Key notes: Kirk Phillips pulled off on lap three as the race's first retiree. ... Jack Franklin pulled off before taking the green flag. ... Devin Gilpin turned back an opening-lap slide job attempt by Josh Rice and beat Michael Chilton by 0.851 of a second to win the night's four-lap dash, earning the pole starting position for Friday's 50-lap, $10,000-to-win inaugural Jeff Gullett Memorial at Ponderosa. ... The dash paid $3,000-to-win courtesy of Steve Caton at Caton Industrial Painting. ... James Essex announced on the broadcast that Saturday's $10,000-to-win Jack Boggs Memorial at Kentucky's Mudlick Valley Raceway has been rained out; a makeup date is expected, though one was not immediately identified. … It’s the first Northern Allstars Late Model Series race at Ponderosa since July 28, 2006, a race won by Chris Combs. … The race honors Jeff Gullett of Harrodsburg, Ky., a near 20-year crew chief for Campbellsville, Ky.-based Justin Rattliff Racing; Gullett died on Sept. 10, 2024, at the age of 61. … Rattliff won the March 21 Spring 50 season opener at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky. ... Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., has five major victories there since the fall of 2021, including a sweep of both national touring races held there in 2023, earning more than $57,000 over that span. … Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., was a two-time Iron-Man Series winner at Ponderosa, collecting more than $17,000. … Tanner English of Benton, Ky., grabbed a $5,000 Iron-Man Series win there in the fall of 2022. … Camaron Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., topped 2020’s Iron-Man stop, worth $5,000. … Michael Chilton of Salvisa, Ky., has three Iron-Man Series wins there going back to the fall of 2020, earning more than $22,000. … Watch live on Hunt the Front TV.

Who to watch: Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., chases his sixth major event victory in the last five years at Ponderosa.

Points chase: Before Ponderosa: 1. Justin Rattliff (200); 2. Mike Marlar (198); 3. Rod Conley (196); 4. Josh Rice (194); 5. Devin Gilpin (192).

Current weather: Clear, 70°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Mike Marlar

Time: 13.114 seconds

Polesitter: Devin Gilpin

Dash winner: Devin Gilpin

Heat race winners: Josh Rice, Tanner English, Michael Chilton, Devin Gilpin

Next series race: April 11, Montpelier Speedway (Montpelier, IN) $7,500