Teapot Dominates the Paperclip Flag to Flag

Martinsville, VA — The Red Light Racing League brought the Skitter Creek Modified Series to the tight confines of Martinsville Speedway for Round 5 of Season 15, and once again Eric “Teapot” Stout turned the famed Paperclip into his personal proving ground. In a race built on precision braking, tire management, and restart gamesmanship, the three-time defending champion led all 100 laps to secure his third victory of the season.

Stout rolled off from the pole alongside Chad Alcares, and the opening moments immediately exposed the risk of starting on the outside lane. As the green flag waved, Alcares struggled to hook up on the high side, allowing Hayden Austin to slip underneath from the inside of Row 2 and steal the runner-up spot in what drivers call the “vulture position.” The early laps never found rhythm, as Brian Neff lost traction in the marbles on the opening circuit, triggering a multi-car stack-up that collected Josh Buckley, Fred LeClair, and Chris Oliver. Neff found trouble again shortly after the restart, bringing out another caution and keeping the field tightly packed.

Once the race finally stretched into a longer green-flag run, Stout began building a steady advantage, but the fight behind him simmered. Bradley Stefane and Alcares traded momentum in a tense duel for second. Alcares attacked corner entries aggressively, occasionally brushing the wall, while Stefane maintained a smoother approach focused on preserving tires. Alcares’ determination briefly paid off as he secured second and chipped Stout’s lead down to roughly half a second, putting the champion under his first real pressure of the night. Martinsville, however, punishes overcommitment. A slight drift high in Turn 3 opened the door for Dalton Williamson and Stefane to capitalize, reshuffling the podium battle once again.

The decisive moment arrived on lap 90 when Ethan “The Mountain” Troutman spun after contact with AJ Hamel while navigating lap traffic, setting up a late restart that would test both nerve and tactics. Stout later admitted he played the final launch strategically, easing slightly through Turns 1 and 2 to keep Stefane locked to his bumper. The move effectively boxed Williamson out of the preferred inside lane and neutralized any outside charge before it could form.

In the closing sprint, Stefane made a bold move beneath Williamson to secure second place, but no one mounted a serious threat to Stout. The defending champion crossed the line comfortably out front, adding another statement win to his Season 15 campaign. Stefane finished second after starting fourth, Williamson completed the podium from sixth, and Austin maintained a solid fourth-place run. The quiet charge of the night belonged to Louis Flowers, who stormed from 19th on the grid to claim an impressive fifth-place finish.

After the race, Stout admitted Alcares had him concerned during the long green-flag stretch, acknowledging he expected a fierce challenge before the late-race shuffle unfolded. Stefane, rebounding from a disappointing previous round, described the race as a careful balance between managing tire wear early and unleashing speed when it mattered most. With Martinsville in the books, the Skitter Creek Modified Series now turns its focus to Oswego, where the fight for the Season 15 championship promises yet another demanding test.

Mitchum Snatches Victory in 0.005-Second Photo Finish at Chicagoland

Joliet, IL — The ISRA Sim Gaming Expo Open Wheel Series returned to full-throttle oval combat in Round 5, and Chicagoland Speedway delivered a draft-fueled thriller that ended in a blink. When the checkered flag waved, Mason Mitchum edged Ryan O’Donoghue by 0.005 seconds to claim his first career ISRA victory, completing an 18-position climb from the back of the field.

Points leader Kyle Klendworth set the early tempo with a pole lap of 25.252 seconds, but in Chicagoland’s 18-degree banking, clean air is a rumor and the draft is king. The 19-car field quickly formed a high-speed carousel, three-wide and inches apart. Garry Lovern and Richard Hearn surged forward in the opening stint, while tire wear quietly began writing the second half of the script.

By Lap 20, right-front degradation forced drivers to rethink their lines. Some hunted for grip higher up the track, chasing clean air to preserve their Firestones. The hybrid systems added another layer to the chessboard, with regenerative braking and fuel strategy shaping pit windows and track position.

