Shepherd Dominates Oulton Park, Moves Closer to Second Straight IROC Championship

Little Budworth, UK — The fourth round of the YYR IROC Racing Series brought the field to the challenging Oulton Park Circuit International for the European road course leg of the five-race schedule. Entering the night, defending champion J R Shepherd held an eight-point advantage over his closest rival, Chris Hammett. With 15 top-tier drivers competing in equally prepared Cadillac Touring Sedan V Series cars, the starting grid was set by reversing the championship standings, putting Shepherd at the very back of the field and giving him a significant challenge if he wanted to protect his points lead.

The green flag immediately unleashed a scramble through Oulton Park’s collection of twists, turns, kinks and bumps. Shepherd and Hammett wasted no time slicing through traffic, with Shepherd climbing to fourth and Hammett settling into third by the end of the opening lap. Shepherd quickly went after Hammett and completed the pass for third before setting his sights on the leaders, David Shreve and Chris Worrell. By the third lap of the 40-lap race, Shepherd had dispatched both drivers to take control of the race.

The early laps also brought a steady stream of attrition and technical mistakes. Ken Allen gained six positions before a heavy encounter with the curbs caused significant damage and eventually ended his race. The championship picture then shifted dramatically when Hammett, running second, clipped a curb and spun. The incident damaged his left-front suspension and resulted in a race-ending DNF, removing Shepherd’s most immediate championship threat and allowing the leader to stretch his advantage beyond 20 seconds.

The mandatory pit cycle for fuel and tires arrived around Lap 18. David Shreve attempted to gain an advantage with an early stop, but Chris Worrell produced a quicker pit service, spending just 27.2 seconds in his stall compared with Shreve’s 28.5 seconds. Worrell emerged in effective second place, while Shreve’s afternoon took another turn for the worse when he spun across the track and was struck by Roger Hurley. Shreve was eventually disqualified after reaching the 13x incident limit.

From there, Shepherd’s performance became a demonstration in controlled domination. He began lapping the field, picking off competitors including Greg McDaniel, Scott Negus and Jerry Issacs. Issacs’ night ended after a hard impact with an inner barrier left his “Darth Vader” machine limping on three wheels. With only five laps remaining, Worrell’s challenge for second disappeared when he “blinked away” from the session after reaching his own incident limit, leaving Josh Robinson in position to inherit the runner-up spot.

J R Shepherd crossed the finish line to complete a remarkable performance, leading 38 of the 40 laps and ultimately lapping every other car in the field. Despite describing the Cadillac as a “handful,” Shepherd credited his success to attacking aggressively on cold tires early while avoiding the dangerous tire barriers scattered around the chicanes. Josh Robinson turned a strategy built around survival and attrition into a career-best second-place finish, while Roger Hurley battled through the final laps with a damaged car to secure third. Scott Negus and Greg McDaniel rounded out the only five drivers to finish the race. The dominant victory puts Shepherd firmly on course for a second consecutive IROC championship with only the season finale remaining.

Hammett Wins Daytona Thriller by 0.061 Seconds

Daytona Beach, FL — The eighth round of the RLR Checkered Flag Auto Supply Scrambler Series brought the field to the iconic Daytona International Speedway Road Course for the final three races of the regular season. The event marked the series’ lone road-course stop of the campaign, with the NextGen Cup cars tackling the demanding 14-turn layout that includes the International Horseshoe, the Bus Stop chicane, and the NASCAR-specific chicane leading onto the tri-oval. Under the lights, the race quickly developed into a battle of tire management, pit strategy and outright nerve.

Luke Logan Allen started from the pole with Trent Potter alongside him on the front row. Allen held the advantage through the opening corner, but Potter immediately applied pressure before eventually making his move into Turn 1 to take control of the race. Chaos struck early toward the back of the field when a driver missed the chicane, triggering a multi-car incident. Zach Mitchell, considered one of the stronger road-course specialists in the field, showed plenty of speed early but also found the limits of the NextGen car when a sideways snap under braking sent him scrambling to recover.

