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Eli Beets Wheels to 5th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial Victory at Lake Cumberland Speedway

BURNSIDE, KENTUCKY (May 29, 2022)– The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series would be in action at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on Sunday evening for the 5th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial and Eli Beets would lead all forty laps on his way to the victory and the $5,031 payday. Beets would be the fifth different winner of the Johnny Wheeler Memorial event in the five seasons it has been contested.

For Beets, it would be his second career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and his second of the season and would come aboard a Capital Race Car powered by a Clements Race Engine with sponsorship from TMC Transportation and C&C Specialized Trucking.

Stacy Boles and Eli Beets would bring the field to the green flag to start the 5th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial main event, but the caution would wave before one lap could be completed for a three-car tangle in turn two involving Shane Bailey, Kenny Cobble, and Brady Lear, with all three drivers being done for the event. The second attempted start would go green and Beets would outduel Boles for the lead, but a four-car would take place in turn two on lap two involving Michael Chilton, Kirk Phillps, Dakotah Knuckles, and Shane Irvin, with Irvin being done for the night. The restart would see Beets hold the lead, with Boles in second, with Justin Rattliff taking third from Mack McCarter, while Chris Combs would go to fifth. The front five would remain the same until the caution waved on lap eight for debris in turn one. Beets would control the lead on the restart, with Boles and Rattliff battling for second, with Boles securing the runner-up slot on lap nine, while McCarter would run fourth and Combs would be fifth. Chilton would begin to charge his way back toward the front and would claim the fifth spot on lap eleven. The front five would remain the same with Beets stretching his lead out to better than three seconds over Boles, but Beets would start working slower traffic on lap twenty-two and Boles would close the gap a bit, however, the final caution of the event would appear on lap twenty-four when Rod Carter, Jr. would slow with mechanical issues at the bottom of turn one. Beets would again maintain the lead on the restart, with Rattliff taking the second position from Boles, while Chilton would sang fourth from McCarter on the same lap. Beets would a comfortable lead over Rattliff, while Chilton would battle with Boles for the third spot. Combs would begin to pressure McCarter for fifth and take the spot on lap thirty-three. Beets would begin working lapped traffic again on lap thirty-six, while Chilton would final win the battle for third with Boles and take the final podium on lap thirty-seven. Beets would maintain an almost three second advantage over the final few circuits and grab the victory, with Rattliff finishing second and Chilton claiming third. Boles and Combs would complete the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be lead by seventeenth starting Camaron Marlar, followed by McCarter, Daulton Wilson, Matt Henderson, and Austin Lay.

The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern (and Southern Series) will be at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY on Friday June 3 for the Summer Sizzler, paying $7,500 to win. The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series will be at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN on Monday May 30 for the 10th Annual Scott Sexton Memorial, paying $10,052 to win.

For more information about the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model 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 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, SFP Performance Systems, KND Safety, 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 Northern and Southern Series 5th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial at Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on Sunday May 29, 2022

1. Eli Beets-Knoxville, Tenn.
2. Justin Rattliff-Campbellsville, Ky.
3. Michael Chilton-Salvisa, Ky.
4. Stacy Boles-Clinton, Tenn.
5. Chris Combs-Isom, Ky.
6. Camaron Marlar-Winfield, Tenn.
7. Mack McCarter-Gatlinsburg, Tenn.
8. Daulton Wilson-Fayetteville, N.C.
9. Matt Henderson-Loudon, Tenn.
10. Austin Lay-Walton, Ky.
11. Kirk Phillips-Ashland, Ky.
12. Rod Carter, Jr.-Woodbine, Ky.
13. Dakotah Knuckles-Ewing, Va.
14. Shane Irvin-Dunnville, Ky.
15. Kenny Cobble-Cookeville, Tenn.
16. Shane Bailey-Grayson, Ky.
17. Brady Lear-Brodhead, Ky.

Time of Race: 23 minutes, 42 seconds
Margin of Victory: 2.986 seconds
Yellow Flags: Four (lap 1, 2, 8, 24)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Eli Beets 1-40
Entries: 17
E-Z-GO Time Trials Top Qualifier: Stacy Boles 13.293 seconds
SFP Performance Systems Hard Charger Award ($100 product certificate): Camaron Marlar (started 17th-finished 6th-advanced 11 positions)
Provisionals: None

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race One Finish (8 laps/all transfer): Stacy Boles, Mack McCarter, Justin Rattliff, Chris Combs, Michael Chilton, Dakotah Knuckles, Kenny Cobble, Shane Irvin, Camaron Marlar

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race Two Finish (8 laps/all transfer): Eli Beets, Rod Carter, Jr., Daulton Wilson, Matt Henderson, Kirk Phillips, Shane Bailey, Austin Lay, Brady Lear

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