Klendworth Rolls the Dice and Wins Big in Vegas Thriller

Las Vegas, NV — Round 2 of the ISRA Sim Gaming Expo Open Wheel Series took the field from Fontana’s wide-open rhythms to the unforgiving glare of the virtual Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where heat, tire wear, and one perfectly timed gamble turned the night into a desert showdown. Under scorching conditions and with strategy hanging heavier than the neon haze on the Strip, two-time defending champion Kyle Klendworth played his hand to perfection, snatching victory in a three-wide drag race to the line by just 0.02 seconds.

Once the green flag waved, the racing wasted no time heating up. With ambient temperatures hovering near 87 degrees and track temps soaring to a brutal 109, tire management immediately became the story beneath every pass. Mason Mitchum took full advantage early, leading the opening laps and setting the pace while the field quickly learned that overdriving the car meant paying interest later.

As the race settled into long green-flag runs, Matt Taylor emerged as the class of the field. Using a sharp undercut during the first pit cycle around lap 50, Taylor vaulted to the lead and steadily stretched the gap, at one point holding nearly a four-second advantage. Behind him, Klendworth and Caleb Benci began a patient chase, swapping positions lap after lap in a calculated draft-assisted dance, conserving just enough tire to stay in striking distance.

Klendworth’s race quietly pivoted on fuel math. By extending his first stint six laps longer than Taylor, he set himself up for a shorter final fill, trading early comfort for late-race flexibility. That decision loomed large as the laps ticked away and Taylor’s once-commanding margin began to evaporate under pressure.

Everything unraveled with eight laps remaining. While battling Klendworth side-by-side for the lead, Taylor brushed the wall and tangled with a lap car, triggering the race’s only caution and scattering contenders across the track. The yellow flag froze the field and forced a defining choice. Taylor and Mitchum stayed out, clinging to track position on worn tires, while Klendworth, Chris Stofer, and Craig Forsythe dove to pit road for fresh Firestones, betting everything on grip over position.

The restart delivered instant chaos. With only a handful of cars on the lead lap, the fresh tires came alive immediately. Klendworth and Stofer sliced forward, their cars sticking to the asphalt while others fought fading rubber. On the final lap, the leaders charged into the closing corners three-wide, the outcome undecided until the final heartbeat. Klendworth threaded the needle through the middle, his tires clawing just enough to edge ahead at the stripe.

Klendworth crossed the line first, the gamble paying off in the most Vegas way possible. Stofer followed a blink later in second, while Forsythe calmly navigated the madness to secure third and valuable points. Taylor, despite leading the most laps on the night, settled for fourth, with Richie Hearn completing the top five.

As the lights dimmed on Las Vegas, the series left town with momentum swinging and the title picture tightening. Next up is Gateway, where the dice will be back in the cup holder, but the pressure will be just as high, and the margins just as thin.