Key notes: The Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series concludes its 2026 season with this weekend’s inaugural Halloween Nationals at Portsmouth Raceway Park. … The two-day event kicks off with Friday’s 40-lap, $10,000-to-win prelim preceding Saturday’s 60-lap, $50,000-to-win finale. … The Jent family of Hillsboro, Ky., recently reopened the 3/8-mile facility that sits near where the Ohio and Scioto Rivers meet. … Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, enters having won his last three starts at Portsmouth, including a sweep of the Sept. 4-5 unsanctioned Super Late Model weekend there, worth more than $25,000. Erb also won the last Iron-Man Series visit on Oct. 3 for a $10,000 payday. … Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., is a four-time feature winner at Portsmouth, including 2021’s Lucas Oil-sanctioned Dirt Track World Championship, worth $100,000. … Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., won 2024’s Boone Coleman Gator 50 at Portsmouth, worth $7,500 on the Iron-Man tour. … R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio, is a three-time winner this season in local Super Late Model action. … Colten Burdette of Parkersburg, W.Va., enters Friday with a 128-point advantage over Rod Conley as he looks to sew up his second straight Iron-Man Series title. … Modifieds ($2,000-to-win Friday, 10,000-to-win Saturday) and sport mods are on the undercard daily. … Pits open at 3 p.m. for Friday’s opener at 1 p.m. for Saturday’s finale; grandstands open at 5 Friday and 3 Saturday with hot laps at 7, nightly. … Watch live on FloRacing or Hunt the Front TV. … Kids are encouraged to trick-or-treat during Thursday’s 6-9 p.m. practice session.
Who to watch: Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, eyes his fourth straight feature victory at Portsmouth.
Points chase: Before Portsmouth Friday: 1. Colten Burdette (1,278); 2. Rod Conley (1,150); 3. Miles Cook II (1,047); 4. Seth Daniels (983); 5. Travis Carr (863).
Expected entrants: Tyler Erb, Nick Hoffman, Ricky Thornton Jr., Josh Rice, Devin Moran, R.J. Conley, Drake Troutman, Colten Burdette, Jason Jameson, Devin Gilpin, Rod Conley, Adam Stricker, Ryan Montgomery, Kyle Hardy, Derek Fisher, Kody Evans, Levi Yetter, Seth Daniels, Caiden Black, Eric Wilson, Shannon Thornsberry, Kirk Phillips, Justin Cooper, Miles Cook II, Travis Carr and more.
Next series race: October 31, Portsmouth Raceway Park (Portsmouth, OH) $50,000
From staff reports
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Updates from Friday’s Halloween Nationals preliminary night at Portsmouth Raceway Park, featuring a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Friday’s schedule
(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Sport mod hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Sport mod heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (40 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
