Junction City, KY (April 14, 2017)- The Schaffer’s Oil Spring Nationals presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV would visit Ponderosa Speedway on Friday evening and Brandon Overton of Evans, GA would claim the $4,000 victory by leading all 40 laps in the 5th Annual Spring Showdown event. Other feature winners for the evening included Victor Lee of Danville, KY in Pro (Crate) Late Models, Victor Lee of Danville, KY in Open Wheel Modifieds, Bartley Grant of Berea, KY in KDRA Super Stocks, Shane Irvin of Liberty, KY in Stock Four Cylinders, and Blake Brown of Corbin, KY in Mini-Cup/Cyclones.
Brandon Overton and Jason Jameson would battle for the race lead on the opening lap of the $4,000 to win contest, with Overton finally gaining control of the top spot for good on lap 2. Ricky Weiss would charge past Jameson for the runner-up slot on lap 4, with Kent Robinson working past Michael Chilton for the fourth position one circuit later. Overton would pull away just a bit, as Jameson closed back in on Weiss for the second position and would claim the position on lap 9. Jameson would set his sights on the Overton as the lead pair would start working slower traffic on lap 14. Meanwhile, eighth place starting Mike Marlar would begin to charge his way toward the top five runners and would make his way into fifth on lap 20. Overton would work slower traffic masterfully at this point in the contest and would maintain a two to three car length lead over Jameson. Marlar would continue his charge taking fourth from Robinson on lap 23 and working past Weiss for third on lap 26. However, it would be Overton’s night as the Georgia native would increase his lead to almost a full straightaway advantage over Jameson in the final ten laps of the event to see the checkered flag first in the caution-free event in the Crossfit Overton/A.F. Stone Professional Medical Services/Mission Transport/Longhorn by Weaver sponsored #116 Longhorn by Weaver, Andy Durham Race Engines powered entry. Jameson would finish second, with Marlar’s charge ending with the final podium position in third. Ricky Weiss and Kent Robinson would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Cody Mahoney, Michael Chilton, Donald McIntosh, Tim Dohm, and Shanon Buckingham. Twenty-seven entries would see Overton at top qualifier at 13.409 seconds, with heat wins going to Robinson, Brandon Kinzer, McIntosh, and Mike Marlar. Series provisional starters were Robby Moses and Jason Croft.
Victor Lee would score his second straight victory in the Pro (Crate) Late Model division in the Hatcher Auto Sales/Hatcher Properties/Tim Logan Racing/Small Town Auto Sales/Keltner Contracting sponsored #6 Swartz Race Car. Todd Coffman would finish in second position for the second week in a row, with Zack Dohm finishing in the third spot. Elliott Despain and Jake Henry would round out the top five. Completing the top ten would be Wesley Brummett, Austin Burns, Steven Eversole, Derek Bottoms, and Gary Yeager. Seventeen entries would see Lee set a new track record in time trials at 13.545 seconds. Heat race wins would go to Lee and Coffman.
Victor Lee would score his second win of the night by scoring the victory in the Open Wheel Modified main event in the Kerry Trowbridge owned Tri-County Auto and Oil/Brunner and Son Lawn Care/Dexter’s Gun and Ammo/Automotive Specialists sponsored #16 MBR Race Car, Pro Power Race Engines mount. Mike Marlar would roll to a runner-up finish, with Blake Brown claiming the third position. The remainder of the top five would be Peyton Harlow and Jeff Watson. The second five finishers would be David Webb, Mike Pratt, Keith Gray, P.J. Simpson, and Aaron Ratliff. Ten entries would see Lee be the top qualifier at 15.108 seconds and also win the heat.
Bartley Grant would be victorious in the 15 lap KDRA Super Stock main event and take the checkered flag first in his Rainmaker Race Cars/AR Bodies/Sweet Beans and Things sponsored #43 entry. Robby Perkins would finish second, with Eddie Stewart coming home in the third position. Tyler Collis and Robert Stanton would complete the top five. Eight entries would see Eddie Stewart as top qualifier at 15.629 and he would also score the heat race win.
The Stock Four Cylinder main event would see Shane Irvin pick up his second straight victory in the division in the Lake Country Outdoors/Highway 80 Body Shop sponsored #92 Ford Mustang. Jason Stone, David Owens, Harold Brown, and Brian Moore would complete top five. The second five at the finish would be Keith Anderson, Dave Driggers, Jesse Parker, Keith Gipson, and Timothy Quiggins. Ten entries would see Irvin also win the heat.
