Medlin Survives Daytona Chaos to Open YesterYear Cup Season in Victory Lane

Daytona Beach, FL — Andrew Medlin survived a bruising, unpredictable season opener at the old configuration of Daytona International Speedway to capture victory in Round 1 of the OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series. The night marked a full-throated return to the 2004 Gen 4 Cup car, a machine that rewards rhythm and restraint far more than reckless bravery, and the opening chapter of a revamped playoff system designed to reward consistency across the long haul.

A stout 50-car field rolled onto the grid, giving the opener the atmosphere of a superspeedway classic from another era. Kevin Strandberg secured the pole and paced the field to green, but it did not take long for drivers to realize that this was not modern Daytona. The legacy surface was slick and unsettled, the bumps sharp enough to rattle confidence, and the draft far less forgiving. If a driver slipped more than a second off the back of a line, the air would not simply pull them forward again. Momentum was currency, and it could vanish in a heartbeat.

The first caution arrived on lap five when John Hastings spun, executing a remarkable save to keep the car off the wall and salvage his night. The early warning shot did little to calm the field. By lap 19, Bill Martin was forced onto the apron, triggering an accordion effect that stacked cars tightly together and brought out another yellow. Drivers spoke afterward about how edgy the cars felt in traffic, especially when turbulent air and the uneven surface combined to make the rear ends dance down the straightaways.

Pit strategy quickly became a defining storyline. With four extra sets of tires available this season, teams faced an immediate philosophical split. Some opted for two tires or even fuel-only stops to maintain track position, knowing how difficult it would be to carve back through 49 competitors. Others played the longer game, banking on fresh rubber during extended green-flag stretches. Around lap 22, a major incident erupted when contact between Lloyd Moore and Larry Corey sent multiple cars sliding through the infield grass, scattering contenders and forcing several early trips behind the wall.

As the race settled into longer runs, the attrition quietly mounted. Dwayne McArthur, Eric Essary, and Tom Ogle each spent time at or near the front, carefully measuring their aggression. The handling balance shifted noticeably as the sun dipped lower and the track temperature fell, tightening some cars while freeing up others. Rick Nitz and Brian Lynch were among those caught out by the changing conditions, either in incidents or in battles with machines that refused to cooperate. Six caution flags punctuated the night, and every restart felt like lighting a match in a room filled with fuel vapor.

When the final green-flag run began, the lead pack had been whittled down to a hardened group of survivors. Medlin positioned himself at the front and drove with calculated precision, refusing to overextend his advantage or leave the bottom lane vulnerable. Behind him, Christian Loschen stalked patiently, waiting for the moment when the air might shift in his favor. Sean Foltz lurked just behind, ready to supply the push that could change everything.

On the white-flag lap, Loschen dove to the inside entering turn three, building what momentum he could and hoping Foltz could lock onto his bumper. The run developed, but not quite enough. Medlin held steady through the banking, kept the throttle planted just long enough, and exited turn four with the faintest but most important edge. He crossed the line half a car length ahead, sealing a victory earned through patience, positioning, and survival.

The win places Medlin at the top of the standings as the series leaves the high banks behind and turns toward the abrasive, punishing surface of Rockingham Speedway. If Daytona demanded finesse in the draft, Rockingham will demand grit in the corners. The YesterYear Racing Cup Series is officially underway, and if the opener proved anything, it is that 2004-style stock car racing still has teeth.

Davis Defends the Apron at Lanier, Lowe Slips Into Points Lead

Braselton, GA — The Bootleg Racing League Late Model Invitational Series brought the thunder to Lanier National Speedway on a simulated Valentine’s Day, serving up 100 laps of short track intensity on the tight third-mile Georgia oval. Entering the night, the championship gap between Brennan Myers and James Lowe was just two points. By the end of the evening, that margin had flipped like a well-timed crossover.

The 20-car field was set by a Baker’s Dozen inversion, placing John Wilson, affectionately dubbed “The Canadian Goose,” on the pole alongside Chris Haizlip. When the green flag waved, Wilson took command early, but it did not take long for Chris Davis, known around the paddock as “Mr. Aggressive,” to loom large in the mirrors.

By the quarter-mark, Davis made his move. With conviction and precision, he dove deep into turn one and cleared Wilson for the lead, planting his Late Model firmly at the point.