As the race settled down, Chris Hammett began applying heavy pressure to Potter. The battle eventually forced Potter to overdrive the International Horseshoe, allowing Hammett to move into the lead. With tire wear becoming increasingly important in the hot track conditions, the pit window arrived around halfway through the 25-lap event. Potter elected to pit early for an undercut, hoping the fresh tires would give him enough of an advantage to regain the lead when Hammett made his stop a lap later. The gamble paid off, and Potter cycled back to the front. Championship leader Maxime Theriault, meanwhile, suffered a costly setback when a black flag penalty during the pit cycle dropped him deep into the field.

Once the pit sequence was complete, Hammett went back to work. He steadily closed the gap to Potter and eventually reclaimed the lead with a move through the infield. Luke Logan Allen remained a distant third, nearly 18 seconds behind the two leaders, while the fight at the front became increasingly intense. Zach Mitchell’s night came to an abrupt end when his car snapped under braking in Turn 1 and slammed into the tire barriers, producing heavy damage and dealing a major blow to his regular-season points position.

The closing laps produced a two-car battle that had the rest of the field nowhere in sight. Potter stayed glued to Hammett’s rear bumper, applying relentless pressure as the laps wound down. On the final lap, Hammett made a small mistake and clipped the wall, allowing Potter to close the gap to just a quarter of a second. The two cars charged toward the finish side by side, making contact as they crossed the stripe in a spectacular drag race to the checkered flag.

Hammett held on to win by just 0.061 seconds, securing his first victory of the season in one of the closest finishes in series history. Potter settled for second, with Luke Logan Allen completing the podium in third. James Skelton finished fourth and Sean Single rounded out the top five. After the race, Hammett described the NextGen car as a “handful,” citing wheel hop and heavy tire fall-off as major challenges throughout the event. With Daytona now in the books, the series heads into the final two races of the regular season at Phoenix and Irwindale.

Sirois Survives Four-Wide Chaos to Win Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN — Round 11 of the ISRA Sim Gaming Expo Retro Series brought the Lotus 79s to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a 100-lap, 250-mile “half-scale” running of the greatest spectacle in racing. With the championship battle heating up, French Canadian David Sirois arrived as the points leader with five wins, facing a high-stakes event where every point counted toward the final standings.

The race began with Lewis Hayes on the pole, but he was immediately challenged by Vern Hawkins, who took the lead into Turn 1. The early laps were characterized by intense drafting and frequent lead changes among a competitive front pack that included Richie Hearn, Chris Stofer, and Matt Wagner. Wagner, known as the “Ovalmeister,” made a particularly impressive charge, picking off cars one by one to take the lead in a three-wide maneuver.

Pit strategy became the focal point as the race reached its midpoint. While most of the field aimed for a two-stop strategy around lap 40, Matt Taylor executed a lightning-fast pit stop of only 27 seconds, significantly shorter than the 37-second average, propelling him to a massive 6.2-second lead. This gap held for many laps as the chasing pack, including Hearn and Hawkins, struggled to cooperate and draft back to Taylor’s rear wing. Meanwhile, Craig Forsythe attempted an “early peel” strategy, pitting on lap 50 to ensure he could reach the finish without further stops, banking on a late-race caution.

The race lead eventually cycled to Jim Herrick, who was the last driver to pit on lap 88. Herrick held a narrow lead, but he was quickly hunted down by a six-car train consisting of Sirois, Alex Guyon, Lionel Calisto, Wagner, and Cristobal Valenzuela. Just as the battle for the win reached a fever pitch, a caution was triggered on lap 96 by an incident involving Hayes and Hawkins in the back of the field, setting up a single-lap, 2.5-mile shootout to the checkered flag.

The final restart was nothing short of “the humanity.” Coming off Turn 4, the leaders fanned out four-wide in a desperate sprint for the Yard of Bricks. A massive collision occurred at the finish line, resulting in cars cartwheeling across the track. David Sirois emerged through the chaos to secure his sixth win of the season. The podium was completed in bizarre fashion, with Cristobal Valenzuela finishing second despite hitting both walls, while Matt Wagner took third with only three tires remaining on his car. Most remarkably, Lionel Calisto was credited with fourth place while crossing the finish line upside down on his roll hoop.

