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Caiden Black Bags Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Season Opener at Atomic Speedway

WAVERLY, OHIO (April 11, 2026)- The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP began its 2026 season on Saturday evening at Atomic Speedway in Waverly, OH with the track’s Sprint to Spring event and in front of a great crowd of fans, Caiden Black of New Concord, OH would score the biggest win of his career as he led all thirty laps of the main event and claimed the $5,000 payday.

For the 20-year-old Black, it would be his first career series victory and he would become the 178th different winner in Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP history. Black’s winning entry is owned by Courtney Black as is a Longhorn Chassis powered by a Durham Race Engine and carries sponsorship from Zemba’s, Adams Brothers, 803 Company, Mallets Concrete, Walleyes for Wounded Heroes, Muskingum Valley Oral Surgery, 3-B Welding, Joyride Transport, Attain Wealth Partners, Calandra Industrial Supply, H&K Towing, Sterling Concrete, Bi-Con, Bilstein, and Tye Twarog Racing.

Caiden Black would grab the lead at the start of the Valvoline A-Main Sprint to Spring event, with Adam Stricker, Rod Conley, Kyle Moore, and R.J. Conley giving chase. Black and Stricker would steadily pull away from the field and Black would begin to lap slower traffic on lap nine. Black and Stricker would work traffic masterfully around the high side of the racing surface, with Stricker closing right up on Black’s rear bumper on lap sixteen. The first caution would wave on lap nineteen for a car that spun over the turn two banking. The restart would not see the field complete a lap as a five-car tangle would take place entering turn one involving Seth Daniels, Austin Lay, Travis Carr, Rob Anderzack, and Jeff Davis, with Lay, Anderzack, and Davis done for the night. The restart would see the front three of Black, Stricker, and Rod Conley remain first through third, while R.J. Conley would grab fourth from Kyle Moore. Black would pull away a bit, but Stricker would close right up on his rear bumper once again would deliver a slidejob pass in turn two for the lead on lap twenty-eight, but Black would regain the top spot entering turn three and would hold off Stricker’s challenges to score the win. Stricker would finish second, followed by Rod Conley, R.J. Conley, and Moore. Todd Brennan, Zach Milbee, Colten Burdette, Mike Hildebrand, and Donovan Jackson would complete the top ten finishers.

The next event for the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP will be Saturday April 18 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH for the track’s 73rd Season Opener event, with the Super Late Model racing for $5,000 to win. Also in action will be DIRTcar Modifieds and Super Stocks.

For more information on the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series fueled by VP, please log on to www.IMDIRT.net or call (828) 361-5981.

The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series fueled by VP is brought to the fans in the region by many important sponsors and partners: Official partners include, Valvoline Global Operations (Official Oil), VP Racing Fuels (Official Fuel), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Jail Breaker Brands (Official Potato Chip), STAKT Products, DIRTcar Racing, XS Power Batteries (Green Flag Sponsor), Todd Steel Buildings (Move of the Race Award), FloRacing (Rookie of the Year Award), DirtonDirt.com, MD3 (Hard Charger of the Race Award), Conley River Terminal (Hard Luck Award), Impact RaceGear (Official Outfitter), Allgaier Performance Parts & Racing Shocks, Domination Race Cars (Official Victory Lane Sponsor), C&W Sales, Joy Ride Transport, Curtis Towing, MAGA Lift (Official Droop Check Sponsor), Simpson Race Products (Official Safety Equipment), Swafford Signs (Official Decals & Graphics), MyRacePass (Official Website), Deatherage Racing Opticians (Middleman Award), Wayne’s Auto Repair (Official Hot Pit Sponsor), Slicker Graphics, Jim & Nancy Viox, JD Enterprise & Dirt Empire Magazine.

Official Summary of Results

Atomic Speedway-Waverly, Ohio
Saturday, April 11, 2026

Feature Finish:

1. Caiden Black-New Concord, Ohio
2. Adam Stricker-Batavia, Ohio
3. Rod Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio
4. R.J. Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio
5. Kyle Moore-Mansfield, Ohio
6. Todd Brennan-Zanesville, Ohio
7. Zach Milbee-Poca, West Va.
8. Colten Burdette-Parkersburg, West Va.
9. Mike Hildebrand-Loveland, Ohio
10. Donovan Jackson-Hope Millls, N.C.
11. Miles Cook II-Wheelersburg, Ohio
12. Justin Cooper-Wheelersburg, Ohio
13. Seth Daniels-Jackson, Ohio
14. Josh Bocook-Wheelersburg, Ohio
15. Ryan Markham-Ashland, Ohio
16. Travis Carr-Stoutsville, Ohio
17. Austin Lay-Walton, Ky.
18. Rob Anderzack-Swanton, Ohio
19. Jeff Davis-Waverly, Ohio
20. Trace Settles-Sunbury, Ohio

Adam Stricker (13.441 seconds) set the Slicker Graphics Fastest Hot Lap.

Caiden Black was the fastest in VP Racing Fuels “Challenge the Clock” Time Trials with a 12.950 second lap.

Caiden Black won Joy Ride Transport Heat-1.

Adam Stricker won C&W Sales Heat-2.

Rod Conley won Curtis Towing Heat-3.

Miles Cook II won the MD3 Hard Charger Award advancing 7 positions.

Miles Cook II won the Deatherage Racing Opticians Middleman (11th Place) Award.

Todd Brennan was the FloRacing Rookie of the Race.

Adam Stricker won the Todd Steel Buildings Move of the Race Award.

Rob Anderzack won the Conley River Terminal Hard Luck Award.

Lap Leaders: Caiden Black 1-30

Allgaier Performance Halfway Leader was Caiden Black.

Swafford Signs White Flag Leader was Caiden Black.

Deatherage Racing Opticians Caution Flags: Two (lap 19, 19 restart)

Time of Race: 22 minutes, 32 seconds.

Provisional Starters: None

Margin of Victory: 0.461 seconds.

Heat One Finish: Caiden Black, Kyle Moore, Todd Brennan, Zach Milbee, Rob Anderzack, Ryan Markham, Jeff Davis

Heat Two Finish: Adam Stricker, R.J. Conley, Mike Hildebrand, Austin Lay, Donovan Jackson, Josh Bocook, Trace Settles

Heat Three Finish: Rod Conley, Seth Daniels, Colten Burdette, Justin Cooper, Travis Carr, Miles Cook II

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