dennis Erb Jr. 2. Tanner English, 3. Kyle Bronson, 4. Bobby Pierce, 5. Brian Shirley, 6. Shawn Meyer
Last Chance Showdown Finish: 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Johnny Scott, 3. Mitch Johnson, 4. Shane Clanton
1. Ryan Gustin, 2. Tanner English, 3. Dennis Erb Jr., 4. Cade Dillard, 5. Mike Marlar, 6. Todd Cooney
Feature Re-cap: At the start of the 40-lap feature it was Gustin who went to the lead over English, Erb, Dillard and Marlar. Marlar moved around Dillard for fourth on the second lap. Erb also moved forward when he took second from English on the third lap just before a caution for Walker slowed the pace.
Bronson moved to fifth by passing Dillard just after the restart as Gustin continued to lead Erb, English and Marlar.
As the laps clicked away, Erb kept Gustin in his sights while Marlar got by English for third just before a caution on lap 14 for a spin by Dillard. Pierce bolted to fifth on the lap 14 restart.
Gustin, Erb and Marlar went three-wide for the lead on laps 15 and 16 with Gustin coming out ahead of Marlar and Erb. However, a lap 17 caution again slowed the action.
Gustin and Marlar exchanged the lead at the halfway point. English passed by Erb for third on lap 22. Gustin built his lead to just over one second but a lap 27 yellow flag for the stopped car of Madden erased that advantage. Under the caution, leader Gustin pulled to the pit area with a flat right rear.
Marlar was lifted to the lead following Gustin’s misfortune. Further back, Bronson, Pierce and Erb fought for positions within the top-5. With less than 10 laps remaining, Pierce and Bronson fought hard for third with Pierce comoing out on top after contact between the two.
Bronson and Shirley both passed by Pierce for third and fourth respectively near the end. But the race ultimately belonged to Marlar as he sailed to victory.
Feature Results: 1. Mike Marlar, 2. Tanner English, 3. Kyle Bronson, 4. Brian Shirley, 5. Bobby Pierce, 6. Dennis Erb Jr., 7. Shane Clanton, 8. Gordy Gundaker, 9. Ryan Gustin, 10. Brandon Sheppard, 11. Donny Schatz, 12. Tyler Peterson, 13. Todd Cooney, 14. Cade Dillard, 15. Blair Nothdurft, 16. Mitch Johnson, 17. Shawn Meyer, 18. Dustin Walker, 19. Rayce McCord, 20. Chris Madden, 21. Johnny Scott, 22. Brent Larson, 23. Shane Edginton, 24. Nick Hoffman
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