Ogle Holds Off Nelson in Watkins Glen Thriller

Watkins Glen, NY — The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series 2026 returned from its summer break for Race 22 at Watkins Glen International, featuring a 45-lap event with no cautions. The race utilized the high-speed “cup layout” featuring the bus stop chicane, challenging drivers to manage 900-horsepower Gen 4 cars on the newer, smoother track configuration.

Tom Ogle started from the pole position with Eric Essary joining him on the front row. Behind them, Ben Sheppard and Matt Watkins occupied the second row, followed by Dwayne McArthur and Roger Hurley. Two drivers, Cortney Nelson and Sean Foltz, were forced to start from the end of the line, with Nelson also facing a green-flag pass-through penalty that significantly hindered his start. As the green flag waved, Ogle successfully held the lead into the downhill braking zone of Turn 1. The field managed a remarkably clean start, quickly settling into a nose-to-tail rhythm through the S’s.

The non-caution format meant that any mistake was costly. Early in the race, Robert Guarisco and Patrick Martindale both spun while attempting to get the power down off a corner. A more severe incident occurred when Greg McDaniel got loose and, while trying to rejoin the track, was clobbered by Kenny Allen, ending the race for both drivers.

In the battle for the podium, Matt Watkins made an aggressive move on Ben Sheppard to take over third place. Sheppard subsequently lost another position to Dwayne McArthur within two turns. Later, Sheppard’s strong run ended prematurely when he hit the wall on the front stretch, causing significant right-side damage.

As the race neared the midpoint, the strategy game began. Dwayne McArthur was the first of the leaders to pit on Lap 16, attempting an “undercut” to gain track position. Essary and Watkins followed shortly after, while Ogle stayed out for several additional laps.

When Ogle finally pitted and returned to the track, he found himself in a fierce side-by-side battle with Eric Essary through the high-speed S’s. Ogle managed to hold the position as Essary backed off to preserve his tires. Meanwhile, Essary’s race later took a hit when he suffered front-end damage that dropped him down the order.

The story of the race was Cortney Nelson, who, despite his early 40-second penalty, began carving through the field with superior pace. By Lap 15, he had already reached the top 10. Nelson utilized extreme aggression, often being two seconds per lap faster than the leaders.

By Lap 27, Nelson had moved into second place as other drivers cycled through their stops. Although he briefly considered a “fuel-only” pit stop to save time, he ultimately decided to take four fresh tires to maintain his speed for the final sprint.

With 10 laps remaining, Tom Ogle maintained a steady lead, but the “Jaws” theme began to play as Nelson continued to close the gap. Matt Watkins, who had been running a strong race in the top three, suffered a heartbreaking spin after clipping a curb in the final turns, falling to sixth place.

This move promoted Nelson to second, but he simply ran out of time to catch the leader. Tom Ogle delivered a “perfect” performance, hitting every mark and managing his tires to take the checkered flag.

Tom Ogle took the victory, with Cortney Nelson finishing second, only 1.3 seconds behind after overcoming his early penalty. Dwayne McArthur finished third, followed by Roger Hurley in fourth and Eric Essary in fifth.

Ogle credited his win to mental concentration and tire management, noting that the Gen 4 cars were easy to “smoke the back tires” on if a driver lost focus. Despite the win, Ogle praised Nelson’s performance, stating that Nelson likely would have “killed us” had he not started with a penalty. The series now moves to the D-shaped oval of Michigan International Speedway for the next round.

Lowe Masters Lanier to Take Round 6 Victory

Braselton, GA — The sixth round of the Boot Lake Racing League’s Late Model Invitational Series took place on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the challenging Lanier National Speedway. Dubbed the “equator” of Season 35, the race marked the pivotal midpoint separating the first five rounds from the final five. With a healthy field of 20 drivers and an inverted grid based on the previous race’s top 13 finishers, the stage was set for another high-intensity short-track battle.

Joseph Snyder led the field to the green flag from the pole with Michael Goodman alongside on the front row, but the clean air didn’t last long. On the opening lap, Goodman found the wall while Kenny Allen looped his car after making contact with the rear of James Low and Mike Holloway, bringing out an early caution. It was an ominous preview of the messy race to come as drivers wrestled with the high-grip cars on Lanier’s tight confines. Another significant caution followed when Chris “Mr. Manners” Davis and the “Racing Rev” Chris Haizlip made contact. Davis attempted to work underneath Haizlip, but the two touched at the right rear, sending Davis spinning into the corner.

