5/24/2023
Iron-Man Late Model Series
Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial on Saturday May 27
SOMERSET, KENTUCKY (May 23, 2023) – The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will be at the “House of Hardcore Mayhem” Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on Saturday May 27 for the 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial, paying $7,531 to win and $500 to start.
This will be event number two of a four-race Memorial Day weekend swing, with action on Friday May 26 at Ponderosa Speedway ($7,500 to win), Sunday May 28 at Tazewell Speedway ($5,001 to win), and Monday May 29 at 411 Motor Speedway ($5,052 to win).
The 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial will take place at Lake Cumberland Speedway on Saturday May 27 and will feature the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series in a full program of Denby’s J&J Construction Hot Laps, E-Z-GO Time Trials, Heats, Impact Race Gear B-Mains, and the 40-lap, $7,531 to win/$500 to start 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial Valvoline A-Main contest. Other divisions in action at Lake Cumberland Speedway on Saturday May 27 will be the track’s Crate Late Models ($1,500 to win), Open Wheel Modifieds ($1,200 to win), Super Stocks ($1,000 to win), and Hobby Stocks ($700 to win).
Activities at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial on Saturday May 27 will see the pit area and general admission area at 3:00 p.m. The drivers meeting will be at 6:30 p.m., with practice laps and time trials to get underway at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices at Lake Cumberland Speedway for the 6th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial on Saturday May 27 in the general admission area will be $30 (children ages 10 and under are free), while a pit pass will be $45.
The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern and Southern Series will sanction the Super Late Model portion of the event and the tire rule will be as follows: Fronts: Open; Left Rear: Hoosier NLMT 2 (LM20) and NLMT 3 (LM30); Right Rear: Hoosier NLMT 3 (LM30) and Hoosier NLMT 4 (LM40) (there is no limit on the number of tires used; the droop rule will be in effect, along with the standardized body rules of WoO/Lucas). The entry fee will be $100 per event and transponders for timing/scoring will be available for rent at the track. Any driver not making the 22-car starting field on Saturday May 27 will receive $50 tow money.
The Johnny Wheeler Memorial event is contested at Lake Cumberland Speedway in memory of the likable second-generation racer from Campbellsville, KY who passed away unexpectedly on May 29, 2018. Wheeler was a former multi-time Late Model track champion at Lake Cumberland Speedway, along with also having won track championships at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY, Barren County Speedway in Glasgow, KY, and Taylor County Speedway in Campbellsville, KY. Better known as “The Wheel Man”, Wheeler scored six career victories with the Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series, while also capturing a pair of $10,000 to win events, with those coming in the Coca-Cola 100 at Lake Cumberland Speedway in 2002 and at Barren County Speedway in 1998.
Eli Beets of Knoxville, TN would be victorious in the 5th Annual Johnny Wheeler Memorial in 2022. He would be chased to the checkered flag in that contest by Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, KY, Michael Chilton of Salvisa, KY, Stacy Boles of Clinton, TN, and Chris Combs of Isom, KY.
Lake Cumberland Speedway is located at 1 Race Track Road Burnside, KY 42519. For more information about Lake Cumberland Speedway, visit the track’s webpage at www.lcspeedway.net or by liking Lake Cumberland Speedway Dirt Racing on Facebook.
For more information on the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series, please call 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 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.
Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern/Southern Series Johnny Wheeler Memorial Feature Purse May 27 (40 laps): 1. $7,531, 2. $4,000, 3. $2,000, 4. $1,500, 5. $1,000, 6. $900, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $600, 10. $590, 11. $580, 12. $570, 13. $560, 14. $550, 15. $540, 16. $530, 17. $520, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500
Previous Johnny Wheeler Memorial Champions:
2018-Tyler Carpenter (Parkersburg, WV)
2019-Michael Chilton (Salvisa, KY)
2020-Zack Dohn (Cross Lanes, WV)
2021-Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN)
2022-Eli Beets (Knoxville, TN)
Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Northern 2023 Series Schedule/Results:
May 26-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,531 to win
June 16-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,500 to win
June 23-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$5,000 to win
June 24-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
July 7-Hilltop Speedway-Millersburg, OH-$5,000 to win
July 8-Wayne County Speedway-Orrville, OH-$10,000 to win
July 22-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
August 26-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$15,022 to win
September 16-Atomic Speedway-Waverly, OH-$7,500 to win
October 6-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$5,000 to win
October 7-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$10,088 to win
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-$7,500 to win
May 27-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,531 to win
May 28-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$5,001 to win
May 29-411 Motor Speedway-Seymour, TN-$5,052 to win
June 16-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
June 17-Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY-$7,500 to win
July 3-Tazewell Speedway-Tazewell, TN-$21,000 to win
August 4-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-$7,500 to win
August 10-North Alabama Speedway-Tuscumbia, AL-$5,000 to win
August 11-Fort Payne Motor Speedway-Fort Payne, 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
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.
