What won the race: Sliding by polesitter Travis Fultz on the third lap, second-starting Dalton Cook of Smiths Station, Ala., led the rest of Friday's 40-lap Jeff Wolfenbarger Memorial at Tazewell Speedway. Cook led largely unchallenged and beat Joseph Joiner by 2.266 seconds for the $8,028 paycheck, his first Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory of the season and fourth of his career.

Quotable: "I ain’t mean to make nobody mad, I speak my mind. I still feel the same way, I’m just always big on safety," said Cook, who was critical of track conditions after winning the second heat. "Y’all got a good place, y’all are great fans. The support here is super awesome. So y’all got an awesome thing, don’t take nothing personal, so there’s a little more back story."

Key notes: Cook captured his first Hunt the Front victory since Sept. 27, 2025, a win he inherited after Zack Mitchell's tire sample failed to meet the manufacturer's benchmark standards in a postrace test. ... Ninth-starting Joseph Joiner slid by Brandon Williams for second on the 34th lap, but could only chop a half-second off Cook's near three-second lead; Williams, who trailed Cook from laps 22-33, settled for third. ... Tenth-starting Jadon Frame overtook Josh Putnam for fourth on lap 24 with Sam Seawright slipping by Putnam a handful of laps later, dropping Putnam to sixth. ... Fast qualifier Jimmy Owens overcame mechanical failure on the opening lap of his heat race along with a lap-seven melee to finish seventh. ... Kaede Loudy charged from 19th to 11th after a flat tire in time trials. ... The race was slowed four times, most notably for a multicar pileup on the seventh lap when early leader Travis Fultz spun in turn one, collecting Owens, among others; Fultz, who led the opening two laps from the pole and Odie Overholt were eliminated in the incident that drew a 10-minute red flag. ... Other cautions came on lap six when seventh-running Zack Mitchell retired after losing power steering. ... Fourth-running Brandon Overton slowed on the 21st lap and retired with an apparent oil leak. ... Second-running Jake O'Neil slowed with a flat right-rear tire for the final stoppage on lap 23. ... Points leader Ashton Winger started and parked. ... The event honored Jeff Wolfenbarger of Clinton, Tenn., a longtime local racer who died in 2024 at age 58 after a brief battle with brain cancer. Wolfenbarger's brother, Terry, was the race's first retiree. ... The 40-lapper lasted 26 minutes with 12 starters completing the distance.

On the move: Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., started 25th and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Cook’s Mullinax Racing Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by LLH Healthcare, LG Trucking, Three Trade Consultants, CRM Motors, New Point Lighting & Design, TMT Utilities & Grading, Winning Edge Carburetion, VP Racing Fuels, Juiceman Speed and Wraptech.

Points chase: After Tazewell: 1. Ashton Winger (860); 2. Dalton Cook (794); 3. Joseph Joiner (774); 4. Jadon Frame (760); 5. Jake O’Neil (674).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 70°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Jimmy Owens

Time: 10.998 seconds

Polesitter: Travis Fultz

Heat race winners: Travis Fultz, Dalton Cook, Sam Seawright

Next series race: August 22, Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, TN) $12,000