What won the race: Powering back around Brandon Overton to take the lead for good on lap 35, second-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., pulled away over the final six circuits to win Friday's Deep Fried 75 opener at Duck River Raceway Park. Marlar led all but four laps in the 40-lap prelim and beat Overton by 1.731 seconds for a $8,000 payday, his second career Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory.

Quotable: "The way we have to restart you’re just a sittin’ duck and it takes a lap or two to get your momentum on the high side," Marlar said. "(Overton) got back by me and I was like, ‘Man, I’m gonna have to really get after it here.’ Luckily it worked. We had a few close calls there with the wall but was able to keep it clean and get it to the checkered."

Key notes: Marlar notched his second career HTF victory, adding to a $20,000 Deep Fried 75 payday on Aug. 5, 2023, at Duck River. ... It was his fifth overall feature win of the season and second aboard a Rocket Chassis; his first in the new car came in July 4's Iron-Man Series-sanctioned 4B 4EVER 40 at Kentucky's Mudlick Valley Raceway. ... Sixth-starting Brandon Overton slipped by Marlar on a lap-33 restart, but Marlar remained loyal to Duck River's cushion and powered back around Overton as they completed the 35th lap. He then pulled away in the closing circuits as Overton, the 2017 Deep Fried 75 champ, settled for second. ... HTF points leader Ashton Winger climbed five positions and rounded out the podium finishers after retaking third from Oakley Johns on lap 35; Johns settled for fourth. ... Sam Seawright, a nine-time major event winner at Duck River, worked his way as high as second in the race's first half before fading to finish sixth. ... Dale McDowell led the opening two laps from the pole before slipping to seventh. ... The race was slowed by seven cautions, the first on lap 11 when Josh Putnam spun in turn two just as Logan McClanahan appeared to lose an engine in a plume of smoke. Putnam continued until spinning again in turn two on the 30th lap, collecting Jason Lively; Putnam soldiered to an 18th-place finish while Lively, who overcame a solo-spin on lap 17, went on to finish 14th. ... Ninth-running Jadon Frame spun after contact with Austin Smith on a lap-17 restart attempt. ... Dillon Tidmore slowed from 15th on lap 25 and retired. ... Debris drew the final stoppage on lap 33, setting up the duel between Marlar and Overton. ... The 40-lapper lasted 26 minutes with 20 starters completing the distance. ... The Deep Fried 75 concludes with Saturday's 75-lap, $15,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Mario Gresham of Rome, Ga., started 15th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Marlar’s winning Ronnie Delk-owned Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Delk Equipment Sales, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Can-Am Auto Salvage, Langenfelder Mechanical Contractors, Petroff Towing, Spirit Fueled Racing, Swift Springs, Fox Racing Shox, VP Racing Fuels, Performance Parts & Bodies, Midwest Sheet Metal and Capital Sign Company.

Points chase: After Duck River Friday: 1. Ashton Winger (760); 2. Joseph Joiner (680); 3. Dalton Cook (662); 4. Jadon Frame (654); 5. Jake O’Neil (596).

Car count: 32

Fast qualifier: Mike Marlar

Time: 12.576 seconds

Polesitter: Dale McDowell

Heat race winners: Mike Marlar, Oakley Johns, Sam Seawright, Dale McDowell

Consolation race winners: Steven Holcomb, Grayson Brewer

Provisional starters: Josh Putnam, Jason Lively, Beckham Malone

Next series race: August 1, Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, TN) $15,000