What won the race: Holding off race-long challenges from Cory Hedgecock, including a turn-one slider on lap 42, second-starting Ricky Weiss officially led all 53 laps to win Friday's Schaeffer's Spring Nationals weekend opener at I-75 Raceway. Weiss, originally from Headingley, Manitoba, but now hailing from nearby Monterey, Tenn., beat Hedgecock to the line by 1.289 seconds for the $10,053 payday and his third overall victory of the season.

Quotable: “We’ve just working on these things real hard,” Weiss said of his self-designed Sniper Chassis, who had his hands full with Cory Hedgecock. "I heard (Hedgecock). I could see shadows, I seen him slide across my nose, I felt him one time. I was just trying to be smart and drive like Jared (Delk) did in that 604 (Crate Late Model) race. ... How about them Sniper cars making a statement and I’m just proud to ride along with it.”

Key notes: Ricky Weiss captured his second career Spring Nationals victory and his first since May 19, 2017, a $4,000 triumph at Crossville (Tenn.) Speedway. ... Weiss notched his second win of the season at I-75 after earning $20,000 there on March 8 in Hunt the Front Series action. ... Cory Hedgecock traded the runner-up spot five times with Dale McDowell, with Hedgecock prevailing for good on a lap-37 restart before applying additional pressure on Weiss. Hedgecock and Weiss made contact while battling for the lead on lap 28, sending Hedgecock over the turn-one cushion and nearly off the track, before again making contact 10 laps later. ... McDowell settled for third. ... Garrett Smith finished fourth after regaining the spot on the lap-37 restart. ... Jadon Frame improved four positions and rounded out the top five. ... Brandon Overton rebounded to sixth after drawing two separate caution flag; Overton hopped the turn-three cushion and left the racing surface while running seventh on lap 10 before climbing back to third on lap 34, only to slow with a flat right-rear tire on lap 37. ... Jensen Ford finished eighth aboard the TNT Race Cars house car. ... Mike Marlar overcame a lap-17 spin to finish 11th. ... Wil Herrington spun from 15th to trigger the race's fifth and final caution on a lap-37 restart attempt; he continued and placed 13th. ... Sam Seawright pulled off on lap 43 and was credited with 16th in his debut aboard a Mach X Chassis after he and brother, J.T. Seawright, acquired Category 5 Race Cars from Stormy Scott and Jason Durham. ... Jimmy Owens pulled off from 15th on lap 36. ... Kaede Loudy was the race's first retiree after pulling off from 11th on the ninth lap. ... The 53-lapper lasted 33 minutes, with 14 starters completing the distance. ... Tyler Erb qualified 17th in his group and placed ninth in his heat before loading up, opting to save his equipment for another night.

On the move: Michael Leach of Sun River, Mont., started 21st and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Weiss’s Sniper Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Drydene Performance Lubricants, Derrick’s Sandblasting, G-Style Transport, Collins Brothers Towing, Keewatin Truck Service Center, Turk Enterprises, Borderland Hay and Straw, Performance Grading, LG Transport, RDW Recycling, Galloping Ghost Motorsports & Transport, Bucky’s Transport, Wiesner Mining, JCJ Tools, Aldon Auto, Base Racing Fuel, Hoosier Tire South, Kenny’s Components, Go Lithium Batteries and Penske Racing Shocks.

Points chase: After I-75: 1. Wil Herrington (920); 2. Garrett Smith (906); 3. Cody Overton (754); 4. Cory Hedgecock (710); 5. Michael Leach (678).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 72°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Cory Hedgecock

Time: 15.291 seconds

Polesitter: Cory Hedgecock

Heat race winners: Cory Hedgecock, Dale McDowell, Ricky Weiss, Garrett Smith

Consolation race winners: Mike Marlar, Wil Herrington

Next series race: April 19, Tazewell Speedway (Tazewell, TN) $21,000