O’Donoghue, an open-wheel newcomer with stock car roots, became the surprise metronome of the race. Calm and precise, he led a significant portion of the first half, anchoring the bottom lane as veterans like Mark Murphy and Hearn circled the outside groove, probing for weakness.

The race’s defining moment arrived near Lap 76. A tense battle on the backstretch between Hearn, Matt Taylor, and Murphy unraveled in an instant when contact sent the pack scattering. The resulting multi-car crash eliminated nearly a third of the field. Jim Herrick endured the most violent sequence, his car performing a corkscrew into the catch fencing in a dramatic display that brought out a lengthy caution.

What followed was a reset and a sprint.

A late yellow with 11 laps remaining, triggered when David Sirois spun and collected Lovern, forced teams into a final decision. Most leaders opted for fresh tires. Sirois gambled and stayed out to inherit the lead. The strategy dissolved almost immediately on the restart as cars on new rubber swallowed him whole.

The final laps were a three-wide fever dream featuring Mitchum, O’Donoghue, and Klendworth. Then heartbreak struck the championship leader. On the penultimate lap, contact between Klendworth and Murphy sent Klendworth into the outside wall, ending his night within sight of the stripe.

That left two cars, two lanes, and one breath of asphalt.

Mitchum hugged the white line entering Turn 3 on the final lap, daring anyone to pry him off it. O’Donoghue launched a last surge on the outside, the two streaking toward the finish side-by-side in a blur of horsepower and nerve. At the line, timing and scoring separated them by 0.005 seconds, the closest margin of the Winter 2026 season.

Mitchum called it a matter of commitment, knowing the only way to lose was at the stripe. O’Donoghue, celebrating his first series podium, said he simply found rhythm and kept trucking. Murphy, despite finishing third, offered a public apology for the late contact with Klendworth, acknowledging the sting of a teammate’s ruined night.

Even with the DNF, Klendworth maintains the points lead as the series heads next to the tight, high-banked bullring of Iowa Speedway, where the racing feels less like a draft and more like fighter jets ricocheting inside a steel drum.

J R Shepherd Dominates IROC Season 2 Opener at Daytona Road Course

Daytona Beach, FL — The second season of the YesterYear Racing IROC Series opened with authority on Tuesday night as 18 champions strapped into identical Cadillac CTS-V Racecar machines at the road course layout of Daytona International Speedway. With no setup advantages and nowhere to hide, the 35-lap contest became a pure examination of precision, patience, and tire management.

Defending series champion J R Shepherd wasted no time asserting himself. Launching from pole in the “Florida Orange” No. 1 machine, Shepherd cleared the field cleanly through the opening corners while chaos erupted behind him. An opening-lap tangle between Andrew Kotska and Josh Robinson immediately reshuffled the order, sending Kotska to pit road with race-altering suspension damage. Robinson was able to continue, but the incident fractured the field and created an early divide between the leaders and the rest of the pack.

Up front, Shepherd and Chris Hammett began to separate themselves, but the Cadillac proved to be a demanding dance partner. Drivers described the car as prone to locking the front tires under braking and spinning the rears on corner exit, especially as tire wear became a factor. Andrew Hess was the first among the frontrunners to roll the strategy dice, pitting around Lap 7 in an effort to gain track position through the cycle. The move paid off, keeping him firmly in contention and ultimately positioning him for a strong fourth-place finish.

Mid-pack battles added tension throughout the race. James Lowe charged forward early, climbing four positions and engaging in a spirited fight with Sean Foltz and David Shrieve through the bus stop chicane. Eric “Teapot” Stout delivered one of the most impressive drives of the night, steadily working his way from 12th on the grid into the top five through consistency and measured aggression.

At the front, however, the night belonged to Shepherd. Despite later comparing the car’s cornering tendencies to that of a dump truck, the defending champion was clinical. He led 34 of 35 laps, managing tire wear with discipline and never allowing Hammett a realistic opportunity to mount a late challenge. Hammett remained within range for much of the event, but Shepherd’s rhythm and composure kept the outcome firmly under control.

