BRL Late Model Invitational S30R08 | Southern National Speedway

In Season 30 Round 08 at Southern National Speedway, the race commenced with Chris Haizlip and Steve Hilbert leading the field to green. Haizlip quickly gained ground, pulling ahead down the backstretch as Kurt Smith maneuvered past Hilbert for second place. Mike Holloway then engaged Haizlip in battle, successfully completing the pass for third on Lap 5.

As the race progressed to Lap 8, the drivers settled into a single-file formation, with Haizlip maintaining a narrow half-second lead over Smith. However, Holloway drifted high, allowing Bruce Pearson to slip into third place. By Lap 23, Smith caught up to Haizlip, overtaking him to take the lead, while both drivers created a two-second gap ahead of Pearson.

James Lowe made his move on Lap 31, passing Pearson for third. By Lap 41, Lowe had closed in on Haizlip, aggressively attacking and, on Lap 44, succeeded in moving alongside him. By Lap 45, Lowe claimed second place, bringing Todd Liston into the mix to pass Haizlip for third. At Lap 46, Smith held a 2.2-second lead over Lowe, who began to close the gap significantly by Lap 74, reducing it to a mere .2 seconds and setting up an intense battle for the top spot.

With 18 laps remaining, John Wilson edged past Liston for third, and the lead battle intensified as the laps wound down. 14 laps to go saw Lowe dive under Smith, forcing a thrilling three-wide battle for the lead with a lapped car. They bumped as they crossed the finish line deadlocked with 11 laps left. Smith surged ahead on the backstretch, reclaiming the lead from the outside, and they continued to trade positions.

On Lap 97, the tension peaked when Lowe attempted another underneath move, causing contact as they exited Turn 4, resulting in the first caution of the night. The race then reset for a Green-White-Checker finish, featuring Wilson and Liston in the front row. Wilson capitalized on the restart, clearing Liston for second while Lowell Jewell moved into third as they entered the final lap.

In a thrilling finale, John Wilson crossed the finish line first, securing victory in Season 30 Round 08, with Todd Liston finishing second and Lowell Jewell taking third.

Looking ahead, BRL will take a break for Memorial Day weekend and return with just three races left on May 31st at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway at 9:10pm ET.

Highlights

🏆 John Wilson wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 30 Round 08 race at Southern National Speedway.

🚀 Todd Liston was the biggest mover, gaining 9 spots, racing from 11^th to 2^nd!

🏁 The race featured four leaders with seven lead changes. Kurt Smith led the most with 73 laps, followed by Chris Haizlip with 22 laps, John Wilson with six laps, and James Lowe with three laps.