What won the race: Regaining the lead from Bill Leighton Jr. on lap 24, polesitter Jesse Sobbing of Malvern, Iowa, led all but two laps Saturday at Adams County Speedway for a $4,000 victory in the Ray Houck Memorial. Sobbing took the checkers a half-second ahead of Leighton in the race co-sanctioned by the Malvern Bank East and West tours.

Quotable: "I mean it's awesome. In all reality, if I ran second tonight, I ran second," Sobbing said. "I'm just glad to be able to compete."

Key notes: Jesse Sobbing notched his first Late Model victory at Adams County, a track hear his home where he's won in several other divisions. ... It was also his first on either Malvern Bank tour since 2023. ... Sobbing led the first 21 laps, but Bill Leighton Jr. moved into challenge in turn four with the leaders getting together. ... That triggered the race's wildest moment as Leighton crossed the start-finish line just ahead Sobbing, but a charging Chad Simpson drove around both of them before slipping over the turn-one banking to draw a yellow. ... Leighton was reset as the leader for the lap-23 restart, but Sobbing went ahead a lap later. ... Dylan Thornton pressured Sobbing for the lead at halfway, but he twice went over the banking shortly after a lap-18 restart, dropping him to fifth, then falling as far back as 17th. He rallied back to round out the top five. ... Besides the caution for Simpson, three other yellows slowed the action, the first on the second lap when Charlie McKenna and Dylan Sillman tangled in turn two just as Jacob Hobscheidt slowed. ... A lap-18 yellow fell when fifth-running Chris Spieker, a nine-time Adams County champion, went around in turn two. ... C.J. Horn spun on the 25th lap. ... Fourth-place finisher Dallon Murty, who broke his rack and pinion steering in his primary car the previous night, was behind the wheel of Jesse Sobbing's backup machine. ... Jason Hahne, Kyle Berck and Justin Zeitner scratched from the feature. ... The event honored Raphael “Ray” Allan Houck, who died in 2014 at age 59. Houck promoted the Corning, Iowa, oval for six seasons. ... Malvern East and West Series competitors are slated to return Oct. 4 for a $5,000-to-win season finale.

On the move: Tad Pospisil of Norfolk, Neb., started eighth and finished third.

Winner's sponsors: Sobbing's Tanner Racing Capital Race Car is sponsored by Malvern Bank, Dirt Track Bank and Underdog Design & Drawing.

Points chase: East Series after Adams County: 1. Dylan Thornton (2,334); 2. Chad Simpson (2,296); 3. Dallon Murty (2,270); 4. Jesse Sobbing (2,268); 5. Jason Hahne (2,130). West Series after Adams County: 1. Jesse Sobbing (2,324); 2. Tad Pospisil (2,242); 3. Corey Zeitner (2,160); 4. Bill Leighton Jr. (2,158); 5. Jacob Hobscheidt (2,124).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 62°F

Car count: 26

Fast qualifier: Jesse Sobbing

Time: 20.175 seconds

Polesitter: Jesse Sobbing

Heat race winners: Chris Spieker, Dylan Sillman, Chad Simpson

Next series race: August 28, Cresco Speedway (Cresco, IA) $5,000