By Michael Despain

RICHMOND, KENTUCKY – June 16, 2018 – The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV and the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com would co-sanction the 2nd Annual Mike Roland Memorial to conclude a Bluegrass State weekend of action at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY on Saturday evening and Tyler Carpenter of Parkersburg, WV would sweep the weekend of racing action in the Bluegrass state by leading all fifty laps and scoring the $10,031 victory.

Carpenter’s victory in the event was for the second consecutive year and would make him the first repeat winner with both series in 2018, coming behind the wheel of his familiar Mike’s Tree Service, Octane Race Parts sponsored #28 Kryptonite Race Car powered by an Isner Race Engine.

The start of the event would see Tyler Carpenter, Todd Coffman, and John Ownbey wage a battle for the lead on the opening lap of the event, with Carpenter holding the lead by a half-car length as the completion of the first lap over Coffman and Ownbey, while Zack Dohm and Derek Fisher would race for the fourth position. Jason Jameson would close in on Fisher and take the fifth spot on lap three, while Coffman pressured Carpenter for the race lead. The only caution of the event flew on lap six when fourth place running Dohm would have his hood come unattached at the front of his machine and block his vision, resulting in Dohm stopping in turn two. The restart would see Carpenter maintain the lead, while Ownbey would drive past Coffman for second and Fisher would claim the fourth position from Jameson. With Carpenter slowly building his lead, Fisher would begin to move forward as he would take third from Coffman on lap eight and track down second place running Ownbey and grab the runner-up slot on lap twelve. Meanwhile, with Carpenter continuing to build his lead at the point, Jared Hawkins would pressure Jameson for the fifth position and would grab the spot on lap thirteen. Carpenter would continue to motor away and would start the process of working slower traffic on lap sixteen. Hawkins would continue his charge after starting eighth and would score the third position from Coffman on lap eighteen. As Carpenter worked slower traffic, Fisher would close the distance between himself and the race leader, while Hawkins continued his assault toward the front and would claim the third position from Ownbey on lap twenty-two.

With Carpenter working traffic to perfection, Fisher would have some trouble in lapped traffic and this would allow Hawkins to close in on the second place running Fisher. Jameson would work his way back into the top five on lap twenty-nine after a two-lap battle with Coffman for that position. As the race reached the fifteen lap remaining mark, Carpenter had built a very comfortable lead at this point, while Hawkins had ran down Fisher in traffic and began to challenge for the second position. With laps quickly adding up, Carpenter maintained a comfortable advantage, while Fisher and Hawkins still battling for the second position, while Jameson would pressure Ownbey for the fourth spot at this same point. Carpenter would not be denied and would cross under the checkered flag, while Hawkins would get around Fisher in turn two on the final circuit, only to have Fisher reclaim the position entering turn three and Fisher would beat Hawkins back to the finish to take second, with Hawkins settling for third. Ownbey and Jameson would finish fourth and fifth respectively. The remainder of the top ten at the conclusion of the contest would be David Payne, Coffman, Dohm (who charged back to eighth after restarting 22nd after the lap six caution), Connor Meade, and Ray Cook.

The Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV next event will be Tuesday July 3 at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN, paying $5,000 to win. The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series next events will be Friday June 22 at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY for the 21st Annual Pete Abell Memorial and Saturday June 23 at Florence Speedway in Union, KY, with both events paying $5,000 to win.

Further information on the Spring Nationals, Southern Nationals, Southern Nationals Bonus Series, and Iron-Man Series can be obtained by calling Southern Nationals Promoter Ray Cook at (828) 360-5353 or Iron-Man Series Promoter Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or by visiting the official series websites located at www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com and www.CTPROMOTIONS.org.

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series/Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY on June 16, 2018

1. Tyler Carpenter-Parkersburg, W.V.
2. Derek Fisher-Olympia, Ky.
3. Jared Hawkins-Fairmont, W.V.
4. John Ownbey-Cleveland, Tenn.
5. Jason Jameson-Lawrenceburg, Ind.
6. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
7. Todd Coffman-Junction City, Ky.
8. Zack Dohm-Cross Lanes, W.V.
9. Connor Meade-Clay City, Ky.
10. Ray Cook-Brasstown, N.C.
11. Jason Barrett-Waco, Ky.
12. Aaron Ridley-Chatsworth, Ga.
13. Jeff Watson-Campbellsville, Ky.
14. Chicky Barton-Middlesboro, Ky.
15. Caleb Ashby-Cunningham, Tenn.
16. Elliott Despain-Campbellsville, Ky.
17. Jonathon Couch-Jackson, Ky.
18. Joey Standridge-Tellico Plains, Tenn.
19. Dennis Roberson-Paris, Ky.
20. C.J. Ruble-Waco, Ky.
21. Dalton Brown-Crab Orchard, Ky.
22. Daniel Shelton-Richmond, Ky.

Time of Race: 17 minutes, 25 seconds

Margin of Victory: 1.522 seconds

Yellow Flags: 1 (Lap 6)

Red Flags: None

Lap Leaders: Tyler Carpenter 1-50

Entries: 22

Overall Top Qualifier: Todd Coffman (Group A) 14.473 seconds

Keyser Manufacturing 11th Place Award: Jason Barrett

Highest Finishing CT525 Engine ($200): Todd Coffman

Highest Finishing Steel/SPEC Engine ($200): John Ownbey

Provisional Starters: None

Heat One Finish (10 laps/all transfer)- Todd Coffman, Derek Fisher, Connor Meade, Ray Cook, Joey Standridge, C.J. Ruble

Heat Two Finish (10 laps/all transfer)- John Ownbey, David Payne, Jason Barrett, Daniel Shelton, Dalton Brown

Heat Three Finish (10 laps/all transfer)- Tyler Carpenter, Jason Jameson, Aaron Ridley, Elliott Despain, Jeff Watson, Caleb Ashby

Heat Four Finish (10 laps/all transfer)- Zack Dohm, Jared Hawkins, Chicky Barton, Jonathon Couch, Dennis Roberson

Current Southern Nationals Bonus Series Points (after 6/16/18)

1. Aaron Ridley-1,102
2. David Payne-1,096
3. Chicky Barton-1,082
4. Casey Roberts-564
5. Shawn Chastain-560
6. Joey Standridge-508
7. Tyler Carpenter-400
8. Ricky Weiss-396
9. John Ownbey-388
10. Will Roland-384

Current Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series Points (after 6/16/18)

1. Joey Standridge-870
2. Ray Cook-712
3. Chicky Barton-704
4. Caleb Ashby-625
5. John Ownbey-560
6. Aaron Ridley-554
7. David Payne-550
8. Craig Greer-536
9. Tyler Carpenter-400

10. Cory Hedgecock-396