Dirt on Dirt - Marlar grabs $30,000 at Volunteer's Spring Thaw

April 6

Volunteer Speedway,

Bulls Gap, TN

Sanction: XR Super Series (Spring Thaw) - $30,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated April 7, 7:13 pm)

Marlar grabs $30,000 at Volunteer's Spring Thaw

Spring Thaw

Mike Marlar
Devin Moran
Jonathan Davenport
Chris Ferguson
Daulton Wilson
Tyler Erb
Hudson O'Neal
Josh Henry
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Ricky Weiss
Brandon Overton
Scott Bloomquist
Will Roland
Rusty Ballenger
Jimmy Owens
Jensen Ford
Austin Neely
Luke Morey
Benji Hicks
Michael Brown
Mack McCarter
Forrest Trent
Dale McDowell
Kaede Loudy

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Chad Wells/wellsracingphotos.com

Mike Marlar picked up $30,000 for his Volunteer Speedway victory.

What won the race: Inheriting the top spot from Dale McDowell after the leader slowed on lap 14 with a broken driveshaft, fourth-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., rolled the remainder of the distance to capture Saturday's 60-lap XR Super Series-sanctioned Spring Thaw at Volunteer Speedway. Marlar repelled Devin Moran’s late challenge to claim $30,000 for his first career series win.

Key notes: Marlar beat Moran to the finish line by 0.216 of a second for his third overall victory of the 2024 season. ... Moran gained control of second from Jonathan Davenport on lap 31 and steadily closed on Marlar, but his last-lap bid fell short. … Davenport settled for third place after running second for laps 15-28 and lap 30. … Chris Ferguson ran fourth for the final 12 laps after overtaking Daulton Wilson, who finished fifth. … McDowell's broken driveshaft on lap 14 — after he led from the start of the race — brought out the second caution flag. … Other cautions were caused by Kaede Loude, who slowed on lap 12 and a tangle involving Brandon Overton and Jimmy Owens on the lap-14 restart. … Ricky Thornton Jr. pitted during the caution period following the Overton/Owens incident while running seventh. He returned and finished ninth. ... The 18th annual Spring Thaw was originally slated to start Friday, but the $12,000-to-win opener was moved to Sunday due to unfavorable weather. ... Saturday's feature lasted 23 minutes, with 11 competitors completing the distance and 15 running at the finish.

On the move: Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, started 23rd and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Marlar’s Skyline Motorsports Longhorn Chassis carries sponsorship from Bruening Rock Products, Skyline Materials, Truck Country, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olson Explosives, Bennett Explosives, Petroff Towing, Can-Am Auto Salvage, Brown’s Heavy Equipment, VP Racing Fuels, Bilstein and Capital Signs.

Points chase: After Volunteer Saturday: 1. Mike Marlar (100); 2. Devin Moran (95); 3. Jonathan Davenport (91); 4. Chris Ferguson (87); 5. Daulton Wilson (84); 6. Tyler Erb (81); 7. Hudson O'Neal (78); 8. Josh Berry (76); 9. Ricky Thornton Jr. (74); 10. Ricky Weiss (72).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 50°F

Car count: 34

Fast qualifier: Brandon Overton

Time: 12.009 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Overton

Heat race winners: Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Dale McDowell, Mike Marlar

Consolation race winners: Michael Brown, Will Roland

Provisional starters: Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss

Next series race: April 7, Volunteer Speedway (Bulls Gap, TN) $12,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (April 6) — Updates and results from the 18th annual Spring Thaw, an event sanctioned by the XR Super Series and highlighted by a $30,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Inheriting the top spot from Dale McDowell after the leader slowed on lap 14, fourth-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., rolled the remainder of the distance to capture Saturday's 60-lap XR Super Series-sanctioned Spring Thaw at Volunteer Speedway. Marlar repelled Devin Moran’s late challenge to claim $30,000 for his first career series win.

Feature lineup

(60 laps)
Row 1: Brandon Overton, Dale McDowell
Row 2: Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar
Row 3: Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran
Row 4: Jimmy Owens, Rusty Ballenger
Row 5: Mack McCarter, Daulton Wilson
Row 6: Hudson O'Neal, Josh Henry
Row 7: Kaede Loudy, Chris Ferguson
Row 8: Scott Bloomquist, Benji Hicks
Row 9: Michael Brown, Will Roland
Row 10: Jensen Ford, Forrest Trent
Row 11: Luke Morey, Austin Neely
Row 12: Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss

Consolation results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Michael Brown, Jensen Ford, Luke Morey, Tyler Erb, Josh Sneed, Mike Bargo, Chris Chandler, Billy Denby, Ricky Weiss.

Second consolation: Will Roland, Forrest Trent, Austin Neely, Vic Hill, Cory Hedgecock, Steve Smith. Scratched: John Tweed, Brandon Williams, Terry Wolfenbarger.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Brandon Overton, Ricky Thornton Jr., Mack McCarter, Kaede Loudy, Luke Morey, Michael Brown, Billy Denby, Chris Chandler, Tyler Erb.

Second heat: Jonathan Davenport, Jimmy Owens, Hudson O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Jensen Ford, Mike Bargo, Josh Sneed, Ricky Weiss.

Third heat: Dale McDowell, Devin Moran, Daulton Wilson, Chris Ferguson, Cory Hedgecock, Austin Neely, Forrest Trent. Scratched: John Tweed, Terry Wolfenbarger.

Fourth heat: Mike Marlar, Rusty Ballenger, Josh Henry, Benji Hicks, Will Roland, Vic Hill, Steve Smith, Brandon Williams.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 12.009
2. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 12.083
3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 12.151
4. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 12.175
5. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 12.250
6. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 12.295
7. Mack McCarter (51), Gatlinburg, Tenn., 12.328
8. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, 12.414
9. Luke Morey (49m), Zeeland, Mich., 12.530
10. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 12.553
11. Kaede Loudy (126), Rogersville, Tenn., 12.641
12. Jensen Ford (15k), Johnson City, Tenn., 12.724
13. Michael Brown (24D), Lancaster, S.C., 12.895
14. Mike Bargo (316), Corbin, Ky., 13.010
15. Chris Chandler (8), Weaverville, N.C., 13.206
16. Josh Sneed (79), Knoxville, Tenn., 13.670
17. Billy Denby (45), Tullahoma, Tenn., 14.022
Group B
1. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Tenn., 12.206
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 12.273
3. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 12.301
4. Rusty Ballenger (1G), Seymour, Tenn., 12.432
5. Chris Ferguson (22), Mount Holly, N.C., 12.464
6. Brandon Williams (95), Crossville, Tenn., 12.540
7. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 12.619
8. Benji Hicks (55), Mount Airy, N.C., 12.637
9. Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 12.682
10. Will Roland (22R), Jasper, Ga., 12.685
11. Austin Neely (3N), New Tazewell, Tenn., 12.701
12. Vic Hill (1v), Mosheim, Tenn., 12.830
13. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 13.153
14. Steve Smith (3), Powell, Tenn., 13.227
15. John Tweed (5), Greenville, Tenn., 13.673
16. Josh Henry (B00), Newport, Tenn., 14.209
17. Terry Wolfenbarger (14), Powell, Tenn., no time

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open, driver registration begins
2 p.m. - Technical inspection opens
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
4 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (backstretch registration trailer)
4:30 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
4:50 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
5 p.m. - Racing begins
- Super Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Super Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
- Super Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
Feature events
- Super Late Models (60 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)