The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP would kick off its final weekend visit to the state of Michigan on Friday evening at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich. for the Duel on Dirt event and Rusty Schlenk held off a late-race charge from Travis Stemler to win the $5,000 prize.

For the 40-year-old Schlenk, from Jackson Mich., the win would be his second of the season with the tour, his series leading 42nd career victory, and marked the 304th feature victory of his career. Schlenk would drive to the win aboard the Tyler Borck owned Domination Race Car with sponsorship from Buckeye Concrete Coatings, Tri-State Pole Barns, Tim Finch Automotive, Air Tight Insulation, Larry’s Mobile Repair, VP Racing Fuel, VP Lubricants, Domination Race Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Integra Shocks, XS Power, KBC Graphix, MAGA Lifts, OTR Filters, Velocita USA, Quickcar, Willy’s Carb and Dyno, Wilwood Brakes, Zamp Racing, and Race-Fan.com.

Polesitter Schlenk and Dona Marcoullier brought the field to life for the start of the 30-lap feature with Schlenk jumping to a big lead at the drop of the green. As the field stayed green, Schlenk would catch slower traffic on the 13th circuit. By the halfway point, Schlenk lead fifth-starting Travis Stemler, Marcoullier, Colten Burdette, Rod Conley, Brandon Thirlby and Seth Daniels. With ten circuits to go, Schlenk’s lead was down to four car lengths and by lap-21. After the lap-23 caution, Schlenk was leading Stemler, Burdette, Marcoullier and Conley. Stemler showed his nose on Schlenk with six to go as the duo battled all across the race track with Schlenk holding the high line and Stemler holding the bottom line. With four laps to go, the duo of Schlenk and Stemler would be side-by-side near the start-finish line for a dandy of a race heating up. The caution flag would slow the field on lap-27 putting the field for a single-file restart in a three-lap shootout. Schlenk battled Stemler and lead with three laps to go. Stemler got a run on the bottom side and took the lead briefly at the line to lead lap-28 with Schlenk getting the high groove working again and took the lead back on the white flag lap and remained steadfast to win the main event with only a 0.262 margin of victory over Stemler, Burdette, Conley & Thirlby completing the top-five.

Two Deatherage Racing Opticians Caution Flags slowed the main event. The first yellow flew on lap-23 as McKay Wenger slowed with a right-rear flat tire while the final yellow flag was thrown on lap-27 as Dona Marcoullier went over the turn two banking, slowing the field for the last time.

The next event for the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP will be Saturday August 8 at Butler Motor Speedway in Quincy, Mich. paying $5,000 to win and $500 to start.

For more information on the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series fueled by VP, please log on to www.IMDIRT.net or call (828) 361-5981.

The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series fueled by VP is brought to the fans in the region by many important sponsors and partners: Official partners include, Valvoline Global Operations (Official Oil), VP Racing Fuels (Official Fuel), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Jail Breaker Brands (Official Potato Chip), STAKT Products, DIRTcar Racing, XS Power Batteries (Green Flag Sponsor), Todd Steel Buildings (Move of the Race Award), FloRacing (Rookie of the Year Award), DirtonDirt.com, MD3 (Hard Charger of the Race Award), Conley River Terminal (Hard Luck Award), Impact RaceGear (Official Outfitter), Domination Race Cars (Official Victory Lane Sponsor), C&W Sales, Joy Ride Transport, Curtis Towing, MAGA Lift (Official Droop Check Sponsor), Simpson Race Products (Official Safety Equipment), Swafford Signs (Official Decals & Graphics), MyRacePass (Official Website), Deatherage Racing Opticians (Middleman Award), Wayne’s Auto Repair (Official Hot Pit Sponsor), Slicker Graphics, Shane Bailey Racing, Jim & Nancy Viox, JD Enterprise & Dirt Empire Magazine.

Official Summary of Results

I-96 Speedway-Lake Odessa, Michigan

Friday August 7, 2026

Feature Finish:

1. Rusty Schlenk-Jackson, Mich.

2. Travis Stemler-Ionia, Mich.

3. Colten Burdette-Parkersburg, W.V.

4. Rod Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio

5. Brandon Thirlby-Buckley, Mich.

6. Logan Nickerson-Vestaburg, Mich.

7. Seth Daniels-Jackson, Ohio

8. Jeff Erickson Jr.-Muskegon, Mich.

9. Chase Burda-Lapeer, Mich.

10. Eric Spangler-Lake City, Mich.

11. Rob Anderzack-Swanton, Ohio

12. Rylee Knoll-Lake, Mich.

13. Jacob Stuhr-Harrison, Mich.

14. Miles Cook II-Wheelersburg, Ohio

15. Travis Carr-Stoutsville, Ohio

16. Bill Bray-Spring Lake, Mich.

17. Dona Marcoullier-Houghton Lake, Mich.

18. McKay Wenger-Fairbury, Ill.

19. Chad Finley-St. Johns, Mich.

20. Cody Bauer-Farwell, Mich.

21. Mike Vandermark Jr.-Cedar Springs, Mich.

22. Rich Neiser-Fruitport, Mich.

Dona Marcoullier set the Slicker Graphics Fastest Hot Lap.

Rusty Schlenk was the fastest in VP Racing Fuels “Challenge the

Clock” Time Trials with a 16.084 second lap of the 28 entries on hand.

Rusty Schlenk won Joy Ride Transport Heat-1.

Dona Marcoullier won C&W Sales Heat-2.

Colten Burdette won Curtis Towing Heat-3.

Jacob Stuhr won STAKT Products B-Main.

Logan Nickerson won the MD3 Hard Charger Award advancing seven positions.

Rob Anderzack won the Deatherage Racing Opticians Middleman (11th Place) Award.

Miles Cook II was the FloRacing Rookie of the Race.

Travis Stemler won the Todd Steel Buildings Move of the Race Award.

McKay Wenger won the Conley River Terminal Hard Luck Award.

Kevin Reeve was the STAKT Products First Non-Transfers.

Lap Leaders: Schlenk (1-27), Stemler (28), Schlenk (29-30)

Allgaier Performance Halfway Leader was Rusty Schlenk.

Swafford Signs White Flag Leader was Rusty Schlenk.

Deatherage Racing Opticians Caution Flags: Lap 23, Lap 27.

Time of Race: 13 minutes, 25 seconds

Provisional Starters: Travis Carr & Bill Bray

Margin of Victory: 0.262 seconds

Heat One Finish: Rusty Schlenk, Rod Conley, Brandon Thirlby, Eric Spangler, Logan Nickerson, Jacob Stuhr, Mike Vandermark Jr., Cody Bauer, Bill Bray, Patric LaJoye.

Heat Two Finish: Dona Marcoullier, Travis Stemler, Rob Anderzack, Chase Burda, Chad Finley, Travis Carr, Brayden LaJoye, Justin White, McKay Wenger.

Heat Three Finish: Colten Burdette, Seth Daniels, Rich Neiser, Jeff Erickson Jr., Miles Cook II, Kevin Reeve, Brandon Olson, Rylee Knoll, Bry Johnson (DNS).

B-Main One Finish: Jacob Stuhr, Cody Bauer, Rylee Knoll, McKay Wenger, Mike Vandermark Jr., Kevin Reeve, Bry Johnson, Bill Bray, Brayden LaJoye, Brandon Olson, Patric LaJoye, Travis Carr, Justin White (DNS).

NEXT: Bobby Pierce Breaks Down His Second Place Finish And Shares What He Should Have Done