JUNCTION CITY, Ky. — Tanner English and Cole Falloway scored victories on night one of the Fall Classic weekend at Ponderosa Speedway in the Archie Coffman Tribute event.
English collected $5,000 for his Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series win, while Falloway grabbed the $1,500 winner’s check in the Brucebilt Performance Parts Iron-Man Open Wheel Modified Southern Series.
For 29-year-old English, it would be his second career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and would come aboard the Riggs Motorsports-owned Longhorn Chassis powered by a Clements Race Engine. For 19-year-old Calloway, it would be his fourth career Brucebilt Performance Parts Iron-Man Open Wheel Modified Series victory and would behind the wheel of an Elite Chassis powered by a Mullins Race Engine.
English would take the lead at the start of the late model feature, followed by Garrett Smith, Mike Marlar, Michael Chilton and Josh Rice. Marlar would claim second from Smith on lap four, with Chilton taking third from Smith one circuit later. English would motor away out front, while Rice would pressure Smith for fourth and take the position on lap eight, with Ryan Gustin making his way into the top five on lap nine.
English would start working lapped traffic on lap 11 and would maintain a comfortable lead until the first caution of the event appeared on lap 17 when Steve Godsey slowed in turn four. English and Marlar would remain first and second on the restart, with Rice taking third from Chilton, while Gustin remained fifth.
The front five would remain the same until Scott Bloomquist slowed in turn two on lap 22 to draw the final caution of the race. The restart would have English, Marlar and Rice in the top three spots, while Gustin would work past Chilton for fourth.
Gustin would continue to charge as he would grab third from Rice on lap 23, while Smith would work his way back into the top five past Chilton on lap 25. English would start working lapped traffic again on lap 31, while Gustin challenged Marlar for second and would claim the position on lap 32.
English would maintain a comfortable lead over Gustin, while Marlar and Rice settled into a battle for third. Rice won the battle on lap 37. Victor Lee would drive past Smith on lap 39 for fifth. However, English would see the checkered flag first, followed by Gustin, Rice, Marlar and Lee.
The remainder of the top ten finishers would be Smith, Chilton, Justin Rattliff, Camaron Marlar and David Webb.
In Brucebilt Performance Parts Iron-Man Open Wheel Modified Southern Series action, Falloway would take the lead at the start, trailed by Peyton Harlow, Bryan Barber, Ben Harmon and Jacob Hall.
Victor Lee would take fifth from Hall on lap four, while the first caution flew on lap five for a spin in turn three by Devin Smith. The restart would not see a full lap completed as Lee would loop his mount in turn two and pull pitside for the night.
Falloway would maintain the lead on the restart, with Harlow and Barber giving chase. Jimmy Payne would snag the fifth position away from Hall on lap seven, while Falloway pulled away from the field and began working lapped traffic on lap 10.
The caution would wave again on lap 13 for a two-car tangle in turn three involving Brian Sammons and Dayson Sinkhorn.
The restart would see Barber take second from Harlow and pursue Falloway, with Harmon and Payne fourth and fifth. Sinkhorn would draw the final caution on lap 15 when he stopped on the frontchute. The final restart would see the top four hold their position, while Hall would get by Payne for the fifth spot.
Payne would reclaim the position from Hall on lap 18, but Falloway would pull away once again to score the win, followed by Barber, Harlow, Harmon, and Payne. Completing the top 10 finishers would be Hall, Brandon Kinzer, Reece Ogle, Kyle Neat and Jeremy Elliotte.