Blake Brown would claim the victory for the Mini-Cup/Cyclone division in the Tammy Brown Photography/Rutherford Motorsports sponsored #99 machine. Dylan Rutherford would claim runner-up honors. Jason Hinkle, Jason Hinkle, Jr., and Brilynn Ritchie would complete the finishing order. Rutherford won win the heat.
SUMMARY-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-April 14, 2017
Schaffer’s Oil Spring Nationals presented by Sunoco/Tennessee RV Super Late Models (27 entries) Overall Top Qualifier- Brandon Overton 13.409 Lock In Cars- Group A: Jason Jameson, Ricky Weiss; Group B: Brandon Overton, Michael Chilton 1st Heat (Top 4 Transfer)- Kent Robinson, Chris Combs, Chad Stapleton, Tripp Gerrald, Stephen Breeding, Daniel Dial 2nd Heat (Top 4 Transfer)- Brandon Kinzer, Tim Dohm, Connor Meader, Eric Wells, Robby Moses, Larry Greer 3rd Heat (Top 4 Transfer)- Donald McIntosh, Cody Mahoney, Shanon Buckingham, Skylar Marlar, Adam Bowman, Jason Croft 4th Heat (Top 4 Transfer)- Mike Marlar, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Jeremy Hines, David Doherty, Billy Ogle, Jr.
Provisionals- Robby Moses, Jason Croft
Spring Showdown- Brandon Overton, Jason Jameson, Mike Marlar, Ricky Weiss, Kent Robinson, Cody Mahoney, Michael Chilton, Donald McIntosh, Tim Dohm, Shanon Buckingham, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Eric Wells, Brandon Kinzer, Chad Stapleton, Tripp Gerrald, Connor Meade, Robby Moses, David Doherty, Jason Croft, Jeremy Hines, Chris Combs, Skylar Marlar
Pro (Crate) Late Models (17 entries)
Top Qualifier- Victor Lee 13.545 (New Track Record) 1st Heat- Victor Lee, Jake Henry, Gary Yeager, Matthew Smith, Curt Bennett, Austin Taylor, Bryan Derringer, Gary Noplis, Steven Eversole 2nd Heat- Todd Coffman, Zack Dohm, Elliott Despain, Austin Burns, Wesley Brummett, Timmy Taylor, Brian Wooldridge, Derek Bottoms
Feature- Victor Lee, Todd Coffman, Zack Dohm, Elliott Despain, Jake Henry, Wesley Brummett, Austin Burns, Steven Eversole, Derek Bottoms, Gary Yeager, Matthew Smith, Austin Taylor, Timmy Taylor, Gary Noplis, Curt Bennett, Brian Wooldridge, Bryan Derringer
Open Wheel Modifieds (10 entries)
Top Qualifier- Victor Lee 15.108
Heat- Victor Lee, Blake Brown, Peyton Harlow, Jeff Watson, Mike Marlar, David Webb, Mike Pratt, Aaron Rattliff, Keith Gray, P.J. Simpson
Feature- Victor Lee, Mike Marlar, Blake Brown, Peyton Harlow, Jeff Watson, David Webb, Mike Pratt, Keith Gray, P.J. Simpson, Aaron Ratliff
KDRA Super Stocks (8 entries)
Top Qualifier- Eddie Stewart 15.629
Heat- Eddie Stewart, Bartley Grant, Robby Perkins, Dylan Stevens, Tyler Collis, Robert Stanton, Sarah Patrick (DNS- Casey King)
Feature- Bartley Grant, Robby Perkins, Eddie Stewart, Tyler Collis, Robert Stanton, Sarah Patrick, Casey King (DNS- Dylan Stevens)
Stock Four Cylinders (10 entries)
Heat- Shane Irvin, Harold Brown, David Owens, Jason Stone, Jesse Parker, Brian Moore, Dave Driggers, Timothy Quiggins, Keith Gipson, Keith Anderson
Feature- Shane Irvin, Jason Stone, David Owens, Harold Brown, Brian Moore, Keith Anderson, Dave Driggers, Jesse Parker, Keith Gipson, Timothy Quiggins
Mini-Cup/Cyclones (5 entries)
Heat- Dylan Rutherford, Blake Brown, Brilynn Ritchie, Jason Hinkle, Jr., Jason Hinkle
Feature- Blake Brown, Dylan Rutherford, Jason Hinkle, Jason Hinkle, Jr., Brilynn Ritchie