The race featured just three cautions, a welcome calm compared to the prior evening’s Super Late Model chaos. The first came when Todd Liston was sent spinning after light contact with Lowell Jewell. The second flew after an incident between Allen Wannamaker and Bobby Hayes left Hayes pointed the wrong direction and headed pitward. The third caution involved Benny Ellison, who had topped the practice charts, after contact with Jewell despite the pair appearing to have cleared one another.

Amid the restarts and reshuffles, the championship fight simmered. Myers and Lowe spent much of the race in a tight duel for third position. Myers initially held serve, but Lowe methodically worked his way forward and eventually slipped past, swinging the virtual championship advantage as laps dwindled.

Up front, the final run evolved into a tense three-car chess match between Davis, Lowe, and Kyle Feimster, who had surged forward ten positions from his starting spot. Lowe stalked Davis lap after lap, probing for weakness, but found the outside lane offered little reward. These Late Models simply did not have the horsepower to make that path stick.

Davis, meanwhile, was dancing on worn rubber. Post-race, he revealed his right-front tire had fallen to 46 percent. To compensate, he hugged an ultra-low line, even dipping onto the apron to help rotate the car through the corners. It was a calculated risk that paid off.

When the checkered flag flew, Davis stood tall. The runner-up finish was enough to push Lowe into a slim points lead heading into Round 6 at Concord Speedway, a track he proudly calls his hometown battleground.

Notable drives included Mark Hertzog and Ruben Altice, who both charged through the field to finish seventh and eighth after gaining more than ten positions each. Wilson, who led the opening segment, faded to 13th after sustained battles took their toll.

In victory lane, Davis addressed the contrast between his nickname and his approach, emphasizing his commitment to clean racing and respect on track. Lowe, meanwhile, made it clear he has Concord circled in bold ink. Season 33 continues to tighten like lug nuts on a final pit stop. And now, the championship chase has officially changed hands.

Lowe Charges Late to Win Chaotic Lanier Night

Braselton, GA — The Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series delivered another bruising chapter of Season 26 at Lanier National Speedway, where Round 5 unfolded as a 100-lap survival test marked by early-race carnage and a decisive late charge from points leader James Lowe. Despite spinning early and restarting at the rear, Lowe methodically worked his way back through the field to score his fourth win in the opening five races.

Kyle Feimster led the field to green from the pole on his birthday, hoping to spark a turnaround in his season. Instead, cold tires and Lanier’s tight racing surface triggered immediate chaos. The opening half of the race was interrupted by eight cautions, many within the first 50 laps, as drivers struggled to find grip and rhythm.

The first yellow flew almost immediately when Tom Hilbert and Jeff Sharp spun in unison, an incident that significantly impacted the momentum of Tre Blohm. Fresh off his Myrtle Beach victory, Blohm sustained heavy front-end damage and was forced into recovery mode for the remainder of the night. Shortly after the restart, championship leader Lowe looped his car in a solo spin, dropping him to the tail of the field but mercifully avoiding race-ending damage.

As the race staggered forward, Feimster initially held the lead but eventually became entangled in traffic. Contact with Chris Worrell brought out the sixth caution of the night and reshuffled the running order, allowing Kurt Smith to inherit the top spot. By the halfway point, the race finally settled into a sustained green-flag run, and Todd Liston surged to the front after overtaking Smith.

Liston’s stint at the point was brief. Worrell asserted himself as a contender, taking control and attempting to manage the pace while keeping Lowe trapped behind him. Lowe, however, was rapidly closing the gap, having carved his way through the field with superior long-run speed. Worrell attempted to “back up” the field to neutralize Lowe’s momentum, but the strategy only delayed the inevitable.

With ten laps remaining, Lowe made the race-winning move in a place few dare attempt at Lanier. Carrying momentum through the outside lane, Lowe powered around Worrell on the high side to seize the lead. Lowe later credited the pass to better tire management, allowing him to rotate the car more freely and take advantage of grip where others had none.

Once clear, Lowe pulled away to secure the victory, extending his championship advantage and reaffirming his dominance in the series. Worrell held on for a hard-fought second-place finish, while Ed Foster delivered one of the drives of the night, charging from the back of the grid to complete the podium in third.

Tensions flared after the checkered flag, particularly between Worrell and Feimster. Worrell voiced frustration over multiple instances of contact throughout the race, calling Feimster’s driving “nerve-wracking” during post-race discussions. Lowe, meanwhile, kept his focus on the bigger picture, dedicating the win to his daughter and celebrating another statement performance in a season quickly becoming his own.