While the early leaders fought to hold their positions, three-time champion James Lowe, who started sixth thanks to the inverted lineup, began his methodical march toward the front. By lap 27, Lowe executed an impressive three-wide maneuver to take the lead. The frequent restarts worked in his favor, repeatedly giving him access to the preferred inside line, and once he reached the front, Lowe settled into the rhythm that has made him such a formidable presence on short tracks.

The race continued to produce its share of controversy and attrition. Kurt Smith and Ruben Altice became involved in one of the more debated incidents of the night when Altice appeared to come down on Smith, although replays suggested Altice may have received a “boost” from Luke Logan Allen that sent him sideways. Another multi-car wreck involving Marino Valente and Louis Flowers collected Davis once again as he attempted to avoid the initial spin. Jeff Sharp was also among the night’s standout performers, gaining 11 positions at one point to race among the leaders before his fortunes turned south in the closing stages.

With 15 laps remaining, Chris Worrell emerged as Lowe’s primary challenger. Worrell had spent much of the night fighting the disadvantage of outside-lane restarts, but finally secured an inside restart and charged into second with roughly 12 laps to go. He closed the gap significantly, but Lowe’s experience and patience with his tires proved decisive. Lowe managed the final laps without making the mistake Worrell needed, securing the Round 6 victory.

The battle for third became a “kamikaze” duel between Mike Holloway and Luke Logan Allen. Holloway, who started ninth, managed to edge out the younger Allen in the closing corners to secure the final spot on the podium. Lowe led more than 34 laps on his way to victory, while Worrell settled for second and Holloway took third. Lowell Jewell was the night’s hard charger, storming from 15th to finish fifth.

In the post-race interviews, Lowe joked about benefiting from the inverted grid and the repeated restarts before revealing that his preferred “deserted island” cereal is Fruit Loops with coconut milk. Worrell expressed frustration that there simply weren’t enough laps remaining to mount a serious challenge for the win, while Holloway explained that passing at Lanier was at such a premium that he had to switch to “kamikaze mode” to secure his podium finish. With the season now reaching its halfway point, the BRL Late Model Invitational Series heads into the final five rounds with the championship battle wide open.

Worrell Holds Off Lowe in Lanier Thriller

Braselton, GA — The Boot Racing League traveled to Lanier National Speedway on August 7, 2026, for Round 6 of the Bushtalk Radio Super Late Model Series, where 17 drivers faced 100 laps of short-track combat. Bill “Soups” and Papa Kenny Allen called the action as the field navigated a track that initially favored the bottom groove before rubber gradually built into the surface, opening the outside lane as a legitimate passing route later in the race.

Charles Roth started from the pole with newcomer Marlowe Strautmann alongside him on the front row, but Strautmann wasted no time taking advantage of the outside starting position. He launched forward at the drop of the green and quickly established himself as the driver to beat, leading the opening 38 laps.

The early calm didn’t last long. A major pileup erupted near Turn 4 when Michael Goodman struggled to get his car off the corner and was assisted by Chris Haizlip, triggering a chain reaction that collected several drivers and ended multiple nights prematurely. Strautmann avoided the chaos and continued to control the race from the front.

The middle portion of the event delivered some of the strangest moments of the season. Championship leader James Lowe became an innocent victim when Robbie Hensley misjudged a corner and spun him. Rather than throwing a caution, the race director allowed the action to continue while Lowe’s car sat perpendicular to the racing surface. Lowe eventually managed to get himself pointed in the right direction and began the long climb back through the field.

Then Chris Davis provided perhaps the most memorable moment of the night. Known throughout the league as “Mr. Manners,” Davis was in the middle of an interview with the broadcast team when he somehow lost control of his car and flipped. Once the car came to rest upside down, Davis delivered the line that instantly became the quote of the evening: “I’m a turtle.” It was an unusual bit of live racing television, to put it mildly.

