FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

David Payne Pockets $10,000 in Schaeffer’s Iron-Man/Southern Nationals Toyota Knoxville 50 at Tazewell Speedway

By Michael Despain

TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE – May 30, 2020 – It would be the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series versus the Schaeffer's Oil Southern Nationals Series at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, Tenn. on Saturday evening for the track’s 15th Annual Toyota Knoxville 50 and David Payne of Murphy, N.C. would lead all fifty laps on his way to the $10,000 triumph, the richest of his career. Payne’s victory made him the ninth different winner of the Toyota Knoxville 50 event at Tazewell Speedway.  

The victory for Payne would mark his fourth career Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series tour victory and would come aboard the Payne Excavating, Gibson Motorsports, PPM Racing Products, Interstate Welding, American Racer Tire, Schaeffer’s Oil sponsored #8 Capital Race Cars, Jay Dickens Race Engines powered entry. 

David Payne would take the lead at the drop of the green flag on the fifty-lap main event, with Tyler Millwood, Brandon Overton, Jimmy Owens, and Donald McIntosh following Payne. Payne would set a rapid pace at the point and would begin working slower traffic on lap nine. By lap thirteen, Payne would find himself in heavy traffic, allowing Millwood, Overton, and Owens to close in on Payne. Payne would get some clear track briefly on lap sixteen, while the trio of Millwood, Overton, and Owens would begin to battle for second. This trio would race three-wide in turns three and four on lap seventeen and trade a volley of slidejob passes for two laps before Owens would win the battle for second, with Overton now third and Millwood fourth. Payne would maintain the lead, but Owens would close in on Payne by lap twenty-five and begin to pressure Payne for the top spot. The first caution of the event would appear on lap thirty-one when Jordan Horton would slow in turn two. Payne would lead the restart, with Owens and Overton in pursuit, while Michael Chilton would sneak into the fourth position, moving Millwood back to fifth. By lap forty, Payne was again about to catch slower traffic at the rear of the field and Owens would be nipping at his heels when the caution would appear again, this time for Dakotah Knuckles who had slowed in turn one. Payne would get a great restart, but the action would only go green for a couple of laps, as second-place running Owens would slow in turn four with a flat left rear tire. The final restart would see Payne scoot away from Overton, with Chilton now third, and a hard-charging Kyle Strickler taking the fourth spot. Payne would go unchallenged the remainder of the way to claim the victory, while Chilton would get by Overton on the final lap to claim second and Strickler was also slip past Overton to score third. Overton would settle for fourth as his right-rear tire would go down on the final half-lap, with Millwood claiming fifth. The remainder of the top-ten finishers would be Ryan King, Pearson Lee Williams, Travis Fultz, 19th place starter Dale McDowell, and Owens.

The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series next events will be Friday June 5 at Wartburg Speedway in Wartburg, Tenn. and Saturday June 6 at I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tenn. Both events will be 40 laps and pay $4,000 to win.    

For more information concerning the Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com, contact series promoter Chris Tilley at (606) 219-1723 or (828) 361-5981 or by visiting the tour’s website at www.CTPROMOTIONS.org. 

2020 Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series Sponsors include: Schaeffer’s Oil, Brucebilt Performance, DirtonDirt.com, VP Race Fuels, American Race Tires, Graphic Impressions, Wiles Driveshafts, Knowles Race Parts & Bodies, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Earnhardt Technologies, Envy Suspension, Hoosier Racing Tire, E-Z-Go, Cruise with the Champions, Swafford Signs, and Speedway Videos Production.

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN on May 30, 2020
1. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
2. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
3. Kyle Strickler-Mooresville, N.C.
4. Brandon Overton-Evans, Ga.
5. Tyler Millwood-Kingston, Ga.
6. Ryan King-Seymour, Tenn.
7. Pearson Lee Williams-Dublin, Ga.
8. Forrest Trent-Talbott, Tenn.
9. Dale McDowell-Chickamauga, Ga.
10. Jimmy Owens-Newport, Tenn.
11. Jake Knowles-Rome, Ga.
12. Dakotah Knuckles-Ewing, Va.
13. Kenny Collins-Colbert, Ga.
14. Joey Standridge-Tellico Plains, Tenn.
15. Travis Fultz-Harrogate, Tenn.
16. Brian Smith-Barbourville, Ky.
17. Jeff Wolfenbarger-Clinton, Tenn.
18. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
19. Jordan Horton-New Tazewell, Tenn.
20. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.
21. David Crabtree-Maryville, Tenn.
22. Dustin Nobbe-Batesville, Ind.

Time of Race: 21 minutes, 6 seconds
Margin of Victory: 2.770 seconds
Yellow Flags: Three (lap 31, 43, 45)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: David Payne 1-50
Entries: 29
Overall Top Qualifier: Tyler Millwood (Group A) 11.710 seconds
Provisional Starters: Jake Knowles, Joey Standridge 

Heat One Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Tyler Millwood, Michael Chilton, Dakotah Knuckles, Forrest Trent, Kenny Collins, Jake Knowles, Steve Smith (DNS-Jeff Neubert)

Heat Two Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Jimmy Owens, Ryan King, Travis Fultz, Kyle Strickler, David Crabtree, Kirk Phillips, Lynn Leach

Heat Three Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- David Payne, Donald McIntosh, Pearson Lee Williams, Vic Hill, Bobby Giffin, Joey Standridge, Dale McDowell

Heat Four Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Brandon Overton, Brian Smith, Jeff Wolfenbarger, Dustin Nobbe, Jordan Horton, Greg Estes, Robby Moses

B-Main Finish (10 laps/top 4 transfer)- Kenny Collins, David Crabtree, Dale McDowell, Jordan Horton, Bobby Giffin, Jake Knowles, Joey Standridge, Kirk Phillips, Lynn Leach, Steve Smith (DNS-Greg Estes, Robby Moses, Jeff Neubert)

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series Points (after 5/30/2020)
1. Michael Chilton-117
2. Kyle Strickler-103
3. Pearson Lee Williams-100
4. Ryan King-95
5. Jake Knowles-94
6. David Payne-90
7. Dale McDowell-88
8. David Crabtree-86
8. Joey Standridge-86
10. Cory Hedgecock-80
11. Donald McIntosh-79
12. Dakotah Knuckles-76

2020 Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series Schedule/Results:
May 25-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN (CORY HEDGECOCK)
May 30-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-David Payne (DAVID PAYNE)
June 5-Wartburg Speedway-Wartburg, TN-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
June 6-I-75 Raceway-Sweetwater, TN-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
June 13-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$3,000 to win (30 laps-non points)
June 19-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
June 20-Volunteer Speedway-Bulls Gap, TN-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
July 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$5,000 to win (40 laps)
July 4-Volunteer Speedway-Bulls Gap, TN-$5,000 to win (40 laps)
August 7-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
August 8-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-$5,000 to win (40 laps)
August 29-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$10,022 to win (50 laps)
September 6-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$4,400 to win (44 laps)
October 2-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$4,000 to win (40 laps)
October 10-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$5,000 to win (40 laps)