Austin Breaks Through at Daytona: Strategy and Survival Define Skitter Creek Round 4

Daytona Beach, FL — The fourth round of the Red Light Racing Skitter Creek Modified Series Season 15 at Daytona International Speedway Road Course delivered a dramatic departure from the series’ short-track roots, trading rhythm and repetition for technical precision and strategic nerve. In a race shaped by unconventional pit calls and cruel mechanical failures, newcomer Hayden Austin emerged victorious, claiming his first career win in the Red Light Racing League.

The 24-lap event featured 21 Tour Modifieds, machines engineered almost exclusively to turn left and notoriously difficult to tame on a road course. High track temperatures only amplified the challenge, increasing rear-tire wear and wheel spin through Daytona’s flat infield corners. Tire management and fuel strategy loomed large before the green flag ever waved. Luke Logan Allen, known around the paddock as “Kid Lemon Lime,” started from pole after qualifying nearly half a second faster than points leader Eric “Teapot” Stout.

The race’s tone was set almost immediately. On lap two, Stout and Allen tangled while battling for the lead entering the bus stop. The contact sent Stout into a spin and left his car with significant left-front damage, the wheel visibly toed in. While Hayden Austin briefly inherited the lead in the aftermath, Allen showcased impressive pace and composure, recovering from his own 360-degree spin to quickly retake the top spot as the field settled back into rhythm.

With no cautions to reset the order, pit strategy soon became the defining storyline. Austin rolled the dice on an aggressive “early peel,” diving to pit road well ahead of most of the lead-lap cars. The move dropped him deep in the running order but allowed him to attack on fresh tires while others began stretching fuel and protecting worn rubber. Up front, Allen methodically built a commanding lead, stretching the gap to nearly 14 seconds before making his own stop on lap 14. Behind him, Stout continued to circulate with a visibly wounded car, somehow maintaining competitive lap times despite the mechanical disadvantage.

The race turned on a moment of pure heartbreak. While leading comfortably, Allen suffered what appeared to be a hardware failure entering the bus stop, his car refusing to turn and shooting straight off course. The pole-sitter’s dominant run ended on the hook, silencing a performance that had looked all but untouchable.

The lead then cycled to a trio of fuel gamblers, with Stout joined by Glenn Jamieson and Allen Wannamaker as they attempted to stretch their tanks to the finish without stopping again. Physics, however, had the final say. Jamieson and Wannamaker were forced to pit in the closing laps, and Stout soon followed, his damaged car unable to make the final distance. With those strategies unraveling, Austin’s early gamble paid off in full.

Hayden Austin took the checkered flag to seal a storybook victory in his first broadcasted league appearance. Eric Stout, battered but resilient, salvaged a remarkable second-place finish that kept his championship campaign firmly on track. Dalton Williamson completed the podium in third, later joking that it was the most right-hand turns he had ever made in a Modified. Ethan “The Mountain” Troutman finished fourth, with Bill Benedict rounding out the top five, as the Skitter Creek Modified Series proved that adaptability can be just as valuable as raw speed when the schedule takes an unexpected turn.

Calisto Conquers the Storm at Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin — Round 4 of the ISRA Sim Gaming Expo Open Wheel Series traded wide-open throttle for white-knuckle finesse as the field wrestled their Dallara IR-18 machines around the soaked bends of Road America. The four-mile expanse, often called the Cathedral of Speed, became a maze of spray and second guesses under drizzly Wisconsin skies.

Pole-sitter Matt Taylor led the field to green, but strategy unraveled almost immediately as rain intensified. While most of the 14-car grid started on alternate red-sidewall slicks, Lionel Calisto rolled off on wet tires after a late garage adjustment failed to save. What looked like a mistake turned prophetic within minutes.

By Lap 3, pit lane became mandatory reading. Drivers scrambled for wet tires as conditions worsened, but Calisto stayed out and suddenly inherited a massive advantage, opening nearly a 20-second gap over Taylor. Behind them, Jim Herrick attempted to ride out the storm on slicks, but the experiment quickly collapsed as the car became undriveable, ending with a spin at Turn 3.

