Jaron Valley wins after Owens dominates; Jewell’s tire gamble triggers final-lap drama in Round 4 of Big Truckin’ Tuesday

By Kevin Kyle
July 16, 2025 – Old Atlanta Motor Speedway

Old Atlanta didn’t disappoint.

With 31 trucks taking the grid for Round 4 of the Big Truckin’ Tuesday season, fans were treated to an intense blend of long green-flag strategy, pit road peril, and a dramatic green-white-checker finish that turned a dominating night into heartbreak for one of the series’ fastest.

When the dust settled, it was Jaron Valley who crossed the line first—claiming his first win of the season and becoming the sixth different winner in six Big Truckin’ Tuesday races at Old Atlanta. But the path there was anything but smooth.

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A Dominating Drive Unravels

David Owens looked untouchable early, leading 71 of the race’s 120 laps and executing flawless pit strategy on a blistering-hot surface.

But with just six laps to go, everything changed. A spin involving Joseph Vulpis and Jared Ogletree off Turn 4 brought out the night’s first caution, stacking the field and shuffling the strategy deck.

Ogletree later described the moment as “heartbreaking,” adding:

“Once we were 10 laps to go and with 5 to go I thought I’d just won the battle when I got rocked on the frontstretch. It ruined my race trying to get repairs and going a lap down.”

Vulpis accepted responsibility, saying:

“Truck started spinning out of control and I just ran out of space to save it before I got glued to him.”

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Tire Gamble Backfires

With the field diving to pit lane, George Jewell—out of tire sets—stayed on track to gain position and restart on the front row beside Owens. But the slick surface proved too much: Jewell spun the tires hard in the restart zone, slid up into Owens, and triggered a multi-truck pileup behind them.

“Yeah, I should’ve pitted just to go to the back,” Jewell admitted afterward. “I had no tires left and it was my mistake to stay out. I was bummed to see that caution—we were in a solid finishing position. Apologies to all I screwed up.”

The incident handed front-row control to Jaron Valley, who now lined up opposite a recovering Owens for a final green-white-checker restart.

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The Final Duel: Slide Job Gone Wrong

What happened next will likely be remembered all season.

Owens fired off strong and pulled even down the backstretch. In Turn 2, he threw a bold slide job across Valley’s nose. The move didn’t stick. Valley crossed over, made contact with Owens’ left-rear, and sent the No. 8 truck into the outside wall.

“The slide job wasn’t the plan at first, but it happened,” Owens said. “I heard the clear, took it, expected a bump—not a swipe. I tried to save it, but once I hit the wall, I just kept it turned to not ruin anyone else’s race.”

Valley went on to win uncontested.

“When that yellow came out it was a game changer,” Valley said. “Owens had it won. We knew wheel spin with George would be a factor and it showed. I actually told Owens to give me a slide job, and that’s why I took the top. I didn’t want any wrecked trucks, but it is what it is. We move on and go for another W.”

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Top Finishers

Pos	Driver	Laps Led	Incident Pts
1	Jaron Valley	28	2
2	David Buelle	4	4
3	Kyle Lynott	0	8
4	Nick Mills	0	8
5	Zachary Williams	0	0

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Standings Update (After Round 4)

Pos	Driver	Points	Change
1	Joseph Vulpis	104	—
2	David Buelle	102	▲1
3	David Owens	94	▼1
4	Justin B. White	90	—
5	Zach Angle	84	▲1
6	Jaron Valley	82	▲4

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Midfield Movers

• Zachary Williams and Kyle Lynott both jumped +9 spots in the standings, surging into the top 15.
• George Jewell climbed +7 positions despite the restart drama.
• The biggest falls came for AJ Binish and Chris Smith, both dropping –8 places.

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What’s Next?

The series now heads to THE ROCK, a technical short oval known for heavy braking zones and tight corner exits. If Old Atlanta taught us anything, it’s that momentum is fragile, and no lead is ever safe.

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For more coverage, driver interviews, and analysis from Big Truckin’ Tuesday, visit leaguenewsweekly.com