Kundman Captures Five Flags Glory in Triple Bypass ARCA Showdown

by Tim Corder

📊 Race Stats at a Glance

🏆 Winner: Alan Kundman (109 Laps Led)
🥈 2nd Place: Brad Cress
🥉 3rd Place: Chad Winstead
⏱️ Fastest Lap: Alan Kundman – 16.588 sec (Lap 86)
🚦 Pole Position: Adam Bosse
🔁 Leaders: 2 | Lead Changes: 2 (Bosse 41 laps, Kundman 109 laps)
🚨 Cautions: 5 (20 Laps)
⏱️ Race Time: 51 minutes (150 laps)
✨ Clean Machines (0 Incidents): Alan Kundman, Brad Cress, Chad Winstead
🚀 Hard Charger: Steven McLendon (+15, from 19th to 4th)

Qualifying Recap

The night began with Adam Bosse staking his claim on the pole position. Alongside him, Alan Kundman started second, setting the stage for what would become the race’s defining duel. Behind them, Brad Cress, Mark Hertzog, and Caleb Brown rounded out the top five. With Five Flags’ tight corners and abrasive surface, track position was as valuable as gold.

Race Breakdown

When the green flag waved, Bosse and Kundman battled for the lead early, with Kundman just barely leading the first six laps on the outside of Bosse. Kundman worked his way fully in front of Bosse and settled into the preferred low line on lap 6.

Kundman controlled the pace until the caution on lap 73 shook things up. The lead lap cars all pitted to take fresh rubber and Mark Hertzog took over the point beating everyone out of the pits with a two tire stop. Hertzog’s gamble on two tires paid off for 41 laps, but fresh rubber eventually proved unbeatable as Kundman powered back to the lead on lap 118. Hertzog finished the event in seventh.

Behind Kundman, Brad Cress kept steady pressure all night, locking himself into second place and proving consistency pays just as much as raw speed.

The fight for the final podium spot was fierce. Chad Winstead, starting 7th, steadily worked his way forward, avoiding trouble and capitalizing on restarts to bring home 3rd. Meanwhile, Steven McLendon stole the show with a spectacular run from 19th to 4th, earning Hard Charger honors. Al Corey rounded out the top five with a quietly strong drive.

Pole-sitter Adam Bosse had the speed but not the luck, slipping back to 6th by the checkered.

The event was slowed by a total of five cautions totaling 20 laps behind the pace car. Only three drivers earned Clean Machine nods by completing the race without any incident points: Alan Kundman, Brad Cress, and Chad Winstead.

Championship Update

With his dominant win, Alan Kundman rockets to the top of the standings, now leading the championship with 91 points. Tyler Merritt slips to second, while Brad Cress holds 3rd, just one point back of Merritt. Chad Winstead and Steven McLendon complete the top five, both showing consistency that could make them long-term threats.

Further back, Adam Bosse drops to 6th but remains well within striking distance, while Mark Hertzog and Caleb Brown climb into the top ten. Justin Baxter and Dylan Freeman sit tied for 10th, proving every point matters this early in the season. Three races in, it’s clear that consistency, not just outright speed, will define this season’s title fight.