BRL OUTLAWS S35 R10 Recap

07 June 2024
Bootleg Racing League | Season 35 | Round 10
Outlaw Modified Series | North Wilkesboro Speedway

On Friday, June 7th, the Bootleg Racing League’s Outlaw SK Modified Series put on a thrilling show with a 100-lap race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Chris Haizlip secured the pole position, but it was John Wilson who surged ahead into the lead by the first corner. The drama escalated quickly as contact between Jeffery Hardin and Haizlip at the start of the second lap resulted in a significant incident, which also ensnared Todd Liston, who was second in the championship points standings.

As racing resumed, Wilson found himself under pressure from Jason Menda. The outside line proved to be dominant early on, allowing Menda to overtake Wilson after several laps of side-by-side racing. By lap 25, the field had settled into a single-file formation, spreading out around the track with Menda in the lead. Quietly making his way up through the pack was Kurt Smith, who was determinedly working to pass Hardin for third place. Smith’s perseverance paid off on lap 37 when he utilized the outside line to secure the final podium spot, setting his sights on Wilson.

Approaching the halfway mark, spectators took notice of Matt Hoose, who had been uncharacteristically lingering at the back of the field. As the front runners battled and wore out their equipment, Hoose preserved his tires, positioning himself strategically for the second half of the race. Smith managed to overtake Wilson for second place and began closing in on Menda for the lead. However, in a cruel twist of fate, technical issues forced Menda out of the race on lap 57, handing the lead to Smith.

Smith’s time at the front was short-lived, as he lost control and spun into the inside wall, dropping back to sixth place without a caution to save him. Wilson regained the lead with Hardin close behind, while Hoose, now running in the top five, began his charge forward. Tire temperatures became a critical factor, with drivers struggling for grip. On lap 70, Hardin made a move underneath Wilson to take the lead.

Mark Hertzog, who had a quiet race, began to push hard in the final stages, putting pressure on Wilson for second place. Hoose, capitalizing on the situation, swiftly passed both Wilson and Hertzog to move into second place. This battling allowed Hardin to build a one-second lead. However, Hoose was relentless, reeling Hardin in lap after lap. Just as a dramatic final lap battle seemed imminent, Donny Moore and Hertzog collided on the front stretch, bringing out a caution and setting up a green-white-checkered (GWC) finish.

At the restart, Hoose attempted to work the outside line but got loose in the first corner, losing momentum and allowing Hardin to take the checkered flag by one-tenth of a second. Despite the near-miss, Hoose holds a strong 12-point lead in the standings over Todd Liston heading into the final round.

The Bootleg Racing League will conclude their season next Friday, June 14th, at Five Flags Speedway. Fans can catch all the action live at 8:55 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.