JUNCTION CITY, Ky. (Aug. 22) — Mike Marlar shook them all night long at Ponderosa Speedway.

Leading all but seven laps in a race delayed four hours by rain, the Winfield, Tenn., driver earned $10,001 in the 11th annual John Bradshaw Memorial for his third career victory on the Ultimate Super Late Model Series.

“It was a long night for sure,” Marlar said. “But it paid off. I’m glad they got everything in and got the race in. I hate it for some of the fans that just had to leave. It was just a bad situation with the rain for everybody. But ultimately, the promoter had the race and we was able to get the win.

Marlar’s victory came one night after he scored a runner-up finish in Thursday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Scorcher 50 at Volunteer Speedway. Rain began falling shortly after 10 p.m. at the conclusion of Friday’s Late Model heat races, falling for about three hours before the track prep crews could get onto the racing surface. Racing resumed about 2 a.m., wrapping up the night’s consolation races and staging the 50-lap main event.

Marlar set fast time and captured the first heat race to earn on the pole of Ponderosa’s John Bradshaw Memorial, but outside front-row starter Brandon Kinzer of Allen, Ky., jumped to the lead at the drop of the green flag. Marlar overtook Kinzer in traffic on the eighth lap and led the rest of the way.

“Ronnie Delk has supplied me with a really, really good car,” Marlar said. “That thing was really good all night, even in the slick conditions early and later in the race fast conditions. It was just a good piece all night.”

In his first trip to Ponderosa, ninth-starting Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind., took runner-up honors, with Skylar Marlar, also of Winfield, notching a podium finish. Kinzer held on to finish fourth, with 10th-starting Rod Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio, advancing five spots to round out the top five.

Robinson was able to use restarts to gain ground on the pacesetter, but was never able to seriously challenge Marlar for the lead.

“I knew we were softer on tires,” Robinson said. “I knew if we could just maybe get him to jump the cushion or something, if I could get in front of him, I might have been able to hold him off. But every lap he got a little better and I was dying there toward the end. So I’m happy to get second.”

The caution-plagued event was slowed by eight yellows. Tommy Bailey drew the first caution on lap 17 when he slowed with a right-rear flat. Brandon Overton retired his smoking No. 5 to the pits under the yellow. Michael Chilton drew a second caution when he shredded a right-rear tire. A third yellow flew for R.J. Conley’s flat right-rear tire. Second-running Scott Bloomquist slowed for a fourth caution on lap 24, retiring to the hot pit.

The fifth yellow flew on the lap 25 restart when Ultimate points leader Dennis Franklin and Brad Neat collided on the backstretch; Franklin retired and Neat rejoined the tail of the field. Doug Sanders drew the sixth and seventh cautions, with Chris Combs slowing in turn two to bring out the final yellow.

Marlar said track conditions played a role in the outcome. He closely monitored his tires throughout the 50-lap event.

“Brandon (Kinzer) got caught up in some traffic there and I got under him and then got ahead of him,” Marlar said of his win.  “After that, those guys started having flats a lot, so then it was more of a mindset of keeping the tires up as much as winning the race.”

The $10,001 victory came close to home for Marlar, who won the Spring Nationals event held at the racetrack back in April.

“It’s cool,” Marlar said of winning in front of a home crowd. “My dad don’t get to come to a lot of races and my little brothers, Skylar, who run third tonight, and Camaron in the modified race had some trouble. But it’s fun to get to go racing with your family and then close to the house here. All our friends get to come. It feels good to have some familiar territory every now and then on everyone else.”