In front of a large crowd, the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP would be in action on Saturday evening at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, OH for the 23rd Annual CT Promotions Iron-Man Classic and Kody Evans of Camden, OH would lead all thirty lap on his way to his biggest win with the $7,500 payday. The event would be co-sanctioned with the Coltman Farms Racing Battle of the Bluegrass DIRTcar Series presented by Slicker Graphics. The win by Evans made him the 15th different winner in 18 series so far in 2026.
The win by the 28-year old Evans was his first career Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series victory and saw him become the 182nd different winner in series history. Evans victory came aboard the Kody Evans Racing LLC owned Rocket Chassis powered by a Vic Hill Race Engine with sponsorship from Trackside Auto Sales, Legacy Electric, KBO Trucking, Performance Transport, K&N Property Maintenance, MGL Auto Sales, The Tipsy Hog, Slicker Graphics, and Victory Seats.
With the drop of the green flag on the 23rd Annual CT Promotions Iron-Man Classic Valvoline A-Main, Kody Evans would grab the race lead, with Rod Conley, Justin Cooper, Kirk Phillips, and Josh Bocook giving chase in positions two through five. Eighth place starter Henry Hornsby III would quickly make his way into the top five by taking the fifth position from Bocook on lap three. Evans would set a torrid pace out front and would begin lapping slower cars on lap six, while Phillps would work past Cooper for third on the same circuit.
Kody Evans. Photo by Michael Boggs.
Evans would see Conley close in a bit in lapped traffic, but Evans would work traffic a bit better than Conley and maintain a comfortable lead. While Evans would maintain the race lead, Cooper and Hornsby III would close on Phillips and Phillips would slip up in turn two, allowing Cooper to go to third and Phillips to fourth, sliding Phillips back to fifth.
The first caution would wave on lap twenty-three for a slowed Lucas Crooks in turn four with a flat tire. The restart would see Evans maintain the lead, with Conley holding second, while Hornsby III would make a two for one pass and went from fifth to third, followed by Phillips and Cooper. The final caution would wave for Cooper on lap twenty-six when Cooper would shred a right-rear tire and be finished for the event.
Evans controlled the field and continued to lead after the restart, while Colten Burdette, who went to fifth place after Cooper’s flat tire, would take the fourth position from Phillips on lap twenty-six. Evans would maintain out front and grab the victory, with Conley and Hornsby III completing the podium finishers, with Burdette and Phillips finishing fourth and fifth. The remainder of the top ten finishers would be Josh Bocook, Adam Stricker, Matt Melvin, Miles Cook II, and Shane Bailey.
The next events for the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series Fueled by VP will be a Labor Day Weekend tripleheader of action, beginning on Friday September 4 at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, OH for the Stephen Wagner Memorial/Attica Ambush paying $15,049 to win (richest Super Late Model event in track history), Saturday September 5 at Montpelier Speedway in Montpelier, IN for the American Muscle Showdown paying $5,000 to win, and Sunday September 6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH, for the 18th Annual Baltes Classic presented by Coors Light featuring two (2) $5,000 to win feature events.
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), Coltman Farms Racing (Checkered Flag Sponsor & Battle of the Bluegrass DIRTcar Series Title Sponsor), 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), Shane Bailey Racing, Swafford Signs (Official Decals & Graphics), MyRacePass (Official Website), Deatherage Racing Opticians (Middleman Award), Wayne’s Auto Repair (Official Hot Pit Sponsor), Slicker Graphics, Jim & Nancy Viox, JD Enterprise & Dirt Empire Magazine.
Official Summary of Results
Portsmouth Raceway Park-Portsmouth, Ohio
Saturday August 29, 2026
Feature Finish:
1. Kody Evans-Camden, Ohio
2. Rod Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio
3. Henry Hornsby III-Beckley, West Va.
4. Colten Burdette-Parkersburg, West Va.
5. Kirk Phillips-Ashland, Ky.
6. Josh Bocook-Wheelersburg, Ohio
7. Adam Stricker-Batavia, Ohio
8. Matt Melvin-Coal Grove, Ohio
9. Miles Cook II-Wheelersburg, Ohio
10. Shane Bailey-Grayson, Ky.
11. R.J. Conley-Wheelersburg, Ohio
12. Seth Daniels-Jackson, Ohio
13. Austin Mullett-Louisa, Ky.
14. Kent Keyser-Kenova, West Va.
15. Justin Cooper-Wheelersburg, Ohio
16. Zach Hill-Redhouse, West Va.
17. Ralph Withem-Athens, Ohio
18. Lucas Crooks-Grayson, Ky.
19. Kevin Wagner-Wheelersburg, Ohio
20. Travis Carr-Stoutsville, Ohio
21. Shawn Martin-Maysville, Ky.
22. Patrick Solari-Beaver, West Va.
23. Corey Lewis-Grayson, Ky.
Justin Cooper (15.642 seconds) set the Slicker Graphics Fastest Hot Lap.
Justin Cooper was the fastest in VP Racing Fuels “Challenge the Clock” Time Trials with a 15.699 second lap and earned the $246 “In Memory of Dennis Selby” Fast Time Award.
Kody Evans won Joy Ride Transport Heat-1.
Rod Conley won C&W Sales Heat-2.
Josh Bocook won Curtis Towing Heat-3.
Patrick Solari won STAKT Products B-Main.
Colten Burdette won the MD3 Hard Charger Award advancing 8 positions.
R.J. Conley won the Deatherage Racing Opticians Middleman (11th Place) Award.
Miles Cook II was the FloRacing Rookie of the Race.
Henry Hornsby III won the Todd Steel Buildings Move of the Race Award.
Travis Carr won the Conley River Terminal Hard Luck Award.
Daniel Kattine was the STAKT Products B-Main First Non-Transfer.
Lap Leaders: Kody Evans 1-30
Simpson Race Products Halfway Leader was Kody Evans.
Swafford Signs White Flag Leader was Kody Evans.
Deatherage Racing Opticians Caution Flags: Two (lap 23, 26)
Time of Race: 17 minutes, 10 seconds
Provisional Starters: Travis Carr and Austin Mullett (Series); Shawn Martin (Track)
Margin of Victory: 0.727 seconds
Heat One Finish: Kody Evans, Justin Cooper, Kevin Wagner, Shane Bailey, Miles Cook II, Patrick Solari, Kent Keyser, Matt Cook, R.J. Conley, Shawn Martin
Heat Two Finish: Rod Conley, Matt Melvin, Henry Hornsby III, Lucas Crooks, Ralph Withem, Travis Carr, Austin Mullett (DNS-Seth Daniels, Noah French, Jeff Davis)
Heat Three Finish: Josh Bocook, Kirk Phillips, Adam Stricker, Colten Burdette, Zach Hill, Corey Lewis, Daniel Kattine, Kenneth Howell (DNS-Matt Isaac)
B-Main One Finish: Patrick Solari, R.J. Conley, Seth Daniels, Kent Keyser, Corey Lewis, Austin Mullett, Shawn Martin, Daniel Kattine, Kenneth Howell, Travis Carr (DNS-Matt Cook, Noah French, Matt Isaac, Jeff Davis)
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