Lowe Dominates Nashville Finale to Cap Off Second Championship Season

Nashville, TN — The Bootleg Racing League closed the book on Season 32 of the Late Model Invitational Series with a festive yet fierce 100-lap finale at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. While James Lowe had already mathematically secured his second career series championship before the green flag ever waved, the finale served as a resounding exclamation point on a season defined by control, patience, and relentless pace.

With holiday-themed liveries and plenty of seasonal cheer in the air, the starting grid was set by inverting the top 13 finishers from the previous round. That format placed Ruben “The Quiet Man” Altice on the pole, flanked by Bruce Pearson, and Altice wasted no time making the most of the opportunity. He paced the field confidently through the opening stages, leading the first 36 laps while the pack behind him sorted itself out. The early rhythm was briefly shattered on lap 9 when defending champion Kurt Smith was caught up in a heavy incident after contact with Kyle Feimster, sending Smith spinning and effectively ending his night and his reign as titleholder.

From 11th on the grid, Lowe began another familiar march forward, calmly carving through traffic with the same precision that had powered his championship run. By the midpoint of the race, Lowe had worked his way into the top three, setting up a decisive side-by-side battle with Altice. Using the preferred inside line, Lowe completed the pass for the lead and, once in clean air, asserted full control. From that moment on, the finale belonged to the champion, as he methodically stretched his advantage and left little doubt about who owned the night.

Behind him, the fight for the remaining podium spots delivered the race’s most chaotic moments. A tense three-wide battle involving Chris Davis, Altice, and Todd Liston unraveled when tire wear finally took its toll. Davis, fighting a car that had gone away late in the run, slowed the momentum of the group just enough for the situation to stack up. Liston was the unfortunate victim, getting turned into the wall and eliminated from contention in a flash.

Feimster rebounded impressively from his early-race contact to claim second place, continuing a standout rookie campaign that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. Despite admitting the car felt tight after the incident, Feimster managed his equipment well enough to keep the champion in sight and secure a strong runner-up finish. John Wilson, the ever-consistent “Canadian Goose,” completed the podium in third, drawing smiles in the booth with his upside-down No. 75 that looked suspiciously like “SL,” a choice he claimed was purely lap counter’s convenience.

The remainder of the top ten reflected the depth of the field, with Darryl Wineinger finishing fourth, followed by Pearson, Altice, Ryan Senneker, Davis, Chris Haizlip, and Mike Holloway. As the checkered flag fell, it marked not just the end of the race, but the close of another memorable BRL season.

For Lowe, the Nashville finale was a perfect bookend to a dominant year, reinforcing why he has become the benchmark in the Late Model Invitational Series. As the league turns its attention toward Winterfest and the next campaign, the question is no longer whether Lowe belongs among the greats, but whether anyone can stop him from making a serious push at a third championship and a place atop the BRL record books.