TAZEWELL, Tenn. – The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series would finish off the Independence Day weekend of racing action at Tazewell Speedway with the Firecracker 40.
Ricky Weiss would take the lead on lap twenty-four and take the checkered flag first to score the win and the $5,000 payday.
The win for Weiss would be his second career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series win and come behind the wheel of his Sniper Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Race Engines.
Dakotah Knuckles and Weiss would bring the field to the green flag, with Weiss taking the lead. However, one lap would not be completed as Knuckles would make heavy contact with the outside retaining wall in turn three and Brian Shockley would also become involved, with both drivers finished for the night.
Austin Neely and Weiss would now bring the field to the green, with Neely taking the race lead, followed by Weiss, Michael Chilton, Eli Beets, and Vic Hill.
The front five would run this way until caution appeared again on lap six for debris on the track. The restart would again see the top five in the running order remain the same until caution waved again on lap nine for Troy Eads, who slowed on the frontstretch with a broken axle.
Neely would maintain the point on the restart, with Chilton taking second from Weiss, while Hill would take fourth from Beets. The top five would remain this way until Terry Wolfenbarger would slow in turn two after having mechanical issues.
The restart would see Neely, Chilton, and Weiss battle for the top spot, with the trio going three-wide into turn three, with Neely keeping the lead, followed by Chilton and Weiss. Neely would maintain the lead, while Chilton, Weiss, and Hill would battle furiously for positions two through four.
Weiss would jump to the top side of the track and take second from Chilton on lap twenty-two and set his sights on race leader Neely and would slidejob past Neely for the lead in turn two on lap twenty-four.
Weiss would pull away a bit from the field, while Chilton and Neely would begin to battle for second. The final caution of the race waved on lap thirty two when debris would be on the track, with Neely and Chilton making contact. Neely would spin to the inside on the backstretch, while Chilton and Hill would also make contact.
The restart would see Weiss maintain the lead for the remainder of the event and score the win, with Chilton finishing second and Hill coming home third. Beets and Matt Tharp would complete the top five.