RICHMOND, Ky. (July 18) — In the 28-year history of Richmond Raceway’s Paul “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial, only two drivers have ever captured three or more career victories. Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., is one of them.

Using lapped traffic to his advantage, Marlar outdueled Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., and Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, Ky., in the final laps of Saturday’s feature, earning a $10,028 payday in his second career Southern Nationals Bonus Series triumph.

“It’s a tight little track and it’s pretty hard to pass on there early,” Marlar said after the race. “I seen things start shaping up to where it was going to get pretty hectic if it timed out right on the cautions and that’s how it kind of played out. We got bunched up running so slow on that bottom and when people start moving, trying to make moves, we all make little mistakes. At the end, it just happened. It all came together and I got the right places at the right time.”

With the race leaders working their way through the back of the field, Marlar cruised past Rattliff to lead lap 52, but Jameson would shoot ahead of the pair on the next circuit, commanding lap 53. Marlar returned the point on lap 54, leading the remaining distance for his first victory of the 2015 season.

 “This racetrack might be a quarter-mile, so they’re going to be a factor,” Marlar said of lapped traffic. “Just give it 15 laps and you’re going to be in it heavy. If it was a fast groove, seven or eight laps and we’d have been in them. It just worked out. Justin Rattliff, he had a really good car tonight, and of course Jason Jameson. But the lines moved and they kept working in my favor.”

Fourth-starting Jameson held on to finish second, with second-starting Rattliff slipping to finish third. Jackie Boggs of Grayson, Ky., finished fourth, with Josh Rice of Verona, Ky., rallying from the 23rd starting position to round out the top-five. Jameson, who has made a limited number of starts this season, was pleased with his runner-up finish.

“We had a good run tonight,” Jameson said. “I knew it was going to be one-lane on the bottom, basically rubbered up. There at the end the lapped car made it interesting. I got the lead one time and I told myself ‘Stay on the bottom.’ I still tried to pass the lapped car and that’s what cost me the race. But other than that, it was a pretty good weekend.”

Piloting a new Club 29 Race Car, Rattliff charged to the lead on the third lap, controlling most of the 59-lap distance. While he’s certain his new car is the right fit, his disappointment in his third-place finish was apparent.

“I would have liked to have won it,” Rattliff said. “To lead all those laps, it’s aggravating to say the least. But it’s part of it. We’ll be back next year.”

A yellow flag waved on lap 24 for a turn-one tangle involving Jason Barrett, Greg Johnson and James Rice. Michael Chilton spun to draw a caution on lap 25. The final yellow fell on lap 34 when Skylar Marlar and Duane Chamberlain tangled in turn one, collecting Cody Mahoney.