Key notes: Josh Rice outdueled Mike Marlar to win the first heat race by 1.191 seconds. ... Tanner English fired off from the outside front row and led all eight laps to win the second heat by 2.752 seconds over Jason Jameson. ... Michael Chilton held off Dan Ebert to win heat three by 0.244 of a second. ... Devin Gilpin overcame numerous restarts to win the fourth and final heat race by 1.2 seconds over Derek Groomer. ... The four heat winners will compete in the night’s four-lap, $3,000-to-win dash courtesy of Steve Caton at Caton Industrial Painting, setting the starting lineup for the first two rows of the 50-lap main event. ... 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. ... Essex confirmed all 25 entries will start Friday's $10,000-to-win inaugural Jeff Gullett Memorial at Ponderosa. … 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. … Crate Late Models ($1,200-to-win), modifieds, Crown Vics and front-wheel drives are on the undercard. … 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).

Expected entrants: Mike Marlar, Josh Rice, Tanner English, Jason Jameson, Camaron Marlar, Rod Conley, Devin Gilpin, Michael Chilton, Dan Ebert, Justin Rattliff, Trevor Landrum, Cody Mahoney, Daniel Adam, Tyler Collins, Billy Green, Dustin Nobbe, Kirk Phillips, Tripp Gerrald, David Webb, J.R. Gentry, Jack Franklin, Derek Groomer, Austin Lay and more.

Current weather: Few Clouds, 73°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Mike Marlar

Time: 13.114 seconds

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

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