As the race progressed, Chris Worrell moved to the front and began building his own advantage. Luke Logan Allen, piloting the “Goldfish special,” emerged as his primary challenger. The changing track conditions had finally transformed the outside groove into the preferred lane, and Allen used the additional grip up top to steadily close the gap on Worrell.

Behind the leaders, Lowe’s recovery drive became increasingly impressive. After falling all the way to the back following his earlier incident, the championship leader methodically worked his way back through the field and into contention for the finish. Tom Hilbert also turned in a strong drive, climbing from the 17th and final starting position to work his way inside the top ten.

The closing laps became a three-way battle between Worrell, Allen, and Lowe, with heavy lap traffic adding another layer of difficulty. John Wilson and a fading Strautmann became moving obstacles as the leaders searched for clean air and a way around the slower cars.

The decisive moment came in the final corner.

Allen committed to the high side, attempting to sweep around the traffic and retain second place. Lowe instead went into full veteran mode, diving “way low” in an attempt to find the shortest path through the corner. The gamble worked. Lowe emerged ahead of Allen to snatch second place just before the checkered flag.

Worrell had already done enough to secure the victory, leading the final 38 laps and completing a dominant closing stint. Lowe’s last-corner charge earned him second, while Allen settled for third. Ruben Altice finished fourth, followed by Michael Goodman, Robbie Hensley, Kurt Smith, Tom Hilbert, Joe Snyder, and Charles Roth.

Following the race, Worrell praised Allen’s patience during their battle and expressed surprise at the recovery drive produced by his teammate Lowe. Allen may have lost second in the final corner, but his performance remained one of the night’s highlights, particularly given the way he adapted to the increasingly competitive outside groove.

The “Kid Lemon Lime” also remained true to form during the post-race festivities, joining the broadcast team for a lighthearted discussion about his preferred survivalist breakfast cereal: Frosted Flakes. At Lanier, the racing was intense, the track was unforgiving, and apparently even breakfast cereal became part of the championship conversation.

Hearn Charges to Victory After Milwaukee Mile Mayhem

West Allis, WI — The 10th round of the Sim Gaming Expo’s ISRA Retro Series brought the simulated Lotus 79s to the historic Milwaukee Mile, a venue where the history is described as “as steep as the banking is flat.” With the race distance shortened to 70 minutes to eliminate fuel conservation concerns, the field was set for a high-speed sprint where outright pace and survival would determine the winner.

Richie Hearn, bringing real-world IndyCar experience to the virtual cockpit, claimed the pole position with Craig Forsythe starting alongside him on the front row. When the green flag dropped, Hearn immediately asserted his authority, leading the field through the opening stages with Forsythe tucked closely behind. Further back, Alex Guyon and Matt Taylor engaged in an early battle for third, with Taylor becoming increasingly impatient as the leaders began to pull away.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically around the first pit window. Hearn, known for his high fuel consumption, elected to pit on Lap 49. Moments later, disaster struck for Forsythe. Leading in clean air for the first time after Hearn’s pit stop, Forsythe lost control of his Lotus 79 in Turn 2, triggering a massive pile-up that collected roughly half of the field.

The series’ fast-repair rules allowed many of the damaged drivers to continue, but the caution completely scrambled the running order. Hearn, who had just completed his pit stop, found himself trapped near the rear of the field behind the pace car. Alex Guyon inherited the lead, followed by the Chilean duo of Rodrigo Munoz and Hugo Galaz.

As the race resumed, Galaz began one of the most impressive charges of the evening. Starting dead last, he quickly sliced his way through the field before eventually taking control of the race. Once out front, Galaz built an advantage approaching three seconds and appeared to have the field completely under control. His remarkable run saw him lead 75 laps and put him in position to potentially claim his first ISRA Retro Series victory.

But with only about five minutes remaining, the race slipped away.

During a stretch the broadcast team dubbed “Boogie Time,” Galaz lost the rear of his Lotus while leading and looped the car. The mistake handed the lead back to the charging pack and brought a recovered Hearn back into contention. After being shuffled toward the back by the earlier caution, Hearn had clawed his way through the field and was suddenly in position to fight for the win.

