What won the race: Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., staved off race-long pressure from Dona Marcoullier to capture a flag-to-flag victory in Saturday's 50-lap 38th annual Ed VanDuinen Wood Tic at Merritt Speedway. Schlenk edged Marcoullier by 0.203 of a second for the $10,000 triumph in the green-to-checkered main event, securing his fourth career Wood Tic trophy at Merritt's 3/8-mile oval.

Key notes: Schlenk raced to his fourth career Wood Tic victory (2019, ’21, ’23, '26) and ninth overall win of the season. ... Schlenk now has seven career Merritt specials to his credit since 2010, worth more than $110,000 over that span. ... Dona Marcoullier, a six-time Wood Tic champ, never trailed Schlenk by more than two seconds throughout the 50-lap feature and cut Schlenk's lead to its shortest distance in the closing laps. ... Merritt points leader Austin Harnick held third for the entire distance. ... Seventh-starting Bill Bray took sixth on the second lap and held that spot the rest of the way. ... The Wood Tic was founded in 1988 by Ed VanDuinen, a local logger who started VanDuinen Forest Products in 1973; he founded the Wood Tic event to increase awareness and honor the logging businesses that support Merritt Speedway. ... The uninterrupted feature was completed just shy of 13 minutes with 13 starters completing 50 laps and 17 running at the checkers. ... An anonymous supporter helped track owner Mike Blackmer boost the purse to $10,000-to-win; it was originally planned to pay $4,000-to-win.

On the move: J.C. Witherspoon of Kinde, Mich., started 17th and finished 11th.

Winner's sponsors: Schlenk’s Domination Race Car is powered by a Mullins Engine and sponsored by Buckeye Concrete Coatings, Tom Finch Automotive, TriState Pole Barns, Dominator Race Products, Integra Racing Shocks, Terry Henricks Auto Group, Velocita USA, Landrum Performance Springs, VP Racing Fuel and Lubricants, Vahlco Racing Wheels, Willy’s Carbs, ML Performance Allstar Performance, Wilwood Disc Brakes and KBC Graphix.

Points chase: Merritt points after Saturday: 1. Austin Harnick (169); 2. Eric Spangler (166); 3. Rylee Knoll (151); 4. Cody Bauer (133); 5. Josh Hendershott (130).

Current weather: Overcast, 70°F

Car count: 33

Fast qualifier: Rusty Schlenk

Time: 14.348 seconds

Polesitter: Rusty Schlenk

Heat race winners: Rusty Schlenk, Dona Marcoullier, Brandon Thirlby, Eric Spangler

Consolation race winners: J.C. Witherspoon

Provisional starters: Kadon Bowen