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McDowell Tames “The Bad Fast Taz” with Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series Win in Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial

TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE (July 3, 2023)– The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series would celebrate America’s birthday a day early with the running of the 3rd Annual Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN and Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA would lead all 75 lap on his way to what would be a $23,100 victory, as the race paid $21,000 to win and had a $2,100 fast time award courtesy of Toyota Knoxville that was also claimed by McDowell. The event would be co-sanctioned with the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals as a non-points race for that tour. (Chad Wells image)

The win for the 57-year-old McDowell would be his fourth career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory and would come aboard a Team Zero Race Car powered by a Clements Race Engine with sponsorship from E-Z-GO, Connected Strategy Advisors, North Eastern Fabrication, Klotz Lubricants, Cometic Gaskets, Campbell Insulation Specialists, and FOX Shocks.

Dale McDowell would take the lead at the start of the 3rd Annual Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial Valvoline A-Main, with Jimmy Owens, Ricky Weiss, Austin Neely, and Donald McIntosh in pursuit. A four-car tangle on lap four involving Steve Smith, Brian Smith, Matthew Holt, and Aaron Guinn would slow the action and the attempted restart would not see a full lap completed as David Payne and Vic Hill would tangle battling for the sixth position just past the start/finish line and ended up stopped in turn one, with both drivers done for the night. McDowell controlled the field on the restart, with Weiss taking second from Owens, while McIntosh taking fourth and Dakotah Knuckles grabbing the fifth position, shuffling Neely back to sixth. McDowell would have a pair of close encounters with lapped traffic on lap twelve, with the caution waving one circuit later for debris on the track. This restart would again see McDowell maintain the lead on the restart, followed by Weiss and Owens, while McIntosh and Knuckles would battle for the fourth position, with Knuckles taking the spot on lap nineteen. McDowell would again get into traffic on by lap twenty-seven and had built a 5.880 second lead when the next caution waved on lap forty for Josh Henry, who slowed on the frontchute with a flat left-rear tire. McDowell would continue to lead on the restart, with Owens taking second Weiss, followed by Knuckles and McIntosh. Knuckles and McIntosh would resume their battle from prior to the caution, with McIntosh reclaiming the fourth spot on lap forty-two. McDowell would keep Owens at bay by around 1.5 seconds until the final caution waved on lap fifty-eight for Knuckles, who slowed on the frontchute with mechanical issues that would end his night. McDowell would again control the field on what would end up being the final restart, followed by Owens, Weiss, McIntosh, and Brandon Williams. McDowell would keep Owens at bay for the remainder of the event and see the checkered flag first, with Owens and Weiss completing the podium finishers. McIntosh and Williams completed the top five finishers. Completing the top ten finishers would be Mack McCarter, Jason Trammell, Austin Neely, Aaron Guinn, and Adam Ahl.

The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series will be Friday August 4 at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY for the Pete Abell Memorial paying $7,500 to win. The inaugural Ponderosa Speedway Hall of Fame will also be recognized at the event and it will also be a points event 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 (Super Late Models), www.IMOPENWHEEL.net (Open Wheel Modifieds), or by following Iron-Man Series (@CTPROMOTE) on Twitter or liking Iron-Man Racing Series on Facebook.

The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model 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, 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.

Official Summary of Results

Feature Results for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series 3rd Annual Lil’ Bill Corum Memorial at Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN on Monday July 3, 2023

1. Dale McDowell-Chickamauga, Ga.
2. Jimmy Owens-Newport, Tenn.
3. Ricky Weiss-Monterrey, Tenn.
4. Donald McIntosh-Dawsonville, Ga.
5. Brandon Williams-Crossville, Tenn.
6. Mack McCarter-Gatlinburg, Tenn.
7. Jason Trammell-Mascot, Tenn.
8. Austin Neely-New Tazewell, Tenn.
9. Aaron Guinn-Russellville, Tenn.
10. Adam Ahl-Morristown, Tenn.
11. Josh Sneed-Knoxville, Tenn.
12. Dakotah Knuckles-Ewing, Va.
13. Josh Henry-Newport, Tenn.
14. Steve Smith-Powell, Tenn.
15. Brian Shockley-Thorn Hill, Tenn.
16. Brian Smith-Barbourville, Ky.
17. Matthew Holt-Thorn Hill, Tenn.
18. John Llewellyn-Knoxville, Tenn.
19. Vic Hill-Mosheim, Tenn.
20. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.

Time of Race: 35 minutes
Margin of Victory: 1.143 seconds
Yellow Flags: Five (lap 4, 4 restart, 13, 40, 58)
Red Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Dale McDowell 1-75
Entries: 20
E-Z-GO Time Trials Top Qualifier: Dale McDowell 11.267 seconds ($2,100 fast time award courtesy of Toyota Knoxville)
SFP Performance Systems Hard Charger Award ($100 product certificate): Adam Ahl (started 18th-finished 10th-advanced 8 positions)
Provisionals: None

Todd Steel Buildings Heat Race One Finish (10 laps/all transfer): Dale McDowell, Jimmy Owens, Dakotah Knuckles, Josh Henry, Jason Trammell, Brian Smith, Josh Sneed

SFP Performance Systems Heat Race Two Finish (10 laps/all transfer): Ricky Weiss, David Payne, Vic Hill, Brandon Williams, Aaron Guinn, Steve Smith (DNS-Matthew Holt)

T.W. Taylor Trucking Heat Race Three Finish (10 laps/all transfer): Austin Neely, Donald McIntosh, Mack McCarter, John Llewellyn, Brian Shockley (DNS-Adam Ahl)

Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Southern Series 2023 Schedule/Results
January 6/7-Talladega Short Track-Eastaboga, AL-Ray Cook (Brasstown, NC) (Non-Points)
January 29-Boyd’s Speedway-Ringgold, GA-J.T. Seawright (Oxford, AL (Non-Points)
May 26-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
May 29-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-Cory Hedgecock (Loudon, TN)
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-Josh Rice (Verona, KY)
July 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-Dale McDowell (Chickamauga, GA)
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
August 11-North Alabama Speedway-Tuscumbia, AL-$5,000 to win
August 12-Talladega Short Track-Eastaboga, AL-$10,000 to win
August 26-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$15,022 to win
September 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$5,044 to win
October 6-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$5,000 to win
October 7-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$10,088 to win

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