As the race settled into a rhythm, Road America showed its teeth. Visibility vanished in rooster tails, braking zones arrived early, and corners seemed to shift with every lap. Richard Hearn ran strong in second before a heavy slide into the tire barriers at Canada Corner derailed his momentum. A later spin in the Carousel added to a growing list of casualties in a race that demanded patience more than bravery.

Mid-pack, a tense three-car fight developed between Rodrigo Munoz, Hugo Galaz, and David Sirois. With the traditional racing groove slicked over, the trio searched for grip along the rain line, carving wider arcs through corners and relying on feel more than visibility.

At roughly the halfway mark of the 55-minute race, Calisto made his lone pit stop for fuel while keeping his wet tires mounted. Taylor, now armed with tires three laps fresher, began a relentless charge, slicing a once-comfortable 23-second deficit down to under ten. Calisto flirted with trouble through Turn 3 and Canada Corner, small off-track moments threatening to undo his earlier fortune as pressure mounted.

The closing laps delivered drama across the track. Sirois hunted down Christopher Ragan in a fierce battle for the final podium position, completing a decisive pass on the penultimate lap. Moments later, heartbreak struck Ragan when a mechanical failure left him with what he described as a “box full of neutrals,” preventing him from reaching the finish.

Up front, Taylor closed to within three seconds of the lead, but a late mistake sent him off course and extinguished the final challenge. Calisto pressed on, admitting afterward he “should have wrecked so many times,” yet managing to keep the car pointed forward to claim a hard-earned victory in one of the most demanding races of the season.

With four rounds complete and four different winners in the Winter 2026 campaign, the championship picture remains wide open as the series turns its attention to the mile-and-a-half oval at Chicagoland Speedway, where the storms will give way to pure speed.

Theriault Takes the Checkered: A Charlotte Masterclass in the Scrambler Series

Charlotte, NC — The third round of the Red Light Racing League Scrambler Series brought the thunder to the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway for a 90-lap battle under the lights. In the first appearance of the Cup Cars this season, series points leader Maxime Theriault once again showed why he is known as “the machine,” delivering a composed and commanding performance to secure his second consecutive victory.

Two-time champion James “Bone” Skelton led the field to green from the pole, but the opening lap chaos struck almost immediately. Devin Visnaw lost traction on cold tires before the field could fully settle in, spinning into the grass and collecting Sean “Bloop” Single in the process. The incident ended the night early for Single, the season’s Las Vegas winner, and brought out what would ultimately be the race’s only caution, setting the stage for an extended stretch of green-flag racing and strategic execution.

Once racing resumed, the event quickly evolved into a chess match for clean air at the front. Skelton initially controlled the pace, but Theriault methodically worked the high lane and powered into the lead by lap 11. From there, Theriault’s primary challenger was Chris Hammet, who matched his speed lap for lap and waited patiently for an opening. Hammet later noted that clean air was a massive advantage at Charlotte, and his lone serious attempt to challenge Theriault ended with a light brush against the outside wall, forcing him to regroup and settle back into second.

The drive of the night belonged to Trent Potter. An invalidated qualifying lap left him starting 19th, but Potter wasted no time carving through the field. By lap 22, he had already gained 13 positions and continued his relentless charge, eventually reaching second before the final round of pit stops reshuffled the order.

Pit road proved decisive for several contenders. Skelton’s early momentum unraveled when he was caught speeding on pit entry, a penalty that dropped him a lap down and effectively removed him from the fight for the win. Potter also encountered trouble on his final stop when a late fuel adjustment extended his stationary time to nearly 20 seconds, well off the 14 to 15-second stops of the leaders. Even so, Potter’s pace allowed him to recover and claw his way back onto the podium in the closing laps.

In the final stint, Theriault was untouchable. Managing traffic and tire wear with precision, he stretched his advantage to nearly two seconds and cruised to the checkered flag. Chris Hammet secured second after a strong but ultimately frustrated pursuit, while Potter completed an impressive comeback drive to finish third. Zack Mitchell and Ethan “The Mountain” Troutman rounded out the top five.

Behind the podium finishers, Jason Wells stood out as one of the night’s biggest movers, advancing from 20th to ninth to secure a top-ten result. The race was not as kind to Sean Single or Jeff LeMire, both of whom suffered early exits and finished outside the top 20. Despite the challenges of dirty air and the raw speed of the Cup Cars, the field delivered nearly 80 consecutive laps of green-flag racing to close the event.

