UNION, KY (March 29, 2025) – Josh Rice’s quest for a third consecutive Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels championship got off to a good start as he captured his first career NALMS feature win and his third “Spring 50” on Saturday night at the Florence Speedway. Rice, who started third, took the lead on lap 10 from Camaron Marlar and then held off Mike Marlar the rest of the way for the $10,000 victory in the series and Florence’s season opener.
Devin Gilpin, the reigning 5-time track champion at Brownstown finished in third followed by James Rice and Billy Green.
Camaron Marlar took the lead at the start of the main event with on from Daulton Wilson. Wilson dove low in an attempt to pass Marlar for the lead on lap four as the two made contact with the result of Wilson bringing out the caution with Marlar’s left side door attached to his quarter-panel. Wilson had to restart on the tail.
On the restart Derek Groomer starting his first full-year in a super late model went to the lead top spot a position he held until the younger Marlar squeezed by for the led on lap nine. But Rice was on the move as he typically is at Florence as he went to the point on lap ten passing Marlar for the race lead.
It was a wild beginning to the start of the race as there five lead changes among five drivers until Rice seized control. Mike Marlar, who started 12th then got by his brother as four of the top five spots were taken by the Rice Brothers and the Marlar Brothers at this point in the race.
Groomer then slowed for a flat tire bringing out the caution and during that time Camaron Marlar headed to the hot pit as he would call it a night.
Michael Chilton was on the move by the halfway mark as the driver of the Danny Hatcher-owned #6 powered from the outside of row nine to first get by James Rice for fourth as he began to battle with Gilpin for the next position in the running order.
The two would race side by side for several laps as the Salvisa, Kentucky racer would finally clear Gilpin on lap 27 for third.
Meanwhile up front Mike Marlar was keeping the heat on Josh Rice for the race lead with Chilton starting to reel in the top two, but Chilton’s solid run from 16th ended on lap 48 when he brought out the final caution of the race as he was stalled out on the top of turn four and after contact with another car running in front of him.
This would set up a race ending shootout between Josh Rice and Mike Marlar as Rice would fend off the challenges of Marlar to win his 12th feature at Florence since 2021.
In Sunoco Victory Lane for the 2025 NALMS season opener Rice became the eighth different winner in the last nine NALMS since the series was revitalized in 2023 by James Essex.
“Man, I couldn’t wait for that one to be over. I knew Mikey, he started deep and got along ways up there. I knew not to try to mess up in that hole (in turn 2). The guys weren’t telling me to do anything different, so I couldn’t get it turned hard enough to get below it and I felt like I was wasting time trying to get below it. So, I would just floor it right before I got to it and make sure I was turned and I just totally 100% let off of it and just let it do its thing through the hole and it worked out,” said the Crittenden, Kentucky racer.
“This thing here we hit on something at Atomic and almost won a Lucas Oil race and then we come back here, and I felt like I could be a alot better down the straightaways, but through the corners I felt like I was pretty good. I felt like I was just wasting so much time getting down the straightaways.”
Completing then top ten were Kirk Phillips, Daulton Wilson, David Webb, Seth Daniels, and Rod Conley.
The next Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series race will be on April 5 at the Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana for the 3rd Annual Ira Bastin Memorial paying $5,000 to win.
The winner’s Rick Jones-owned Rocket Chassis is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Sunesis Construction, Air Max Heating and Cooling, Rice Excavating, Impact Race Gear, Chain Locker, Glenwood Electric, Integra Racing Shocks, and Sunoco Race Fuels.
Summary:
Entries: 35
Lap Leaders: Camaron Marlar 1-3, Derek Groomer 4-8, Camaron Marlar 9, Josh Rice 10-50
Florence WinWater Supply Fast Time: Daulton Wilson
Heat Race Winners: Daulton Wilson, Josh Rice, Camaron Marlar, Derek Groomer
B-Main Winners: Brad Rickels and Michael Chilton
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: David Webb (Started 22nd and finished 8th) advanced 14 positions
Arizona Sport Shirts Rookie of the Race: Billy Green
Current Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels Points Standings (As of March 30)
Driver -Hometown-Winnings-Points
- Josh Rice (Crittenden, KY) – ($10,000) – 200
- Mike Marlar (Winfield, TN) – ($5,000) – 198
- Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN) – ($3,000) – 196
- James Rice (Verona, KY) – ($2,500) – 194
- Billy Green (Walton, KY) – ($2,000) – 192
- Kirk Phillips (Ashland, KY) – ($1,500) – 190
- Daulton Wilson (Fayetteville, NC) – ($1,400) – 188
- David Webb (Nicholasville, KY) – $1,300) – 186
- Seth Daniels (Jackson, OH) – ($1,250) – 184
- Rod Conley (Wheelersburg, OH) – ($1,200) – 182
- Tyler Collins (North Vernon, IN – ($1,150) – 180
- Dustin Nobbe (Batesville, IN) – ($1,100) – 178
- Jeff Shackelford (Clayton, IN) – ($1,050) – 176
- Derek Groomer (Bloomington, IN) – ($1,000) – 174
- Michael Chilton (Salvisa, KY) – ($1,000) – 172
- Tucker Chastain (Mitchell, IN) – ($1,000) – 170
- Trevor Landrum (Florence, KY) – ($1,000) – 168
- Austin Lay (Florence, KY) – ($1,000) – 166
- Blake Creech (Richmond, IN) – ($1,000) – 164
- Camaron Marlar (Winfield, TN) – ($1,000) – 162
- Cody Mahoney (Madison, IN) – ($1,000) – 160
- Brad Rickels (Verona, KY) – ($1,000) – 158
- Quentin White (Greenwood, IN) ($1,000) – 156
- Jason Jameson (Lawrenceburg, IN) ($1,000) – 154
- Zak Blackwood (Columbus, IN) ($100) – 100
- Josh Vinyard (Danville, KY) – ($100) – 100
- Dustin Shoulders (Coatesville, IN) – ($100) – 100
- Michael LeFevers (Cincinnati, OH) – ($100) – 100
- Jake Leitzman (Paragon, IN) – ($100) – 100
- Matt Gifford (Rensselaer, IN) ($100) – 100
- Keegan Cox (Franklin, IN) ($100) – 100
- P.J. Simpson (Berry, KY) ($100) – 100
- Curt Addison (Florence, KY ($100) – 100
- Brandon Hardgrove (Burnside, KY) ($100) – 100
- Wade Dabis (New Richmond, OH) – ($100) – 100
- Jared Bailey (Bedford, IN) – 100
Current Arizona Sport Shirts Rookie of the Year Points Standings
- Billy Green – 192
- Jeff Shackelford – 176
- Derek Groomer – 174
- Tucker Chastain – 172
- Austin Lay – 166
- Brad Rickels – 158
- Quentin White – 156
- Dustin Shoulders – 100
- Jake Leitzman – 100
- Matt Gifford – 100
- Keegan Cox – 100
