BRL LM S22 R1 Recap

25 March 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 1
Late Model Series | New Smyrna Speedway
Photograph by: Michael Goodman

Tyler Shadduck began the race on pole position, with Aiden Young starting alongside him. As the green flag dropped, Young settled into second place behind Shadduck, while Michael Goodman and Jason Menda engaged in a fierce battle for third, running side by side for the first five laps. Goodman eventually managed to secure the position.

On lap 14, the first caution was called due to contact between Rubin Altice and Steve Hilbert, which spun Hilbert around on the track. When the race resumed on lap 20, Menda and Goodman found themselves battling once again for third place, with neither driver willing to back down. Unfortunately, on lap 21, the two drivers made contact, causing a large pile-up on the track. Shadduck, who had been forced onto the grass to avoid a car that was trying to turn around on the track, had to pit to have his right front fender fixed. He rejoined the pack in eighth place.

As racing resumed on lap 27, Young was still leading, with Goodman in second place. However, on lap 29, the third caution was called after Mike Allen and Bruce Pearson collided coming out of turn three. When the green flag was waved again on lap 35, Shadduck was pushing aggressively through the pack to try and regain his position at the front. He quickly overtook Adam Schoen and Matt Hoose before setting his sights on Jeffrey Hardin for fourth place. On lap 54, Shadduck managed to clear Stephen Spies to take third place.

The fourth caution came out on lap 57 due to a collision between Joseph Snyder and Donny Moore, which resulted in Snyder spinning on the track and collecting several other drivers. Young was still leading when the green flag was waved on lap 62, but Shadduck was hot on his heels. Goodman managed to defend his position in third place, while Hardin moved up to fourth. Meanwhile, Menda was making a strong recovery from his earlier incident and had worked his way back up to sixth place.

On lap 65, the fifth caution was called when Spies and Hardin collided, causing another large pile-up on the front stretch. When the race resumed on lap 71, Shadduck used the restart to overtake Goodman and move into second place behind Young. The sixth caution was called on lap 73 after Menda and Schoen collided coming out of turn two, causing several drivers to spin.

With only 12 laps remaining, Young was working hard to defend his position against Shadduck, who was putting pressure on him. Menda attempted to overtake Shadduck for second place, but was unable to do so. In the end, Young managed to hold on to his lead and cross the finish line first, with Shadduck coming in second and Menda in third. Goodman was named the “Soup of the Day” driver, with an over-under set at fifth place. He ultimately finished the race in fourth place, while Matt Hoose rounded out the top five.

When interviewed after the race, Young said, “I just had to stay smooth… I wasn’t giving this one up. I just knew I had to stay focused and forget the mirror was even there.” Fans of the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series are no doubt looking forward to the next event with excitement and anticipation. Lowell Jewell finished the night in 15th place, but he had reason to celebrate nonetheless. His performance during the race earned him pole position for the next Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series event, which would take place on April 8th at 8:55PM ET at Myrtle Beach Speedway.