WAVERLY, Ohio – Devin Moran dominated the late stages of Saturday’s Valvoline Iron-Man Northern Late Model Series Dan Reno/Jackie Boggs Memorial to claim a $13,004 payday at Atomic Speedway.
The victory by Moran was his first career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series victory. The 26-year old driver took the win in a Longhorn Chassis powered by a Clements Race Engine, sponsored by Tye Twarog Performance Parts, C and W Trucking, Big D’s Pizza, Tommy Pope Construction, M&M Painting and Construction, Accu-Force Dynos and Testers, Eddie’s Auto, Muskingham County Speedway, and Bilstein.
Moran took the lead at the start of the main event, with Jacob Hawkins, Josh Rice, Andy Bond, and Darrell Lanigan giving chase. Jared Hawkins took fourth from Bond on lap three and Tyler Erb made his way into the top five on lap five.
Moran was set to start working lapped on lap seven when the caution appeared after Kirk Phillips slipped over the banking in turn two. The restart also saw the caution wave as the field came back to the green flag when Bond and Dave Hornikel tangled in turn four.
The next restart also didn’t see a full lap scored as Michael Chilton, Kevin Wagner, and Dustin Nobbe tangled in turn three. The restart went green the next time with Moran still out front, followed by Jacob Hawkins, Rice, Jared Hawkins, and Erb. However, the caution waved again on lap eight when Freddie Carpenter slowed on the back straightaway.
This restart saw Moran remain out front, with Rice taking second from Jacob Hawkins and Erb taking fourth from Jared Hawkins. Moran held a comfortable lead until he started working slower traffic on lap 14. Rice began to close in on Moran when the final caution of the race waved on lap 17 for Doug Drown slowed on the backstretch.
Moran and Rice pulled away from the field on the restart and distanced themselves from the field and by lap 28, the pair started working slower traffic. Rice closed right up on Moran and slid past Moran on lap 31 in turn two, but Moran retook the lead by the time the front duo entered turn three.
Rice attempted a slide job in turn three on lap 32 and cleared Moran, but made contact with the outside retaining wall and slowed and pulled to the infield after that, done for the night.
Moran continued to pull away and lapped up to the fifth-place car by lap 41. Erb began to challenge Jacob Hawkins for the second spot on lap 45 and when the field saw the white flag, Erb slid up in front of Jacob Hawkins to take second momentarily only to jump the cushion in turn two.
Moran saw the checkered flag first, with Jacob Hawkins taking second and Jared Hawkins finishing third. Erb finished fourth, while Rod Conley completed the top five. The remainder of the top ten finishers were Matt Irey, Todd Brennan, Chris Lockhart, Tristan Chamberlain, and Darrell Lanigan.
The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Northern Late Model Series will be at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, Ky., on May 22, paying $5,031 to win. The event will also be a points-paying event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Southern Late Model Series.
The results:
1. Devin Moran, 2. Jacob Hawkins, 3. Jared Hawkins, 4. Tyler Erb, 5. Rod Conley, 6. Matt Irey, 7. Todd Brennan, 8. Chris Lockhart, 9. Tristan Chamberlain, 10. Darrell Lanigan, 11. Dustin Nobbe, 12. Josh Rice, 13. Steve Casebolt, 14. Doug Drown, 15. Dave Hornikel, 16. Ted Nobbe, 17. Freddie Carpenter, 18. Andy Bond, 19. Kirk Phillips, 20. Michael Chilton, 21. Kevin Wagner, 22. Ryan Markham, 23. Richie Edwards (DNS).