James Lowe Makes History at Five Flags with Third Straight Super Late Model Victory

Pensacola, FL — The Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series arrived at Five Flags Speedway for Round 3, and by the time the Florida night cooled, James Lowe had turned the historic half-mile into familiar territory. With a measured, tire-conscious drive, Lowe captured his third consecutive victory of the season, extending an early stranglehold on the championship and further cementing his reputation as the field’s most disciplined closer.

Five Flags, built in 1953 and banked at a daunting 15 degrees, wasted no time reminding drivers why it carries a reputation for devouring tires. With no fast repairs available, every lap demanded restraint. As the green flag waved for the 100-lap contest, the warning was clear: aggression without patience would end the night early, or at least sideways.

Tom Hilbert took full advantage of the pole position, jumping out front and setting the early pace. For the first 20 laps, Hilbert looked comfortable, carving clean lines while the pack behind him churned into a tightly wound hornet’s nest. Kenny Allen, Tre Blohm, and Jeff Sharp all traded paint and momentum in the opening stages, while the racing groove slowly came to life.

The race’s lone major caution came when Chris Haizlip looped his car in a self-spin, briefly tempting race control to let things play out under green. Once the yellow finally flew, the field regrouped, and the complexion of the night began to shift.

James Lowe, meanwhile, had started 11th due to the points inversion and spent the early laps doing exactly what Five Flags demands: surviving. By lap 23, Joe Segalla had wrestled the lead away from Hilbert, but Lowe was already slicing forward with quiet efficiency. Running near Chris Worrell, Lowe avoided unnecessary battles and waited for opportunities rather than forcing them.

That patience paid off when Lowe closed in on Segalla. The two engaged in a tense exchange, Segalla hugging the bottom to protect his tires while Lowe tested the limits of the outside lane. One small slip was all it took. Lowe pounced, rolling the high side to perfection and taking control of the race.

From there, the event settled into a long, uninterrupted green-flag run that showcased the difference between raw speed and race management. Kyle Feimster surged from 12th into podium contention, but despite flashes of pace, he could not reel in the leader. Feimster later noted struggles with left-front bite and lingering effects from early contact that cost him precious time. Behind them, Worrell managed his equipment carefully, hoping for a late caution that never arrived.

As the laps wound down, Lowe’s advantage stabilized at just over two seconds. There were no dramatics, no late chaos, just clean exits and consistent lap times. When the checkered flag finally fell, Lowe had completed a hat trick, with Feimster and Worrell following him home. Ken Allen and Tre Blohm rounded out the top five, while Segalla, Jeffrey Harden, Todd Liston, Jeff Sharp, and Lowell Jewell completed the top ten, Harden earning hard-charger honors after climbing ten spots.

Three races into the season, the conversation around the paddock has already shifted toward the idea of a perfect year. Lowe brushed aside that talk in victory lane, crediting a bit of early-race luck and, more importantly, his ability to “mind the gap” once he reached clean air.

Next up, the series heads to Myrtle Beach Speedway, where new challenges await and Kurt Smith is slated to lead the field to green. If the opening stretch is any indication, stopping James Lowe will require more than speed alone; it will take patience equal to his own.