FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Strickler Tickles Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Series Firecracker 40 at Tazewell Speedway

By Michael Despain

TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE (July 3-4, 2019)– The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com would celebrates America’s 243rd birthday a day early on Wednesday evening with the Firecracker 40 at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN and Kyle Strickler would score the $5,000 victory after inheriting the lead on lap fourteen.

The event, hampered by Mother Nature, would be halted on its original date of July 3 with thirteen laps completed and the event would be completed on July 4 after a three-hour delay once again for rain showers that would fall at the track, with a special thank you going out the drivers (for their help to finish off the preparation of the racing surface with wheel-packing), the fans (for sticking out the weather), and to the track staff at Tazewell Speedway for their diligence and over and above efforts to complete the event.

The win for Strickler would be his first-career Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series victory, his first with the Wells Motorsports race team, and would make him the sixth different winner with the series so far in 2019. Strickler would drive the David, Connie, and Eric Wells owned Wells and Son Motorsports, All Star Performance, Big Blue Smokehouse, Penske Shocks, Convenient Lube, Hoosier Tire, G-Style Transport, Doug Campbell Body Shop, Brucebilt Performance sponsored #8 Longhorn Chassis, Cornett Race Engines powered mount in the winning effort.

Dakotah Knuckles would take the lead at the start of the event, with Donald McIntosh, Kyle Strickler, Vic Hill, and Robby Moses giving chase. Strickler would drive past McIntosh for the second spot on lap two, with Hill taking third from McIntosh on lap five. Knuckles would start the process of working slower traffic on lap seven and would remain in command until the first caution appeared for David Payne with a flat right-rear tire on lap eleven. The race would go green again until lap fourteen when Lynn Leach would spin exiting turn four. During the caution period, race leader Knuckles would pull off the track to the infield work area with mechanical issues. This would hand the lead over to Strickler and on restart, McIntosh would blow a right-rear tire exiting turn two and draw the caution flag and during this caution, rain showers moved in and the red flag would be displayed and the event would be postponed until the following day. Once action would resume, Strickler would have the race lead, with Hill, Jason Trammell, and Steve Smith in pursuit. Smith would draw the caution when he slowed on the frontchute on lap twenty and be done for the night. Strickler would again pull away from the field, with Hill second, and Knuckles now back to third. However, Knuckles charge would be halted on lap twenty-eight when he slowed on the track with a flat right-rear tire. Strickler would again scoot away from Hill and would hold a comfortable lead until the final caution waved on lap thirty-three for David Payne, who would have a flat right-front tire. Hill would stay closer to Strickler on the restart, but Strickler would maintain the lead over the final few circuits to claim the victory, with Hill finishing second and Knuckles recovering to claim the third position. Trammell and Payne would complete the top five finishers. 

The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com next events will be Friday August 23 at Tri-County Race Track in Brasstown, NC and Saturday August 24 at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN. Both events will pay $3,000 to win.  

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

The Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Championship Late Model Series presented by DirtonDirt.com would like to thank the following sponsors and marketing partners for their continued support: American Racer Tires, AR Bodies, Brucebilt Performance, Cruise with the Champions, Custom Suspensions, DirtonDirt.com, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, Schaeffer’s Oil, Speedway Video Productions, VP Race Fuel, and Wiles Driveshafts.

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 July 3-4, 2019
1. Kyle Strickler-Mooresville, N.C.
2. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.
3. Dakotah Knuckles-Ewing, Va.
4. Jason Trammell-Powell, Tenn.
5. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
6. Steve Smith-Powell, Tenn.
7. Robby Moses-Maryville, Tenn.
8. Jeff Wolfenbarger-Clinton, Tenn.
9. Jeff Neubert-Rockford, Tenn.
10. Jody Horton-Sneedville, Tenn.
11. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
12. Eric Centers-Corbin, Ky.
13. Joey Standridge-Telico Plains, Tenn.
14. Brian Phillips-Somerset, Ky.
15. Lynn Leach-Andersonville, Tenn.
16. Matthew Holt-Washburn, Tenn.
17. Joseph Faulkner-Fayetteville, Tenn.
18. Mack McCarter-Gatlinburg, Tenn.
19. Danny Helton-Rogersville, Tenn.

Time of Race: Not Available
Margin of Victory: Not Available
Yellow Flags: Six (lap 11, 14, 14 restart, 20, 28, 33)
Red Flags: One (lap 13 for rain)
Lap Leaders: Dakotah Knuckles 1-13, Kyle Strickler 13-40
Entries: 19
Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Overall Top Qualifier: Dakotah Knuckles (Group A) 11.535 seconds
Provisionals: None

Current Schaeffer’s Oil Iron-Man Late Model Series Points (as of 7/3/19)
1. Robby Moses-1,294
2. Joseph Faulkner-1,236
3. Joey Standridge-1,206
4. Casey Turman-986
5. Donald McIntosh-734
6. Michael Chilton-639
7. Cory Hedgecock-570
8. Ashton Winger-400
9. Brian Shirley-396
10. Kyle Strickler-390
10. David Seibers-390