MVRL ARCA SERIES S1 R6 Recap

05 May 2025
Maximum Velocity Racing League | Season 1 | Round 6
ARCA Series | Kern Raceway

Monday, May 5th saw the Maximum Velocity Racing League’s ARCA Series take on Kern Raceway for Round 6 of Season 1, and with a massive 41-car field, the short track was anything but forgiving. The night was marred by constant cautions and short green-flag runs, with strategy and patience proving just as important as raw speed.

James Lehman set the pace in qualifying with a fast lap of 18.351, but it was Justin Michael who jumped to the lead on the opening lap using the outside line—just before the first of many yellows flew. From there, the race became a stop-start affair as incidents throughout the field repeatedly broke the rhythm.

Raul Alvis used the restarts to his advantage early, moving into 2nd by lap 16 and applying pressure on Michael. He nearly took the lead on lap 31, but Michael defended well. A stage break at lap 45 shuffled the front with most of the leaders pitting, handing the top spot to Heath Smith.

The complexion of the race changed on lap 52 when Michael was turned on the backstretch by Alvis while working his way back through the field. Alvis stayed aggressive, climbing into the top 5, while Lehman took a more measured approach—climbing steadily, staying clean, and keeping the leaders in sight.

As the race progressed into its second half, Lehman got the better of Alvis in a tense side-by-side duel. That battle left Alvis exposed to Aiden Young, setting off another moment of chaos. Alvis attempted a crossover move on Young but came down across Zach Chapman, who was already there, losing momentum in the process. Though he recovered, tensions between Alvis and Chapman continued to build.

The two found each other again after a restart on lap 80, and the feud reached a boiling point as they traded contact repeatedly. Eventually, Alvis’s aggressive style caught up with him—after muscling past Chapman for 3rd, he got loose and was tagged by Chapman, ending his night prematurely.

Up front, Lehman faced heavy pressure from Young as the laps wound down but held his ground with calm and control to claim the win in a chaotic night at Kern. It’s Lehman’s 2nd win of the season and a major boost in the standings.

The Maximum Velocity Racing League ARCA Series returns next Sunday, May 12th, heading to Chicagoland Speedway for Round 7, with live coverage beginning at 9:25PM ET only on the Virtual Grip Network!