BRL LATE MODELS S27 R1 Recap

22 June 2024
Bootleg Racing League | Season 27 | Round 1
Late Model Series | Southern National Speedway

On Saturday night, June 22nd, the Bootleg Racing League’s Late Model Invitational Series kicked off its new season at Southern National Speedway. Todd Liston from Indy Autosport started on the pole, with Adam Schoen alongside him. As the green flag dropped, Liston quickly established a lead while Tom Hilbert battled both Schoen and Stephen Spies for the second spot. Spies eventually seized an opportunity to pass under Hilbert, causing a chain reaction that saw much of the field file into a single line and leaving Hilbert to drop quickly through the ranks.

John Wilson, running quietly in fourth, followed Schoen patiently while Spies began to reel Liston in at the front. The field, aware of the long race ahead, prioritized tire conservation over aggressive maneuvers, opting for strategic single-file racing. As they crossed the halfway mark, Wilson managed to pass Schoen for third, and the front runners began closing the gap on Liston, who was still in the lead.

Liston encountered trouble while lapping Jeffrey Kemper, whose resistance to going a lap down disrupted Liston’s pace. This allowed Spies and the others to close in quickly, putting Liston under significant pressure. With laps ticking down, Spies kept up the pressure, trying to force a mistake from Liston. In the final 20 laps, John Wilson, known as the Canadian Goose, decided to make his move. He dived low under Spies, who was focused on challenging Liston, and secured the second spot just before a late-race caution slowed the action.

When racing resumed on lap 93, Wilson, starting from the outside line in second, quickly overtook Liston for the lead going into turn three. With only four laps remaining, contact in the middle of the field brought out another caution, setting up a Green-White-Checkered (GWC) finish. In the final two laps, Wilson, representing Team CDR, proved unstoppable, coming around to claim the first checkered flag of the new season. Todd Liston finished second, and Kurt Smith rounded out the podium in third.

The Bootleg Racing League continues next Saturday, June 29th, at Thompson Speedway. Catch all the exciting action live at 9:10 PM ET only on the Virtual Grip Network!