What won the race: Slipping by both front-row starters on the opening lap, third-starting Derek Groomer of Bloomington, Ind., held off a late-race surge by Matt Boknecht to win Saturday's 35-lap inaugural Slingin' Dirt Late Model Series event at Brownstown Speedway. Groomer beat Boknect by 0.830 of a second for the $3,000 payday, his first career touring series victory and second Brownstown triumph.

Quotable: “(Nearly losing the lead on lap 11) was definitely my fault, I shouldn’t have ran in there on them lapped cars like that. You gotta drive these things white-knuckled for 35 laps and it wore me out a little bit,” Groomer said. “You never get old, I’m a kid at heart and I always will be no matter what my age is. I’ll run with the best of them and I’ll give the best of ‘em hell if they want it.”

Key notes: Groomer grabbed his first feature win since a Brownstown victory on Oct. 5, 2024, worth $2,000. ... It was his fifth career Late Model triumph. ... Second-starting Matt Boknecht passed Groomer amidst heavy lapped traffic just as they completed the 11th lap, only for his move to be negated by the race's lone caution for Jace Owens's turn-four spin; Owens was credited with 22nd as the first retiree. ... Fourth-starting Chad Stapleton briefly took second from Boknecht on the lap-11 restart before Boknecht slipped back by a handful of laps later. ... Stapleton held third until he jumped the turn-three cushion on lap 25 and left the racing surface, allowing Tyler Collins, David Webb and Devin Gilpin to complete the top-five finishers. Collins finished third after staving off multiple challenges from Webb in the late going. ... Polesitter Jared Bailey backslid on the lap-11 restart before retiring just after the race's halfway mark, crediting him with 19th. ... Slingin' Dirt Media founder D.J. Smallwood launched the new Midwest tour this season. ... The 35-lapper lasted 13 minutes with 10 starters completing the distance.

On the move: Mike Hildebrand of Loveland, Ohio, started 18th and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Groomer’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Millikan Smiles, Groomer Construction, Davis Concrete, Bloomington Plumbing, Joie de Vivre Spa, G&W Monuments, Kole Jones Excavating, Neal’s Tree Service, Ramon Trucking & Excavating, Signals Driving School, Tony’s Performance Concrete Pumping, Amy Gardner Roofing, Double Down Dirt Worx, Ledgerwood Heavy Hauling, Anthony Walker Realty, Elite Hair Design, Hoosier Tire, Swift Springs and Bilstein Shocks.

Points chase: Derek Groomer is the early season points leader.

Current weather: Clear, 72°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Jared Bailey

Time: 13.857 seconds

Polesitter: Jared Bailey

Heat race winners: Jared Bailey, Matt Boknecht, Derek Groomer

Consolation race winners: Patrick Shumaker

Provisional starters: Colby Reed, Greg Williams

Next series race: May 16, Windy Hollow Speedway (Owensboro, KY) $3,000