Blohm Conquers the Beach; Lowe’s Streak Ends in Myrtle Beach Chaos

Myrtle Beach, SC — The Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series rolled into Myrtle Beach Speedway for Round 4 of Season 26, serving up 100 laps of punishing, low-banked short-track combat. With James Lowe entering the night having swept the opening three rounds of the season, much of the pre-race conversation centered on whether anyone could halt his momentum. By night’s end, it was Tre Blohm who emerged from the wreckage, outlasting a war of attrition to score his first victory of the season.

Kurt Smith led the field to green from the pole but was immediately pressured by Todd Liston, who wasted no time experimenting with the risky outside lane. The move paid off, as Liston and Smith battled side-by-side for nine tense laps before Liston finally cleared Smith to take control of the race. Myrtle Beach quickly showed its teeth, however, with the backstretch wall proving especially unforgiving. Smith clipped the barrier and spun, collecting Kyle Feimster in the process and forcing Smith to pit for repairs. It was only the beginning of a night where the wall would repeatedly claim victims, including Lowe and Adam Schoen later in the race.

As the laps ticked by, chaos escalated. Around lap 40, a restart went horribly wrong when Jeffery Hardin, running a special tribute paint scheme honoring his mother Laura, was caught in a massive stack-up on the frontstretch. Cars piled in with nowhere to go, heavily damaging multiple machines. John “The Canadian Goose” Wilson’s entry suffered terminal right-front damage, bringing his night to an abrupt end. When the dust finally settled, just 12 cars remained on the lead lap.

Steve Hilbert quietly became a factor as the race wore on, conserving tires through the constant cautions and methodically working his way into the top five. During an in-race interview, Hilbert expressed optimism, believing his long-run pace could land him on the podium if the race stayed green.

Starting sixth, Tre Blohm began asserting himself in the middle portion of the race. Patient and calculated, he navigated the endless restarts and steadily climbed to the front, fending off pressure from Liston and Chris Worrell. Blohm later admitted the constant cautions made the race mentally exhausting, forcing him to vary his restart approach to avoid becoming predictable.

With roughly 20 laps remaining, disaster struck for Worrell. Running second and closing in on Blohm, Worrell clipped the inside “turtles” on worn tires, unsettling his car and sending him spinning. The ensuing caution set the stage for a dramatic finish.

A final yellow involving Worrell and Chris Davis created a five-lap dash to the checkered flag. Despite carrying heavy nose damage from earlier contact, Lowe lined up on the front row for the restart, his battered machine somehow still in contention. Blohm, however, was flawless when it mattered most. He rocketed away at the green and never looked back, pulling a decisive gap in the closing laps.

Blohm claimed the victory with authority, while Lowe held on for an impressive second-place finish given the condition of his car. Todd Liston completed the podium in third, capping off a strong night of front-running speed.

In victory lane, Blohm credited his team for giving him a car with exceptional long-run balance, noting he set his fastest lap within the final ten circuits. Lowe admitted post-race that luck played a role in salvaging second, acknowledging that Liston likely had the faster car before late-race incidents shuffled the order. Liston remained upbeat, pointing to the consistency and momentum gained throughout the event.

The SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series now turns its attention to Lanier Raceplex, where Kyle Feimster is slated to start on the pole thanks to the upcoming field inversion.