Brandon Overton Slam Dunks Foes to Take Tennessee Tip-Off Classic at Smoky Mountain Speedway
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3/7/2022

3/7/2022

Iron-Man Late Model Series

Brandon Overton Slam Dunks Foes to Take Tennessee Tip-Off Classic at Smoky Mountain Speedway

MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE (March 5, 2022)– The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series would begin its 2022 points season at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN on Saturday for the 9th Annual Tennessee Tip-Off Classic co-sanctioned with the Ultimate Super Late Model Series. Brandon Overton of Evans, GA would take the lead on lap twelve and drive on to claim the victory and the $12,000 payday for his efforts.

The win for the 30-year-old Overton would be his first career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and come aboard the Wells Motorsports owned Longhorn Chassis powered by a Clements Race Engine and has sponsorship from Wells Motorsports, CrossFit Overton, All Star Concrete, Big Dog Stump and Tree Removal, R.W. Powell Construction, E-Z-GO, All Star Performance, Dirt Mafia, Convenient Lube, Hoosier Tire, Top Notch Kustom Koncepts, Penske Racing Shocks, and Sunoco Race Fuels.

Camaron Marlar would take the lead at the start of the sixty-lap main event, with Brandon Overton, Michael Chilton, Tim McCreadie, and Mike Marlar giving chase to the leader. McCreadie and Mike Marlar would work past Chilton on lap two to take the third and fourth positions, shuffling Chilton back to fifth. With Camaron Marlar still pacing the field out front, Kyle Strickler would make his way past Chilton for fifth on lap five. Overton would begin to close the gap to leader Camaron Marlar on lap nine and would make the pass for the top spot in turn two on lap twelve. One lap later, McCreadie would move past Camaron Marlar to take the runner-up slot. Overton would immediately begin to build his lead, while Mike Marlar would dive under younger brother Camaron Marlar for the third position on lap fifteen. Strickler would quickly close on Camaron Marlar would drive past him for the fourth spot on lap seventeen, with Jonathan Davenport grabbing fifth from Camaron Marlar on lap eighteen. Overton continued to maintain the race lead and would begin working slower traffic by lap twenty and would work in and out of traffic while maintaining a comfortable lead over McCreadie. With Overton working slower traffic to perfection, McCreadie was not able to mount a charge on the race leader, with the top five remaining the same for several laps at this point in the event. Overton would lap up to the tenth place competitor by lap forty-five and would bearing down on the front half of the field when the only caution of the event waved on lap fifty-two for debris on the racing surface in turn two. The restart would see Overton lead the field into turn one, with Mike Marlar working past McCreadie for second and briefly challenging Overton for the top spot, with Davenport staying fourth, while Dale McDowell would work past Strickler for fifth, only to see Strickler reclaim the fifth position on lap fifty-three. Overton would build a comfortable over the final laps of the event and drive to the checkered flag first. Mike Marlar would settle for runner-up honors, with McCreadie finishing in third. Davenport and Strickler would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten finishers would be McDowell, Hudson O’Neal, Chris Ferguson, Camaron Marlar, and Wil Herrington.

The next events for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series will be on Friday March 25 and Saturday March 26 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN as part of the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals. Those events will be co-sanctioned with the XR Super Series and each feature event will pay $50,000 to win.

For more information about the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series, please contact Chris Tilley at (828) 361-5981 or visit the tour’s webpage at www.IMDIRT.net or visit the tour page Iron-Man Racing Series on Facebook and Iron-Man Series (@CTPROMOTE) on Twitter.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their support of the 2022 racing season: Valvoline, Zerex by Valvoline, Brucebilt Performance Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, E-Z-GO, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, DirtonDirt.com, MyRacePass, FloRacing, XS Power Batteries, Vic Hill Racing Engines, American Racer Tires, Keltner Contracting, TW Taylor Trucking, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Swafford Signs, KY Clutch, Brown Haven Homes, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, Coosa Heating and Cooling, Cruise with the Champions, SFP Performance Systems, KND Safety, Impact RaceGear, Chattanooga Valley Auto Parts, Race Clean, Denby’s J&J Construction, Advanced Transportation, Lowe’s Tows, Reno’s Roadhouse, and Racetrack Safety Initiative.

