KNOXVILLE, IA (April 17, 2011)- The stats following VLR's Mopar Knoxville Nationals last Sunday will show that VLR_18 led flag-to-flag to win the 50 lap main event at the famed Knoxville Raceway.

Don't let that fool you on just how hard the superstar from Brookfield, Wi., had to drive in order to keep his NOS Energy Dodge out in front with the lead for the entire distance.

VLR_18, 16, looked to have it easy early in the race, as he used his pole position to pull out to the lead while several drivers duked it out for second.

Some fans were packing up and getting ready to leave the track before WFO_Rainman took a spin with five laps to go to bring out the caution. The fans quickly scurried back to their seats as WFO_ICE would restart second in the Delaware-style restart.

ICE started in sixth but by the time he got to second, 18 was already in his rhythm and had built up a big lead and WFO_ICE couldn't run him down despite being a little faster.

The caution bunched everything up, but VLR_18 still went on to hold off ICE for the victory by half a car length in what became a surprisingly exciting race for the win that brought all of the fans back to their seats, though none of them were sitting in them.

“I wasn't to happy with the restart, but that's what happens,” VLR_18 said of the five lap shootout that decided the winner. “I was just glad ICE didn't (take me out) there at the end.”

VLR_18 had built up a 3/4 straightaway advantage while teammates WFO_Rainman and WFO_ICE battled for second, and was on cruise control for much of the race until the caution.

Perhaps as impressive as VLR_18's win was WFO_Rainman, who brought out the caution and restarted last with five to go, before charging through the pack to end up with a third place finish, which happened to be where he was running before the caution came out.

VLR_Superman, 19, of Knoxville, Tn., and the newest member of the VLR stable continued his successful season with a fourth place finish after getting into the show through the B Main with no practice.

Despite the good finish, Superman dropped to second in points by just a single point heading in to the halfway mark of the season.

Fellow Tennessee driver, Shock, 22, of Crossville, finished fifth after restarting third following the caution with five laps to go.

VLR_18 continued to pull away on VLR's All Time Win list, while in the process taking over the points lead from Superman. 18 is looking for his fifth straight championship this season and hopes the win at Knoxville will contribute to that goal.

“Having the whole front row to yourself (after the Delaware file restart) helps a lot here,” said 18, who became the second repeat winner this season. “I knew I was in a good position after the first lap.

“I got a great start and was able to get distance between me and (ICE). He was probably quicker in the long run but I was able to hold him off.”

VLR_18's win overshadowed the impressive run of WFO_ICE, who started second on the final restart, and made the end of the race exciting as he got the lucky break he needed to challenge for the win. However, he would come up about three feet shy of victory at the finish in his return to Dtr2 following the birth of his daughter a couple of weeks earlier.

ICE was able to mount a strong run under VLR_18 for the win on the final lap, but he couldn't find enough grip on the bottom line to stay ahead of the #18 Dodge. 

“I think the only reason I really ran is because this is one of my favorite tracks and I thought if I was able to come back and be on the track it should be here,” ICE said of his Monster Energy Chevrolet. “I gave VLR_18 a pretty good run on that last lap, I'm pretty happy with it.

"That restart was the only chance I had to win, and that's really the only reason I came was to have a chance to win."

WFO_Rainman weaved his way through the pack after the late restart, and came home with a third place finish after nearly crossing the line three wide with VLR_Superman and VLR_Shock in tow.

"I seen nobody using the bottom (after the restart)," said the East Moline, Il., driver. "That was (very) fun, those last few laps, that was worth it right there (restarting last with five laps to go for bringing out the caution).

"Thank God it worked out for me. It made for a good showdown, godo finish."

Doit 10 of Fort Worth, TX, brought home sixth; Brandon, MN. driver IFRT_Jim finished 7th; VLR_McGee of Spartanburg, SC. got 8th; BLS_Jsn! ran 2nd and 3rd much of the race before the final restart and finished 9th; VLR_JW brought home 10th after starting second.

Twenty-five cars were entered in the evening’s action which took place on a warm night in Iowa.

VLR_18 also earned the pole for the race, a 13.40. VLR debuted one of the neatest things in DTR2 history for qualifying which recorded each drivers lap times as they went out and automatically posted them to the VLR site for everyone to see instantly while the drivers qualified. The plan is to use this for every race that VLR hosts qualifying in since it turned out so well and made the race go by much quicker.

Heat winners were VLR_18, VLR_JW, and WFO_Rainman. The B-Mains were captured by VLR_Superman and VLR_McGee.

Time of Race: unknown due to caution 

Margin of Victory: 0.003 Secs.

Lap Leaders: VLR_18 (1-50)

Rookie of the Race: IFRT_Jim