Bianchi Goes Wire-to-Wire in Stafford’s Camden Classic

The YesterYear Tour Modifieds rolled back into action for Round 8 of the season, the Camden Classic at Stafford Motor Speedway, and the throwback vibes couldn’t have been stronger. The series once again plunged itself into a 1966 setting, complete with classic rules and a whole lot of horsepower that sometimes seemed more eager to spin the tires than to drive forward. On a half-mile oval with only eight or nine degrees of banking, Stafford is notoriously tricky, and the Virtual Grip Network broadcast made it clear that track position and tire discipline would be the name of the game.

Coming into the race, the points battle was already tight. Tom Ogle carried just a four-point lead over Todd Liston, with Kenny Allen and Brian Johnson also looming close behind. Scott Negus had scored his first win of the season last time out at South Boston, thanks in part to Ogle’s misfortune with a lap car and was aiming for back-to-back glory. Meanwhile, Liston was still hunting for his first victory of the campaign, and many expected the championship battle to intensify in front of the Stafford crowd. Drivers knew that passing from the midfield would be a tall order, and with 600-horsepower Modifieds that love to roast the rear tires, throttle control was going to make or break the night.

Stafford’s quirks quickly came into play. Drivers could choose to hug the bottom or try the diamond line—low entry, high middle, low exit—to straighten their way out of the turns and save their rubber. Tire management was critical, especially with track temps soaring over 100 degrees, and most agreed that the right rear would be begging for mercy by halfway. Cold tires made the opening laps slippery, while marbles stacked up high and low, limiting the usable groove. As J R Shepherd put it, “tire temperature is what’s more important than anything in these cars.” And then there was Stafford’s unique caution quirk: spins to the inside without contact didn’t throw a yellow, meaning one mistake could erase an entire night’s work in the blink of an eye.

When the green dropped, Brian Bianchi —the defending champion—immediately showed he wasn’t here to play games. Starting from the pole with points leader Ogle alongside, Bianchi wasted no time establishing control. Ogle pressed hard early, but Bianchi held firm and began clicking off laps like he was on cruise control. Behind them, misfortune began claiming victims. Brian Johnson sank like a stone with early struggles. Gavin Adams spun in turn two but, thanks to the “Stafford no-caution special,” lost a mountain of track position with no yellow to save him. Dustin Martinson spun and went a lap down without a caution, and Ken Allen, running third at the time, looped it after grazing the apron—Jerry Isaacs was collateral damage trying to avoid him. Again, no yellow. Even Brian Neff joined the spin-to-the-inside club later. If there was ever a track where you wanted friends in race control, Stafford was it.

It wasn’t until lap 29 that the first official caution flew, thanks to Bruce Pearson and Martinson tangling in turns one and two. For Adams, it was an early Christmas present, as he regained the lead lap. Most of the leaders chose not to pit, prioritizing track position, though Allen Wannamaker and Randy Schuler rolled the dice for fresh rubber. After the restart, Ogle continued pressing hard, running aggressive corner entries that had commentators worried he was cooking his tires, while Bianchi remained smooth and consistent. Todd Liston, sitting in the hunt but not forcing the issue, seemed to be playing the long game.

The second and final caution didn’t arrive until lap 69, when Schuler got loose and Neff overcooked turn one. This yellow allowed the entire field to cool down their overheated rubber, which negated the advantage for anyone who had been saving their tires or those few who had pitted earlier. Drivers like Johnson and Scott Negus, who were banking on fresher tires, suddenly found their edge dulled. With only 14 laps left at the restart, Bianchi pounced, opening up a gap before Ogle could mount a serious challenge. Ogle made one quick look to the inside but had to tuck back in line. Behind them, Negus muscled past Johnson in a late-race duel, but up front, there was never any doubt.

Bianchi led all 100 laps to score his third win of the season, proving once again that sometimes the best strategy is just not letting anyone else touch the lead. Ogle settled for second, banking solid points to protect his championship bid, while Chris Davis battled through technical issues—including having to use a mouse in VR—to snag third. Davis later revealed he had no brake bias button and had to improvise with pedal work, making his podium a minor miracle. Luke Logan Allen rounded out the top four, and Negus completed the top five.

After the race, Ogle admitted Stafford was a “one-groove track” and confessed he didn’t have the courage to run the apron-hugging line that could win it—or lose it—in a heartbeat. His eyes are on the bigger picture: managing points for the championship. Davis, relieved after his tech-plagued run, thanked his teammate John Wilson and praised the league and VGN team, stressing the importance of kindness in the racing world. Bianchi, meanwhile, praised Ogle as “an excellent competitor” and said the win gave him momentum after the summer break. He also dedicated the victory to racing family member Tim Fleming who passed a few weeks ago.

Now, attention shifts to the upcoming 300-lap night race at South Boston Speedway. With cooler temps under the lights, tire wear should ease up, but fuel will loom large—most expect at least one stop, with two right-side tires being the likely play. Bianchi has history at SoBo, winning a 150-lapper there before, and he’s already circling it as another chance to claw back into the championship fight. For now, though, Stafford belonged entirely to him, as he turned the Camden Classic into the Bianchi Benefit, leading every lap and leaving everyone else wondering what they could have done differently.