By Chris Tilley – Series Publicist
WHEEL, TENNESSEE (July 31, 2014) – Mike Marlar rolled around the topside, grabbed the lead away from Dane Dacus on lap 12 and never looked back en route to his third career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series victory Thursday Night at Duck River Raceway Park, which was worth $3,500.
The Winfield, Tenn. driver drove around the high-side of the track and held on to become the sixth different winner this season while driving the Ronnie Delk-owned, Delk Equipment Company, R&S Trading and VP Racing Fuels-sponsored Cornett Racing Engines powered Rocket Chassis.
DirtonDirt.com Dash for Cash winner Dane Dacus and Tanner English led the field of 23 to fire for the start of the race with Dacus taking to the high-side lead early on.
By the seventh lap, Marlar worked his way up from sixth to third spot and was the show on the topside of the track. By the eleventh lap, Marlar had worked his way to second, again on the high-side and by the next lap, sailed by Dacus to take the point. Tanner English also went around Dacus for the runner-up spot and held on shuffling Dacus back two spots. Dacus would rebound and come home to finish third behind eventual winner Marlar and runner-up English.
Four cautions slowed the event. On lap ten, Jim Manka stopped at the top of turn four and on lap 14 Anthony Burroughs went around in turn two to bring out the second caution. On the next lap, front-straightaway contact between Eric Jacobsen and Bub McCool sent McCool into the wall with extensive damage sending him off the track via the wrecker. The final caution on lap 17 came as Austin Smith got crossways behind Josh Putnam, who also got crossed up coming off the fourth turn and it sent Billy Ogle into Smith with minor damage but Smith had brutal right-front damage that sent him off the track.
Marlar talked about his high-side hustling in the early stages of the event. “It was a heck of a race right there, there was a lot of passing and sliding going on,” said Marlar.
“Everybody was racing really hard, I just kinda caught them guys guarding each other and got around them on the outside, but heck of a race, man they’ve just turned this race track into an awesome race track, you can start wherever and win the race and it’s just a good race track and a lot of local guys are really competitive here so it’s fun to see that and they got a good crowd every time we come and it’s fun coming here,” said Marlar about the top-to-bottom racing conditions at Duck River.
Marlar’s Rocket Chassis has been very quick in his last two outings at Duck River, as he also claimed the Southern Nationals Bonus Race on May 25th. “Been a good track to us this year, like to thank Ronnie Delk, and Rocket Chassis, Cornett Engines and all my guys here, Bill and Lynn, Josh, Grant, everybody here that comes along especially Ronnie Delk, he really puts us in good equipment, just having a good time this year racing,” Marlar went on to say.
Official Summary of Results
Round # 8 of Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series by Old Man’s Garage
Duck River Raceway Park-Wheel, TN
Thursday Night July 31, 2014
A-Main Finish:
1. Mike Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
2. Tanner English-Benton, Ky.
3. Dane Dacus-Lakeland, Tenn.
4. Eric Jacobsen-Rio Del Mar, Cal.
5. Terry English-Benton, Ky.
6. Josh Putnam-Florence, Ala.
7. Chris Madden-Gray Court, S.C.
8. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
9. Ryan Gifford-Winchester, Tenn.
10. Stacy Boles-Clinton, Tenn.
11. Craig Vosbergen-Perth, Australia
12. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.
13. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
14. Brandon Kinzer-Allen, Ky.
15. Billy Ogle Jr.-Knoxville, Tenn.
16. Mark Fields-Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
17. Eric Hickerson-Linden, Tenn.
18. David Seibers-Petersburg, Tenn.
19. Jim Manka-Savannha, Ga.
20. Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth-Northport, Ala.
21. Austin Smith-Cedartown, Ga.
22. Bub McCool-Vicksburg, Tenn.
23. Anthony Burroughs-Minden, La.
Time of Race: 23 minutes, 28 seconds
Margin of Victory: 03.000 seconds
Yellow Flags: Four (laps 10, 14, 15, 17)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Dacus (1-11), Marlar (12-35)
Provisional Starters: Chris Madden, Jim Manka, David Seibers (track)
Entries: 37
Fastest Qualifier: Austin Smith-12.293 seconds
DirtonDirt.com Dash for Cash (4 laps): Dane Dacus, Tanner English, Austin Smith, Eric Jacobsen.
B-Main No. 1 Finish (10 laps, top 4 transfer): Stacy Boles, Bub McCool, Brandon Kinzer, Ryan Gifford, Jamie Perry, Jay Brinkley, Todd Morrow, Mark Haddon, Ronald Dunn.
B-Main No. 2 Finish (10 laps, top 4 transfer): Mike Marlar, Anthony Burroughs, Michael Chilton, Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth, Dylan Ames, Blake Shapiro, Clint Nichols, Jim Manka.
B-Main No. 3 Finish (10 laps, top 4 transfer): Josh Putnam, Terry English, Craig Vosbergen, Mark Fields, David Earl Gentry, Seth McCormack, Cody Ballard, Chris Madden (DNS).
B-Main No. 4 Finish (10 laps, top-4 transfer): Donald McIntosh, Billy Ogle Jr., Vic Hill, Eric Hickerson, David Seibers, Josh Johnson, Ray McElhiney, Richard Smith.
Series Championship Points (after July 31):
1. Chris Madden-1,527
2. Eric Jacobsen-1,495
3. Billy Ogle Jr.-1,451
4. Vic Hill-1,442
4. Donald McIntosh-1,442
6. Craig Vosbergen-1,406
7. Austin Smith-1,404
8. Stacy Boles-1,393
9. Anthony Burroughs-1,263
10. Tony Knowles-1,038
AR Bodies Rookie of the Year Points (after July 31):
1. Craig Vosbergen-1,406
2. Austin Smith-1,404