12/11/2023
Iron-Man Late Model Series
Josh Rice Rolls to 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series Championship
SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (December 11, 2023)- The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series recently completed its 2023 racing season and second-generation racer Josh Rice of Verona, KY would claim the 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series championship, earning his first series championship title with the series.
After finishing sixth in 2022 Northern Series points, Josh Rice would turn in a dominant performance over the course of the 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series season as the 25-year-old second-generation speedster would visit victory lane in seven of the ten completed tour events and only finished outside the top two on one occasion. Rice would grab his seven tour victories at Ponderosa Speedway (May 26), Lake Cumberland Speedway (May 27, June 17, August 26), Hilltop Speedway (July 7), and Atomic Speedway (August 19 and September 16). Rice’s drive to the 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series championship would come behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis that would be powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine and Jay Dickens Race Engine. Rice’s championship winning mount would carry sponsorship from Sunesis Holdings and Construction, BLOX Spiked Ice, Extreme Sportswear, Map It Right Engineering and Land Surveying, Chain Locker USA, Maxwell Trucking, Air Max Motorsports, Northern Kentucky Equipment, M.C. Tank Transport, and Rice Excavating and Plumbing.
For the second consecutive season, 24-year-old second generation racer Austin Lay of Walton, KY would finish as the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series championship runner-up. The youngest member of the Lay racing family, Austin Lay would finish in the top ten on two different occasions over the course of the 2023 season, with his best finish being a ninth-place effort at Lake Cumberland Speedway on May 27. After finishing seventh in tour points in 2022, veteran racer Rod Conley of Wheelersburg, OH would finish third in final series points for 2023 as the 61-year-old second generation driver would tally six top ten finishes, with his best finish being a fourth-place finish on two occasions (Ponderosa Speedway August 4 and Lake Cumberland Speedway August 26).
Defending Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series champion Michael Chilton of Salvisa, KY would finish fourth in the final 2023 Northern Series points, as the 37-year-old seasoned veteran competitor would score three top ten finishes, with one of those being a victory at Ponderosa Speedway on August 4. The final position in the top five in tour points would go to another veteran racer as 52-year-old Jesse Lay of Walton, KY would garner one top ten series finish on his to fifth in the final points and that would come at Lake Cumberland Speedway on August 26.
For the 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series tour, a total of 131 different drivers competed with the tour during the season and the average car count per event would be 24.0 entries per event, with the high car count being 42 at Brownstown Speedway on October 6 for the track’s 40th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic. Three different drivers would score feature event win in the ten completed points events, with only one driver scoring more than one victory (Josh Rice-7).
The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series would like to sincerely thank all the racetracks and their staffs, the racers and race teams, and the race fans for their support of the 2023 season for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series.
For more information on the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, phone 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 Northern 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, FloRacing, 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.
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.
FINAL 2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series Points
- Josh Rice (Verona, KY)- 720
- Austin Lay (Walton, KY)- 424
- Rod Conley (Wheelersburg, OH)- 366
- Michael Chilton (Salvisa, KY)- 302
- Jesse Lay (Walton, KY)- 283
2023 Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern Series Schedule/Results:
May 26-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
July 7-Hilltop Speedway-Millersburg, OH-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
July 22-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-Nick Hoffman (Mooresville, NC)
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-Michael Chilton (Salvisa, KY)
August 19-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
August 26-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
September 16-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
October 6-Brownstown Speedway-Brownstown, IN-Bobby Pierce (Oakwood, IL)