The closing laps featured a tight battle for ninth between Aiden Young and Sean Foltz, with Young holding firm to secure what points he could in the season opener. When the checkered flag finally waved, Shepherd’s performance served as a reminder that in equal machinery, execution still reigns supreme.

With the opening round complete, the YesterYear Racing IROC Series now turns its attention to the tight confines of Iowa Speedway in May, where the heavy Cadillac sedans will trade road course precision for short-track intensity.

Fuel Gamble and Full Send as Mitchell Steals Lime Rock

Lakeville, CT — In a race defined by razor-thin margins, strategic gambles, and the unforgiving nature of heavy stock cars on a tight road course, Zach Mitchell claimed a hard-fought victory in Round 4 of the Red Light Racing League’s Scrambler Series at Lime Rock Park. The event marked the series debut of the ARCA car, a machine notorious for sliding under power and demanding constant driver input, especially around Connecticut’s compact and technical circuit known as the “Little Bull Ring.”

Entering the night, the spotlight rested squarely on Maxime Theriault, who arrived riding a two-race win streak and holding a slim points advantage over Trent Potter and Sean Single. That narrative shifted quickly in qualifying, however, as Mitchell flexed his road-course prowess by capturing the pole position with a blistering 51.1-second lap. With the race set as a 35-lap sprint and no expected cautions, drivers knew mistakes would be punished immediately, with no field resets to offer relief.

The opening laps were deceptively calm, as the field worked cleanly through the daunting Big Bend corner at the start. That calm didn’t last long. Early in the race, Ryan O’Donoghue spun, collecting Bill Benedict and splitting the field. The incident allowed a lead group of five, Mitchell, Theriault, Chris Hammett, Trent Potter, and Adam Matz, to break away and establish control of the race.

Mitchell led confidently through the opening stages, but the margin for error at Lime Rock is razor thin. On lap 19, his night nearly unraveled when the rear of his ARCA car stepped out heading uphill, sending him into the outside wall. The mistake cost Mitchell valuable momentum and allowed both Theriault and Hammett to slip by, seemingly swinging control of the race back toward the points leader.

With tire wear proving minimal and the pit window wide open, strategy became the deciding factor. Some drivers, including Potter, opted for an early peel to gain track position, while the leaders rolled the dice and stayed out deep into the race. Ultimately, pit road determined the winner. Mitchell dove in for a lightning-quick 3.6-second stop, taking fuel only and skipping tires entirely. Despite broadcast concerns that he might have shorted himself on fuel, Mitchell emerged ahead of both Theriault and Hammett. Theriault also stayed off tires to preserve position, while Hammett mirrored the strategy, but Mitchell’s efficiency in the pit box handed him a virtual lead he would not give back.

As the closing laps ticked away, lap traffic turned the race into a high-speed chess match. On lap 33, disaster struck for Theriault. While navigating a tight cluster of back markers and attempting to clear Ethan Troutman, Theriault looped the car without contact. The spin abruptly ended his bid for another win and dropped him out of podium contention, opening the door for Potter, who had quietly maintained a strong pace all night, to move into third.

Mitchell crossed the finish line first, his gamble paying off in full. Post-race, he revealed he still had two laps of fuel remaining, confirming the precision of his strategy. Hammett followed in second, continuing an impressive run of consistency with his third consecutive podium finish, while Potter completed the podium after capitalizing on Theriault’s late-race misfortune. Theriault recovered to fourth, and Adam Matz rounded out the top five as the spotlight driver.

With Lime Rock’s grass, walls, and narrow racing surface now in the rearview mirror, the Scrambler Series turns its attention to road racing at Daytona International Speedway, where the drivers will once again adapt as the rotation shifts to NASCAR Cup machinery for the next chapter of Season 21.

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.