After the race, Theriault credited his victory to getting into clean air early and maintaining discipline on pit road, avoiding the penalties that derailed others. With back-to-back wins, he further extends his advantage in the Season 21 championship standings as the Scrambler Series looks ahead to a slate of upcoming road course challenges.

Feimster Dominates Late at Myrtle Beach to Secure Second Career Broadcast Win

Myrtle Beach, SC — The Bootleg Racing League Late Model Invitational Series rolled into the unique, D-shaped Myrtle Beach Speedway for Round 4 of Season 33, setting the stage for a race defined by brutal tire wear and nonstop adversity. When the dust settled after a chaotic night under the lights, it was Kyle Feimster who mastered the long game, charging from seventh on the grid to capture his second career broadcast victory.

The race wasted no time delivering drama. On the opening lap, Chris Haizlip, who started on the outside of the front row, was turned after getting checked up, triggering a multi-car incident that immediately reshaped the field. Among those caught up was two-time defending champion James Lowe, who reported engine damage and a noticeable loss of power. Despite the setback, Lowe kept the car circulating, determined to salvage what points he could.

Championship tension simmered throughout the night as points leader Brennan Myers entered the event with just a three-point advantage over Lowe. That margin came under threat when Myers spun later in the race, once again making contact with Lowe. While Lowe’s car proved stubbornly resilient, the damage left him fighting an uphill battle for the remainder of the event.

Once the early chaos cleared, Chris Worrell asserted control, pacing the field for an impressive 85 laps. With Myrtle Beach notorious for devouring right-front tires, Worrell focused on managing pace rather than outright speed, attempting to keep his car alive for the closing run.

Behind him, veteran Lowell Jewell delivered a throwback performance. Despite early concerns that he may have overused his tires, Jewell stayed firmly in the hunt, trading positions with Todd Liston and Feimster while remaining a constant presence near the front.

One of the night’s most electric moments unfolded mid-race as Ruben Altice, Adam Schoen, and Tre Blohm engaged in a prolonged, door-to-door battle that lasted more than a dozen laps. Paint was exchanged, tempers tested, and momentum swung repeatedly before Schoen finally cleared Altice, with Blohm slipping through shortly thereafter.

The race turned decisively in the final 25 laps. Feimster, who had quietly been conserving his tires while others pushed the issue, capitalized on late cautions that allowed him to cool his rubber. Urged on by the broadcast booth to seize the moment, Feimster delivered a flawless restart, pinning Jewell to the outside and setting his sights on Worrell.

With roughly 15 laps remaining, Feimster went to work. A tense, high-stakes duel followed, with Feimster using the inside lane and superior tire life to finally clear Worrell and take command. Post-race, Feimster credited his rotation-based driving style for helping him exploit the fading grip during the final heat cycle.

Once out front, Feimster was untouchable. He cruised to the checkered flag, while Worrell settled for a hard-earned second. Jewell capped off his impressive night by making a last-lap pass on Blohm to secure the final podium position.

Despite a challenging evening, Myers retains the points lead, though the margin has tightened considerably with Ed Foster and Lowe finishing just ahead of him. As the Late Model Invitational Series turns its attention to the next round, John Wilson is slated to start on the pole thanks to the Baker’s Dozen inversion rule, setting up yet another unpredictable chapter in Season 33.

Blohm Conquers the Beach; Lowe’s Streak Ends in Myrtle Beach Chaos

Myrtle Beach, SC — The Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series rolled into Myrtle Beach Speedway for Round 4 of Season 26, serving up 100 laps of punishing, low-banked short-track combat. With James Lowe entering the night having swept the opening three rounds of the season, much of the pre-race conversation centered on whether anyone could halt his momentum. By night’s end, it was Tre Blohm who emerged from the wreckage, outlasting a war of attrition to score his first victory of the season.

Kurt Smith led the field to green from the pole but was immediately pressured by Todd Liston, who wasted no time experimenting with the risky outside lane. The move paid off, as Liston and Smith battled side-by-side for nine tense laps before Liston finally cleared Smith to take control of the race. Myrtle Beach quickly showed its teeth, however, with the backstretch wall proving especially unforgiving. Smith clipped the barrier and spun, collecting Kyle Feimster in the process and forcing Smith to pit for repairs. It was only the beginning of a night where the wall would repeatedly claim victims, including Lowe and Adam Schoen later in the race.