The final minutes became a frantic sprint. David Sirois and Hearn battled intensely for the lead as the field raced toward the checkered flag. Then, just when it appeared the drama couldn’t get any stranger, another incident erupted when Guyon got loose and collided with Galaz, who was still attempting to recover from his earlier spin.

Through all of the late-race turbulence, Hearn kept his Lotus pointed in the right direction. The veteran driver crossed the finish line to secure his second victory of the season, completing a remarkable recovery from the mid-race pit-stop misfortune that had temporarily buried him in the running order.

Sirois finished second, continuing his remarkable run of podium finishes and maintaining his championship advantage. After the race, the points leader admitted that his Lotus was “very tricky” in clean air and said he was satisfied to come away with a safe second-place result.

Forsythe recovered from what he jokingly described as a “full noob” moment in Turn 2 to salvage third place. Galaz, despite leading the most laps and appearing destined for his first victory, was forced to settle for fourth after his late spin. Matt Taylor completed the top five, followed by Garry Lovern in sixth.

Hearn’s victory demonstrated just how quickly fortunes can change at the Milwaukee Mile. After leading early, surrendering track position with his pit stop, and then being caught behind the pace car during the ensuing caution, the experienced driver refused to let the race slip away. When the final chaos unfolded, Hearn was there to capitalize.

The ISRA Retro Series now heads toward Round 11 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where David Sirois carries a firm championship lead into another encounter between the Lotus 79s and one of America’s most famous racing venues.

Blasco Charges Late to Steal Bristol Victory

Bristol, TN — The RLR Checkered Flag Auto Supply Scrambler Series rolled into Bristol Motor Speedway for Round 7, bringing 31 drivers to “The Last Great Coliseum” for a grueling 150-lap battle in the O’Reilly machines. Bristol’s progressive banking offered multiple racing lines, but the track’s tight confines left little room for error. With the right-front and right-rear tires under constant punishment, managing tire wear became just as important as finding speed.

Ethan Troutman started from the pole, but it was reigning seven-time champion Maxime Theriault who immediately flexed his strength, powering around the outside lane to take control at the start. The first caution arrived just seven laps into the race when David Odendahl looped his car, although he managed to avoid significant contact. Theriault continued to control the early stages, while points leader Zach Mitchell showed flashes of impressive speed, including a “textbook” save after a massive sideways snap. Mitchell’s night would eventually take a turn for the worse as he became involved in later incidents.

As the race progressed, traffic became increasingly treacherous. The combination of lap traffic, multiple racing lines, and Bristol’s narrow confines produced a series of incidents that repeatedly shuffled the field. During a pit cycle around Lap 50, most of the leaders opted for four tires, but DJ Anderson later made a bold two-tire gamble in an effort to gain track position. The strategy initially worked beautifully, putting Anderson at the front during a series of green-yellow cycles while allowing him to preserve his older tires.

Anderson’s unexpected run at the front was even more remarkable considering the circumstances. He was competing in virtual reality for the first time in five years and had entered the race with the modest goal of simply riding around and staying out of trouble. Instead, the strategy gamble and his ability to survive the chaos suddenly put him in contention for a Bristol victory.

The final third of the race brought another dramatic shift. Two-time series champion Chris Hammett charged toward the front and briefly took the lead on Lap 111, demonstrating the pace needed to contend for the win. His hopes, however, were derailed by a late-race collision that also severely damaged pole-sitter Ethan Troutman’s machine. The damage left both drivers fighting from compromised positions as the field continued through another series of restarts.

Todd Sargent subsequently inherited the lead on older tires and faced the difficult task of balancing outright speed with tire preservation while the faster cars closed in behind him. With the laps winding down, the battle for victory ultimately became a three-way fight between Anderson, Theriault, and Connor Blasco.

Blasco had started seventh and steadily worked his way toward the front throughout the race. By the closing stint, his car appeared to have the strongest pace of the contenders, and he began methodically erasing Anderson’s advantage. With just three laps remaining, Blasco made his move, carrying momentum around the outside to complete a decisive pass for the lead.

From there, Blasco held his position and crossed the checkered flag to claim his second victory of the season. The win made him one of only two multi-time winners in the current campaign alongside Zach Mitchell, while also delivering a particularly satisfying result at a track he had historically struggled to conquer.

