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Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series Opens ’23 Season with Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute at Ponderosa Speedway Friday May 26

SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (May 23, 2023) – The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will begin their 2023 points chases with the Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute at “Kentucky’s Baddest Bullring” Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY on Friday May 26, with the 40-lap main event paying $7,500 to the winner and paying $500 to start. This event was originally scheduled for April 21, but was postponed due to inclement weather.

The Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute event at Ponderosa Speedway starts a four-race Memorial Day weekend swing of racing action. The tour will be at Lake Cumberland Speedway on Saturday May 27 ($7,531 to win), Tazewell Speedway on Sunday May 28 ($5,001 to win), while concluding on Monday May 29 at 411 Motor Speedway ($5,052 to win). There is also a weekend points fund in place that will see the tour pay five spots to drivers that are perfect attendance for the four-race swing and all four races must be completed (1-$1,000, 2-$600, 3-$500, 4. $400, 5. $300)

The Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute event will take place at Ponderosa Speedway on Friday May 26 and will feature the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series in a full program of Denby’s J&J Construction Hot Laps, E-Z-GO Time Trials, Heats, Impact Race Gear B-Mains, and the 40-lap, $7,500 to win/$500 to start Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute Valvoline A-Main contest. Other divisions in action at Ponderosa Speedway on Friday May 26 will be the track’s Crate Late Models ($1,500 to win), Open Wheel Modifieds ($1,200 to win), Super Stocks ($1,000 to win), and Hobby Stocks ($700 to win). This event will also be the first regional points race for the DIRTcar Late Models as drivers who have DIRTcar Memberships will have an opportunity to not only race for Iron-Man points and prize money but also DIRTcar Regional and National points and prize money.

Activities for the Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute at Ponderosa Speedway on Friday May 26 will see the pit area and general admission area open at 3:00 p.m. The driver’s meeting will be at 6:45 p.m., with practice laps and time trials getting underway at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices at Ponderosa Speedway on Friday May 26 in the general admission area will be $30 for adults (children ages 10 and under are free), while a pit pass for adults will be $45.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will sanction the Super Late Model portion of the event and the tire rule will be as follows: Fronts: Open; Left Rear: Hoosier NLMT 2 (LM20) and NLMT 3 (LM30); Right Rear: Hoosier NLMT 3 (LM30) and Hoosier NLMT 4 (LM40) (there is no limit on the number of tires used; the droop rule will be in effect, along with the standardized body rules of WoO/Lucas). The entry fee will be $100 per event and transponders for timing/scoring will be available for rent at the track. Any driver not making the 22-car starting field on Friday May 26 will receive $50 tow money.

The Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute is held in memory of the late Bobby Carrier, Sr. who passed away on June 26, 2014 at the age of 73. Born in Boyle County, KY but making his home in Burgin, KY, Carrier, Sr. was known as one of the best mechanics in the area and operated his own garage for several years, but it would be Carrier, Sr.’s weekend adventures as he became a well-known and well-respected competitors at many dirt tracks around the Central Kentucky area. His famous #Z-9 became synonymous capturing many checkered flags throughout the area. After having raced in the Late Model division for many years, “Bobby, Sr.” would begin to compete in the popular Sportsman division of the time period and would garner several checkered flags in that division as well.

Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, TN would be victorious in the 2022 edition of the Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute event in his first-ever appearance at the track, with Zack Dohm of Cross Lanes, WV, Tanner English of Benton, KY, Josh Rice of Verona, KY, and Christian Hanger of Winchester, TN completing the top five finishers.

Ponderosa Speedway is located at 365 Phillips Lane just outside of Junction City, KY 40440. For more information about Ponderosa Speedway, visit the track’s webpage at www.ponderosaspeedway.net.

For more information on the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, please call series promoter Chris Tilley at (828) 361-5981 or by visiting the tour website at www.IMDIRT.net or by following Iron-Man Series (@CTPROMOTE) on Twitter or liking Iron-Man Racing Series on Facebook.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their support of the 2023 racing season: Valvoline, Zerex by Valvoline, Brucebilt Performance Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, E-Z-GO, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, SFP Performance Systems, MyRacePass, Impact Race Gear, XS Power Batteries, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Racecar Engineering, American Racer Tires, Keltner Contracting, Todd Steel Buildings, TW Taylor Trucking, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Weichert Realtors-Ford Brothers (Judith Dyehouse-Agent), Swafford Signs, KY Clutch, DIRTCAR Racing, Brown Haven Homes, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, Coosa Heating and Cooling, Stakt Products, KND Safety, Chattanooga Valley Auto Parts, PopBit, Denby’s J&J Construction, Jim and Nancy Viox, Advanced Transportation, Lowe’s Tows, Reno’s Roadhouse, and Racetrack Safety Initiative.

Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series Bobby Carrier, Sr. Tribute Feature Purse May 26 (40 laps): 1. $7,500, 2. $4,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,000, 6. $900, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $600, 10. $590, 11. $580, 12. $570, 13. $560, 14. $550, 15. $540, 16. $530, 17. $520, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500

Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series 2023 Schedule/Results:
May 26-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,531 to win
June 16-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,500 to win
June 23-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$5,000 to win
June 24-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
July 7-Hilltop Speedway-Millersburg, OH-$5,000 to win
July 8-Wayne County Speedway-Orrville, OH-$10,000 to win
July 22-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
August 26-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$15,022 to win
September 16-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
October 6-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$5,000 to win
October 7-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$10,088 to win

Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series 2023 Schedule/Results
January 6/7-Talladega Short Track-Eastaboga, AL-Ray Cook (Brasstown, NC) (Non-Points)
January 29-Boyd’s Speedway-Ringgold, GA-J.T. Seawright (Oxford, AL (Non-Points)
May 26-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,531 to win
May 28-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$5,001 to win
May 29-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-$5,052 to win
June 16-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,500 to win
July 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$21,000 to win
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
August 10-North Alabama Speedway-Tuscumbia, AL-$5,000 to win
August 11-Fort Payne Motor Speedway-Fort Payne, AL-$5,000 to win
August 12-Talladega Short Track-Eastaboga, AL-$10,000 to win
August 26-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$15,022 to win
September 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$5,044 to win
October 6-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$5,000 to win
October 7-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$10,088 to win

About Valvoline™
Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume. It operates and franchises approximately 1,400 quick-lube locations, and it is the No. 2 chain by number of stores in the United States under the Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeSM brand and the No. 3 chain by number of stores in Canada under the Valvoline Great Canadian Oil Change brand. It also markets Valvoline lubricants and automotive chemicals, including the Valvoline High Mileage with MaxLife technology motor oil for engines over 75,000 miles; Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic motor oil; Valvoline Premium Blue™ heavy-duty motor oil; Valvoline Multi-Vehicle Automatic Transmission Fluid; and Zerex™ antifreeze. To learn more, visit www.valvoline.com.

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