As the laps ticked by, chaos escalated. Around lap 40, a restart went horribly wrong when Jeffery Hardin, running a special tribute paint scheme honoring his mother Laura, was caught in a massive stack-up on the frontstretch. Cars piled in with nowhere to go, heavily damaging multiple machines. John “The Canadian Goose” Wilson’s entry suffered terminal right-front damage, bringing his night to an abrupt end. When the dust finally settled, just 12 cars remained on the lead lap.

Steve Hilbert quietly became a factor as the race wore on, conserving tires through the constant cautions and methodically working his way into the top five. During an in-race interview, Hilbert expressed optimism, believing his long-run pace could land him on the podium if the race stayed green.

Starting sixth, Tre Blohm began asserting himself in the middle portion of the race. Patient and calculated, he navigated the endless restarts and steadily climbed to the front, fending off pressure from Liston and Chris Worrell. Blohm later admitted the constant cautions made the race mentally exhausting, forcing him to vary his restart approach to avoid becoming predictable.

With roughly 20 laps remaining, disaster struck for Worrell. Running second and closing in on Blohm, Worrell clipped the inside “turtles” on worn tires, unsettling his car and sending him spinning. The ensuing caution set the stage for a dramatic finish.

A final yellow involving Worrell and Chris Davis created a five-lap dash to the checkered flag. Despite carrying heavy nose damage from earlier contact, Lowe lined up on the front row for the restart, his battered machine somehow still in contention. Blohm, however, was flawless when it mattered most. He rocketed away at the green and never looked back, pulling a decisive gap in the closing laps.

Blohm claimed the victory with authority, while Lowe held on for an impressive second-place finish given the condition of his car. Todd Liston completed the podium in third, capping off a strong night of front-running speed.

In victory lane, Blohm credited his team for giving him a car with exceptional long-run balance, noting he set his fastest lap within the final ten circuits. Lowe admitted post-race that luck played a role in salvaging second, acknowledging that Liston likely had the faster car before late-race incidents shuffled the order. Liston remained upbeat, pointing to the consistency and momentum gained throughout the event.

The SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series now turns its attention to Lanier Raceplex, where Kyle Feimster is slated to start on the pole thanks to the upcoming field inversion.

Stout’s South Boston Shutdown: Teapot Perfect in Skitter Creek Round 3

South Boston, VA — The third round of the Red Light Racing Skitter Creek Modified Series Season 15 at South Boston Speedway was a masterclass in defensive driving and track positioning, as Eric “Teapot” Stout led all 100 laps on the tight 4/10-mile paved oval to claim his second win of the season. The event was defined by relentless nose-to-tail racing, limited passing opportunities, and a series of cautions that tested the mental endurance of the field.

Entering the night with a slim one-point advantage over Dalton Williamson in the championship standings, Stout strengthened his hand in qualifying by securing the pole position by just 0.05 seconds over his closest rival. That margin proved decisive, as Stout immediately claimed the preferred inside line at the drop of the green flag and began dictating the pace. Williamson, starting on the outside of the front row, was quickly displaced from second by Chad Alcares, who muscled forward from the inside of Row 2. For nearly the first half of the race, Stout built and maintained a comfortable gap while Alcares and Williamson traded positions and applied pressure behind him.

As the race settled into rhythm, South Boston’s narrow exits lived up to their reputation. An early incident saw Bill Benedict clip the rear of Rob Higgins, with Chris Oliver also caught up in the aftermath, a situation exacerbated by limited rear visibility caused by the large air cleaners on the SK Modifieds. Later, a Turn 1 tangle involving Louis Flowers and Brian Neff triggered a multi-car incident that again collected Higgins as the field stacked up with nowhere to go. The most dramatic moment came late in the race when Jeff Aho, who had charged forward after starting 17th, was involved in a heavy collision with AJ Hamel exiting Turn 4. Aho attempted to carry momentum around the high side, but contact ended both drivers’ chances of securing strong finishes.

Despite multiple restarts, Stout remained composed at the front. On a lap 41 restart, Williamson reclaimed second when Alcares lost momentum exiting Turn 2, setting the stage for a prolonged chase. Williamson shadowed Stout for the remainder of the race, but clean air and track position proved nearly insurmountable obstacles. Any serious attempt to pass would have required pinching the leader or overcommitting the car, risks few were willing to take on such a narrow surface. Behind them, Hayden Austin and Bradley Stefane delivered steady, disciplined drives to round out the top five as the front of the field settled into a largely single-file procession in the closing laps.

