What won the race: Making a dramatic burst from third-to-first on a lap-29 restart , Dona Marcoullier of Houghton Lake, Mich., registered a $4,000 victory in Sunday's American Ethanol Late Model Tour-sanctioned CHS 40 at Merritt Speedway. He vaulted past Rusty Schlenk and Brandon Thirlby to lead lap 30 and rolled to his first win of 2019 on the Michigan-based series.

Quotable: "This is awesome," Marcoullier said. "It started taking rubber and I just moved up at the right time. ... We had the best stuff last year, too, and we couldn't go anywhere. We threw away the spring smasher, went back to the scales and its awesome again. We're having fun."

Key notes: Marcoullier handled two lap-33 restarts with aplomb to defeat Schlenk by 0.869 of a second for his series-leading 11th career triumph. ... Before Marcoullier dramatically seized control, Thirlby and Schlenk swapped the top spot; Thirlby led laps 1-9 and 28-29 while Schlenk paced laps 10-27. ... Thirlby fell from first to third on the lap-29 restart and finished in the final podium position. ... Rich Bell overtook Travis Stemler in the final laps to finish fourth. ... World of Outlaws regular Dennis Erb Jr., who topped a 40-car field at Merritt on Saturday for a unsanctioned victory after Thunderbird's Ethanol Tour show rained out, finished sixth. ... Caution flags flew on lap 29 for a Mike Staszak-Logan Arntz tangle in turn four and twice on lap 33 (spins by Staszak and Jason Playter Jr.). … Marcoullier became the fifth winner in five series events.

On the move: Rich Neiser of Fruitport, Mich., started 20th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Marcoullier’s Club 29 Race Car is powered by a Rhyne Competition Engine and carries sponsorship from Dennis Craft Construction, Patrick Plumbing, Roscommon Auto Recyclers, Michigan Steel and Trim, McBain Body Shop, Jimmy’s Collision, Randall’s Collision and Wilds True Value Hardware.

Points chase: Thirlby (244 points) entered the event leading the standings over Travis Stemler (220), Eric Spangler (198), Logan Arntz (195) and Rich Bell (190).

Current weather: Clear, 55°F

Car count: 38

Fast qualifier: Dennis Erb Jr.

Time: 14.524 seconds

Polesitter: Rusty Schlenk

Heat race winners: Travis Stemler, Nick Kurtz, Rich Bell, Dona Marcoullier

Consolation race winners: Dusty Moore, David Mielke

Next series race: June 1, Montpelier Motor Speedway (Montpelier, IN) $4,000