What won the race: Winning a lengthy duel with Justin Zeitner and fighting off a late challenge from Bill Leighton Jr., 20-year-old C.J. Horn of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, grabbed his first tour victory with a $4,000 upset in a Malvern Bank East and West Series combo event at Mason City Motor Speedway. The fifth-starting Horn took the checkers 0.254 seconds ahead of the 10th-starting Leighton after pulling away following the midrace battle with the polesitting Zeitner.

Quotable: "I was hauling off the bottom and then started catching lapped cars in the bottom," Horn said. "I kept hoping they were gonna wash up and I saw something in the middle there, but they just weren't. I saw something in the middle there I wasn't sure, but I knew I had to take it and try it just so I didn't get passed."

Key notes: Horn led laps 7-21 and 23-40. ... Polesitter Justin Zeitner led laps 1-6 and the 22nd lap. He settled for fourth behind Dylan Thornton. ... The low-running Horn and high-running Zeitner ran in tight formation into the middle stages of the race before Horn pulled away and Bill Leighton Jr. pulled into contention. ... Horn left the inside door open in turns one and two on the final lap, but Leighton couldn't find a way past. ... Horn notched his first 2024 victory; he was a seven-time winner in weekly action last season with Iowa track titles at Donnellson's Lee County Speedway and West Burlington's 34 Raceway. ... Fast qualifier Kyle Berck opted for the sixth starting spot to gun for a $2,200 bonus if he'd won. ... A single caution slowed the action when heat winner Charlie McKenna got into the turn-three wall on the third lap and retired. ... In heat action, Jake Bridge nearly cleared the outside concrete in the second heat before spinning; he finished 22nd in the feature.

On the move: Runner-up Bill Leighton Jr. of La Vista, Neb., started 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Horn's Rocket Chassis is powered by a Horn Racing Engine and sponsored by Horn Automotive Engineering, Innovative Slots, Rod End Supply and Penske Racing Shocks.

Points chase: East Series after Mason City: 1. Andy Eckrich (2,452); 2. Dylan Thornton (2,428); 3. Chad Holladay (2,404); 4. Jason Hahne (2,400); 5. Jeff Tharp (2,332). West Series after Mason City: 1. Bill Leighton Jr. (2,652); 2. Tad Pospisil (2,612); 3. Chad Holladay (2,610); 4. J.C. Wyman (2,522); 5. Andrew Kosiski (2,494).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 88°F

Car count: 25

Fast qualifier: Kyle Berck

Time: 14.429 seconds

Polesitter: Justin Zeitner

Heat race winners: Chad Holladay, Jeff Tharp, Charlie McKenna

Next series race: September 21, Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) $4,000