What won the race: Winning his first career MARS Championship Series event, polesitter McKay Wenger of Fairbury, Ill., led all the way Sunday at Spoon River Speedway for a $5,000 Plowboy Nationals victory. Wenger turned back multiple challenges from Ryan Unzicker in taking the checkers by 0.478 of a second at the 3/8-mile oval.

Quotable: "I knew we were gonna have to be good enough early on. I figured it was probably gonna rubber up, but I knew we were gonna have to be good enough to hold the lead until it took rubber and we were good right off the bat," Wenger said. "I just kept searching. I could smell rubber and I couldn't figure out where it was at. I picked it up down in (turns) three and four first and then I kept searching through one and two. I finally found it down there at the bottom. ... I just made the right decisions at the right time and we got lucky there, but it played out in our favor."

Key notes: The 37-year-old Wenger notched his 11th overall victory of 2024 and his 100th career triumph. ... Spoon River was the site of his first-ever dirt racing victory 20 years earlier and this marks just his second victory at the track. ... Wenger had a few bobbles, once overrunning the turn-one entrance and heading for the white flag he got too high exiting turn four, briefly opening the door for runner-up Ryan Unzicker, who wasn't close enough to capitalize. ... The lone caution appeared on the 31st lap for Daniel Adam's flat right-rear tire. ... Officials opted for a single-file restart because of track conditions with mostly nose-to-tail action.

On the move: Justin Duty of Molalla, Ore., started seventh and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Wenger's Curless Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Rhyne Competition Engine and sponsored by C&W Trucking, Popejoy Plumbing, Heating & Electric, Creative Kitchens & Baths, Dave Wenger Trucking, Jermis Birdhouse Pet Boarding, Nutrien Ag Solutions, the Foster Family, Punk Rock Pizza, Dimmett Transfer, Tricor Insurance, Oltman Roofing, Hammer Time Graphics and Backwoods Heating & Cooling.

Points chase: After Spoon River: 1. Jason Feger (891); 2. Ryan Unzicker (876); 3. Justin Duty (707); 4. Bob Gardner (683); 5. Kye Blight (609).

Current weather: Clear, 64°F

Car count: 30

Fast qualifier: Jason Feger

Time: 13.491 seconds

Polesitter: McKay Wenger

Heat race winners: Jason Feger, Ethan Dotson, Dennis Erb Jr.

Provisional starters: Mark Voigt, Dale Markham

Next series race: September 13, Brownstown Bullring (Brownstown, IL) $10,000