Blasco admitted afterward that he was surprised by the victory, especially given his previous struggles at Bristol. The key, he explained, was discovering that he could make the high line work when it mattered most.

Maxime Theriault finished second, turning an otherwise frustrating near-win into a major championship haul. With Mitchell and Troutman both suffering through difficult evenings, Theriault emerged from Bristol in position to potentially take over the championship lead.

DJ Anderson completed the podium after his unconventional two-tire strategy and impressive survival drive. Returning to VR competition for the first time in five years, Anderson transformed what began as an attempt to simply stay out of trouble into a legitimate run at the victory and ultimately a well-earned third-place finish.

The RLR Checkered Flag Auto Supply Scrambler Series now leaves the bullring of Bristol behind and heads to the Daytona Road Course, where the drivers will trade the high banks and short-track brutality for the technical demands of a “roval.”

Allen Capitalizes on Lowe’s Misfortune at Southern National

Lucama, NC — The BRL Late Model Invitational Series returned to Southern National Motorsports Park for Round 5 of Season 35 on a sweltering Saturday night in August, where 16 drivers faced 100 laps of unforgiving short-track racing. With no pit stops, no tire changes, and no opportunity to repair damage, the race became a test of patience and tire management on one of the darkest and most demanding tracks on the schedule.

As per series tradition, the starting lineup was determined by inverting the top 13 finishers from the previous race, placing series organizer Lil Jewell on the pole alongside Todd Liston. Jewell made the most of his front-row starting spot, leading the opening laps while Todd Liston, Joe Segalla, and Donnie Moore settled into an early battle for the top positions. By Lap 11, Liston began applying heavy pressure to the race leader, and four laps later he completed the pass to take control of the race. Segalla followed him through into second, dropping Jewell to third as the veteran established himself as the driver to beat.

Further back, championship leader James Lowe quietly began carving his way through the field. Starting 10th, Lowe methodically worked his way forward, reaching fifth by Lap 26 and continuing to close on the leaders. Before long, the No. 99 had climbed into second place and appeared poised to challenge Liston for the lead.

Then came the defining moment of the evening.

Exiting Turn 2, Lowe made an uncharacteristic mistake, losing control of his car and spinning by himself. Although he avoided contact with the outside wall, the costly error dropped him all the way back to 15th, erasing what had looked like a certain shot at victory and opening the door for his championship rivals. The mistake also placed his once-comfortable points lead over Luke Logan Allen in serious jeopardy.

With Lowe forced into recovery mode, the spotlight shifted to a compelling battle between Todd Liston and the young Luke Logan Allen, better known around the league as “Kid Lemon Lime.” Liston controlled the pace for much of the race, ultimately leading 72 laps while doing everything he could to keep the youngster behind him. Allen repeatedly challenged on the bottom groove, searching for an opening as the laps wound down.

The decisive move came around Lap 80 during what the broadcast team affectionately called “Boogie Time.” Allen finally found enough grip on the inside lane to pull alongside Liston, and after several tense laps racing door-to-door, the younger driver completed the pass for the lead. Despite Liston’s best efforts to maintain momentum around the outside, Allen’s car came to life in the closing stages and allowed him to pull clear.

Allen remained mistake-free over the final laps to earn a well-deserved victory, snapping what he described as an unlucky stretch of races. Liston settled for second after leading the majority of the event, while Donnie Moore completed the podium with one of his strongest performances in recent memory after returning to competitive form. Chris Worrell finished fourth ahead of Mike Holloway, John Wilson, Kenny Allen, James Lowe, who impressively recovered to eighth after his spin, Ruben Altice, and Joe Segalla.

In Victory Lane, Allen admitted the car had been a handful throughout the race, explaining that it constantly wanted to push toward the outside wall if driven too aggressively. Liston praised the young winner’s performance, joking that he had “given the frog a perfect kiss” to wake up a prince after their memorable duel for the lead. Moore was equally upbeat following his podium finish, saying the result confirmed that both his confidence and his passion for sim racing had returned after stepping away for a mental and physical reset.

