RINGGOLD, Ga. - J.T. Seawright had to top some pretty tough company to score his first career Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series victory in Saturday night’s Cabin Fever race at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia.
Namely his younger brother, Sam Seawright.
The win was worth $5,000 for the 22-year-old, who came out on top of an event that saw three different leaders and four lead changes on the 3/8-mile clay raceway.
Booger Brooks grabbed the lead on the opening lap, but he would only lead the opening circuit as J.T. Seawright grabbed the lead off the top side of turn four to lead lap two, while Sam Seawright, Christian Hanger, and Austin Horton gave chase. The lead pack began working through slower traffic on lap nine, and would be in heavy traffic by lap 12.
The first caution of the event waved on lap 22 when Josh Walker slowed at the top side of turn two. During the caution, second place running Brooks would pull to the work area with a flat tire. The restart would not see a lap completed as seventh place running Jason Hiett made contact with the retaining wall in turn four.
On the next restart, J.T. Seawright maintained the race lead, with Sam Seawright now second, with Horton in third, Hanger in fourth, and Landon Gentry in fifth. Sam Seawright began working the high side of the track and would pull alongside of his older brother on lap 26. The pair battled back and forth, with Sam Seawright taking the lead on lap 28. J.T. Seawright reclaimed the lead on lap 29, as the leaders began working lapped traffic again on lap 32.
The caution flew again on lap 33 for a spin by Will Harris in turn two. On the restart, third-place Horton did not come up to speed and pulled in the infield, allowing Hanger to go to third, with Gentry fourth, and Jadon Frame now fifth. The final caution flew one circuit later on lap 34 for another spin by Harris in turn three.
J.T. Seawright again maintained the lead on the restart, and held the point all the way to the checkered flag. Sam Seawright followed in second, with Hanger in third, Brooks in fourth, and Gentry in fifth.
Robby Mason, Todd Morrow, Chase Oliver, Jason Hiett, and Frame rounded out the top 10.
The next event for the Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series will take place at Fort Payne Motor Speedway in Fort Payne, Alabama on Saturday, February 25. For more information, visit IMDirt.net.
Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series
Boyd’s Speedway – Ringgold, GA
Cabin Fever – January 28, 2023
1. J.T. Seawright
2. Sam Seawright
3. Christian Hanger
4. Booger Brooks
5. Landon Gentry
6. Robby Mason
7. Todd Morrow
8. Chase Oliver
9. Jason Hiett
10. Jadon Frame
11. Hayden Ownbey
12. John Llewellyn
13. Mark Bangs
14. Tod Hernandez
15. Chris Jones
16. Corey Roulette
17. Clayton Cooper
18. Andy Morris
19. Mike Bargo
20. Austin Horton
21. Will Harris
22. Andy Picklesimer
23. Josh Walker
24. Brandon Hardgrove