Stout ultimately took the checkered flag unchallenged, extending his points lead and securing his second victory in the opening three rounds of the season. Dalton Williamson finished second, Chad Alcares completed the podium, with Austin fourth and Stefane fifth. Post-race, Stout credited his win to clean air and executing in qualifying, while Williamson acknowledged that without a strong restart, passing at South Boston was an exercise in patience rather than aggression. Alcares was pleased with his podium finish but noted that early tire wear limited his late-race options. The Skitter Creek Modified Series now turns its attention to a drastically different challenge with the upcoming trip to the Daytona Road Course, where adaptability may prove just as important as raw speed in the Season 15 championship fight.

Theriault Tames the Lady in Black with a Darlington Masterclass

Darlington, SC  —  The Red Light Racing Checkered Flag Auto Supply Scrambler Series returned to action on Monday night with a trip to one of stock car racing’s most unforgiving venues, Darlington Raceway, for Round 2 of Season 21. Coming off a NASCAR Truck Series opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the field faced a major adjustment as they transitioned into NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts cars for a grueling 90-lap showdown at the track famously known as “Too Tough to Tame.”

While opening-round winner Sean Single entered the night looking to go back-to-back, the evening quickly became a showcase for Maxime Theriault. Driving the No. 42, Theriault delivered what the broadcast team repeatedly called a perfect race, blending speed, patience, and strategy on Darlington’s abrasive surface.

Qualifying immediately set the tone for the event. With the heavier, more powerful cars proving tricky to handle, particularly on corner exit, track position was at a premium. Theriault rose to the occasion, securing the pole with a blistering 29.72-second lap, narrowly edging out Trent Potter’s 29.74. Zach Mitchell and Chris Hammett filled out the second row, while points leader Sean Single rolled off from fifth.

At the green flag, Theriault wasted no time asserting control, guiding the field into Turn 1 and settling into the preferred high line. The slick track and cold tires quickly strung the field into a single-file rhythm. Early on, Single lost ground as Conner Blasco and Luke Logan Allen moved forward, while deeper in the pack Jason Wells and James Skelton began methodically working their way toward the front. Skelton’s charge was particularly notable after a qualifying misstep left him starting near the back of the field.

With no cautions to reset the field and only five sets of tires available, pit strategy became the defining factor of the race. Teams were forced to commit fully to their plans, choosing between short-pitting for immediate speed or stretching runs to preserve track position. Trent Potter rolled the dice first among the leaders, pitting on laps 30 and 60. The move paid short-term dividends, briefly placing him at the head of the field while Theriault stayed out longer. When Theriault finally made his last stop on lap 64, he returned to the track behind both Potter and Hammett, seemingly with work to do.

What followed was a clinical display of pace and composure. Theriault steadily erased the gap, first tracking down Hammett and then closing on a fading Potter, whose early pit strategy began to take its toll on worn tires. With smooth, deliberate inputs and relentless consistency, Theriault reclaimed the lead and pulled away, while Hammett also slipped past Potter to secure second. As the broadcast aptly summarized, Potter may have had the early advantage, but Theriault had the speed to overcome it.

Behind the leaders, several drivers delivered noteworthy performances. James Skelton recovered impressively after missing pit road during a green-flag cycle, a mistake that cost him valuable time, to still fight back for a strong fifth-place finish. Bill Benedict, the night’s spotlight driver, was locked in a late-race battle with Kenny Allen and ultimately crossed the line ninth, beating his projected finish line of 9.5. Chris Hammett’s runner-up result was built on consistency and discipline, as he noted post-race that keeping the car out of the fence was the key to surviving Darlington’s demands.

At the checkered flag, Theriault completed a dominant evening, scoring maximum points by winning the race while also leading a lap and leading the most laps. In victory lane, he credited his pole-winning qualifying effort and careful tire management during long green-flag runs for keeping him out of dirty air and firmly in control. Theriault was followed home by Hammett, Potter, Conner Blasco, James Skelton, Ethan Troutman, Sean Single, Zach Mitchell, Bill Benedict, and Kenny Allen to complete the top ten.

With two rounds complete, the Scrambler Series now turns its attention to Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the field will once again face a fresh challenge as they strap into NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars for Round 3 of Season 21.