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.

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series 9th Annual Tennessee Tip-Off Classic at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN on Saturday March 5, 2022

  1. Brandon Overton-Evans, Ga.
  2. Mike Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
  3. Tim McCreadie-Watertown, N.Y.
  4. Jonathan Davenport-Blairsville, Ga.
  5. Kyle Strickler-Mooresville, N.C.
  6. Dale McDowell-Chickamauga, Ga.
  7. Hudson O’Neal-Martinsville, Ind.
  8. Chris Ferguson-Mount Holly, N.C.
  9. Camaron Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
  10. Wil Herrington-Hawkinsville, Ga.
  11. Tyler Erb-New Waverly, Tex.
  12. Eli Beets-Knoxville, Tenn.
  13. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
  14. Anthony Sanders-Spartanburg, S.C.
  15. Jimmy Owens-Newport, Tenn.
  16. Garrett Alberson-Las Cruces, New Mex.
  17. Corey Gordon-Charlotte, N.C.
  18. Christian Hanger-Winchester, Tenn.
  19. Ricky Weiss-Headingly, Manitoba, CAN
  20. Stacy Boles-Clinton, Tenn.
  21. Clay Coghlan-Dandridge, Tenn.
  22. Matt Henderson-Loudon, Tenn.
  23. Skip Arp-Georgetown, Tenn.
  24. Brian Ledbetter-Dallas, N.C.
  25. Steve Smith-Powell, Tenn.
  26. Zack Mitchell-Enoree, S.C.

Time of Race: 22 minutes, 55 seconds
Margin of Victory: 2.277 seconds
Yellow Flags: One (lap 52)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Camaron Marlar 1-11, Brandon Overton 12-60
Entries: 37
E-Z-GO Time Trials Top Qualifier: Brandon Overton (Group B) 16.418 seconds
SFP Performance Systems Hard Charger Award ($100 product certificate): Hudson O’Neal (started 16th-finished 7th-advanced 9 positions)
Provisional Starters: Steve Smith and Skip Arp (Iron-Man), Anthony Sanders and Brian Ledbetter (Ultimate), Stacy Boles (Iron-Man Emergency), Corey Gordon (Ultimate Emergency)

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat One Finish (8 laps/top 4 advance): Camaron Marlar, Matt Henderson, Ricky Weiss, Eli Beets, Zack Mitchell, Stacy Boles, Kyle Courtney, Brett Wyatt, Dakota Smith

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Two Finish (8 laps/top 4 advance): Michael Chilton, Jonathan Davenport, Dale McDowell, Wil Herrington, Clay Coghlan, Robby Moses, Corey Gordon, Steve Smith, Austin Kirkpatrick

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Three Finish (8 laps/top 4 advance): Brandon Overton, Tim McCreadie, Chris Ferguson, Jimmy Owens, Christian Hanger, Skip Arp, Anthony Sanders, Michael Asberry (DNS-Shayne Bailey)

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Four Finish (8 laps/top 4 advance): Mike Marlar, Kyle Strickler, Garrett Alberson, Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Erb, Forrest Trent, Doug Sanders, Tyler Arrington, Brian Ledbetter

Impact RaceGear B-Main One Finish (10 laps/top 2 advance): Zack Mitchell, Clay Coghlan, Stacy Boles, Robby Moses, Kyle Courtney, Austin Neely, Steve Smith, Dakota Smith, Corey Gordon (DNS-Brett Wyatt, Austin Kirkpatrick)

Impact RaceGear B-Main Two Finish (10 laps/top 2 advance): Tyler Erb, Christian Hanger, Skip Arp, Tyler Arrington, Anthony Sanders, Doug Sanders, Brian Ledbetter, Forrest Trent (DNS-Michael Asberry, Shayne Bailey)

Current Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series Points (as of 3/5/22)

  1. Brandon Overton-80
  2. Mike Marlar-75
  3. Tim McCreadie-70
  4. Jonathan Davenport-65
  5. Kyle Strickler-60
  6. Dale McDowell-55
  7. Hudson O’Neal-53
  8. Chris Ferguson-51
  9. Camaron Marlar-49
  10. Wil Herrington-47

Article Credit: By Michael Despain | Photo by Chad Wells

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