Tommy Lemons, Jr. seemed to be playing second fiddle to Myatt Snider all weekend from Snider pacing practice to posting the fastest qualifying time but when it counted most Lemons put his car in victory lane.

The 125-lap IceBreaker 200 started off with Snider and Lemons leading the field to the green flag. Snider took the lead early on but his run at the front of the field came to an end when Lemons powered his car to the front after a side by side battle with Snider.

Lemons run was short lived as five laps later around lap 30 when Justin Johnson took over the top spot. Johnson would pull away from Lemons. Lemons would remain in second but Snider was in a free fall as far back as sixth position as he was seemingly saving his tires.

Johnson would hold the lead until a lap 74 caution came out for Jerry Miracle spinning in between turns three and four. Johnson would lose the lead on the restart to Lemons who powered by him. Lemons wasn’t about to give up the lead either as the next dozen laps Johnson was challenging him but Lemons wasn’t about to give up the spot.

Sam Yarbrough was also staying within striking distance while Lee Pulliam and Snider were a little ways back and not yet challenging for the top positions. On lap 91 Lemons began to stretch his lead out over Johnson by about eight car lengths. Lap 94 Yarbrough goes to second place as he by passes Johnson and sets his sights on Lemons.

Snider has begun to make his way toward the front of the field to from his earlier sixth running position to fourth behind Johnson and ahead of Pulliam. Lemons maintained his lead over Yarbrough through lap 100 with just 25 laps to go. With just under 20 laps remaining Johnson moved to second place but a long ways behind Lemons as the leader worked lapped traffic.

With just over five laps to go Lemons maintained a 2.171 second lead over Johnson, Yarbrough, Snider and Dylan Hall. No one would get close to Lemons as he took the checkered flag in the IceBreaker 200 over Johson, Yarbrough, Hall and Snider for his first win at Myrtle Beach Speedway.

“We knew we had a great car,” said Lemons after his win. “We came down here to win the race but the competition today was tough. I just wanted to stay out front there toward the end because I feel like I’ve given them away down here before trying to conserve tires. It feels good to finally win here.”

Notes: Lee Pulliam parked his ride when his engine began overheating after running in the top five all day.  His grill had so much rubber built up that the temp hit 300 degrees.

Justin Milliken ran up front as well but his engine blew up early ending his day.

Anthony Alfredo was running just inside the top ten late in the race when his right front upper A-arm slug broke thus ending his day early.

Chase Purdy ran inside the top ten all day long and finished sixth in his first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car race.  He won previously this month in a Southeast Limited Late Model race at Greenville Pickens.

Will Burns broke a rear end which relegated him to an 18th place finish.

RACE22.com will have more from the IceBreaker 200 this week.

Unofficial Results:
1 – Tommy Lemons, Jr. #27
2 – Justin Johnson #44
3 – Sam Yarbrough #20
4 – Dylan Hall #4
5 – Myatt Snider #2
6 – Chase Purdy #41
7 – Deac McCaskill #08
8 – Jeremy Burns #5
9 – Lucas Williams #11
10 – Justin Crider #7
11 – Bryant Barnhill #5
12 – Brenden Queen #03
13 – Jerry Miracle #32
14 – Hayden Humphrey #07
15 – Tyler English #5
16 – Chad McCumbee #16
17 – Lee Pulliam #5
18 – Will Burns #82
19 – Melvin Langley #29
20 – Anthony Alfredo #5
21 – Justin Milliken #02
22 – TJ Barron #44
DNS – Craig Thomas #5