Lowe’s recovery drive prevented what could have been an even bigger points loss, but the damage was done. Heading into the next round, his championship advantage had been trimmed to a single point over the surging Luke Logan Allen, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense battle for the Season 35 title.

Lowe Holds Off Rookie Charge for Southern National Victory

Lucama, NC — The BRL Bushtalk Radio Super Late Model Series rolled into Southern National Motorsports Park on July 31, 2026, for Round 5 of Season 28, delivering another bruising 100-lap short-track battle. Southern National’s narrow corners and high horsepower made throttle control paramount, with the Super Late Models eager to rotate their rear ends on corner exit and drivers forced to balance aggression with restraint on a surface that offered very little room for error.

The starting grid was once again determined by an inversion of the top 13 finishers from the previous round. Chris Haizlip was originally slated to start from pole, but elected to begin from pit road, promoting Charles Roth to the top spot alongside Joe Segalla. Joseph Snyder, Donnie Moore, and Todd Liston occupied the rows immediately behind the front runners as the field prepared for 100 laps of short-track combat.

The opening laps immediately delivered trouble. Michael Goodman became the first major casualty when an accordion-effect check-up involving Josh St. Hilaire sent Goodman’s car around and brought out an early caution. The restart provided little relief as newcomer Robbie Hensley, making his series debut, discovered just how unforgiving Southern National could be when he spun his car on corner exit after getting too aggressive with the throttle. Hensley’s early mistake, however, would prove to be only the beginning of his story.

While Roth controlled the early stages, championship leader James Lowe quietly began his march toward the front. Starting 11th, Lowe avoided the worst of the opening chaos while steadily picking off positions. The frequent cautions provided some relief from tire wear, but they also made the racing increasingly unpredictable as drivers fought for position in a congested field. Lowe’s championship rival, John Wilson, endured a much more difficult evening. Early damage sent Wilson tumbling down the running order, eventually leaving the points contender more than 30 laps behind the leaders.

Luke Logan Allen also demonstrated impressive resilience. “Kid Lemon Lime” suffered substantial front-end damage in a multi-car incident involving Kurt Smith and Chris Worrell, yet somehow kept his car moving forward and eventually worked his way into the top five.

As the race moved into its second half, the caution-filled opening finally gave way to the long green-flag run everyone had been waiting for. Robbie Hensley had plenty to prove after his early spin, and the 18-year-old newcomer steadily recovered while beginning to show the speed that had made him a threat despite the setback.

By Lap 71, Lowe had established a lead of approximately 1.1 seconds, but Hensley was closing in on the battle for second. Hensley found himself door-to-door with veteran Todd Liston, and the two drivers fought through the corners in a tense side-by-side battle before Hensley finally completed the pass and secured second place.

The rookie now had Lowe in his sights. Hensley pushed hard during the closing stages, but Lowe was simply too consistent. The championship leader maintained an advantage of approximately 1.2 seconds, hitting his marks and refusing to give the young challenger an opening. The final laps became a demonstration of Lowe’s ability to manage a short-track race without overdriving the car.

James Lowe took the white flag with the lead intact and comfortably navigated the final lap to claim another victory in his championship campaign. Hensley crossed the line second in a remarkable series debut, while Liston secured third after his hard-fought battle with the rookie. Luke Logan Allen finished fourth, followed by Louis Flowers, Chris Worrell, Donnie Moore, Michael Goodman, Joe Segalla, and Chris Haizlip.

Lowe credited patience for the victory, explaining that surviving the early wrecks and refusing to overwork his car allowed him to control the race when the field finally settled down. For Hensley, second place was an extraordinary introduction to the series. The 18-year-old Florida business student admitted that his car initially felt loose, but he gradually figured out how to manage both the machine and the competition. By the end of the night, he was already confident that he could challenge Lowe for a victory in the races ahead.

Liston, a former SK Modified champion, completed the podium and offered a more pragmatic assessment of the evening. The Super Late Models were difficult to tame, but keeping the car in one piece was enough to earn him a well-deserved third-place finish.

With Lowe continuing to build momentum atop the championship standings and Hensley immediately announcing himself as a serious new threat, the Bushtalk Radio Super Late Model Series heads into its next round with the title fight becoming increasingly interesting.