Teapot Dominates the Paperclip Flag to Flag

Martinsville, VA — The Red Light Racing League brought the Skitter Creek Modified Series to the tight confines of Martinsville Speedway for Round 5 of Season 15, and once again Eric “Teapot” Stout turned the famed Paperclip into his personal proving ground. In a race built on precision braking, tire management, and restart gamesmanship, the three-time defending champion led all 100 laps to secure his third victory of the season.

Stout rolled off from the pole alongside Chad Alcares, and the opening moments immediately exposed the risk of starting on the outside lane. As the green flag waved, Alcares struggled to hook up on the high side, allowing Hayden Austin to slip underneath from the inside of Row 2 and steal the runner-up spot in what drivers call the “vulture position.” The early laps never found rhythm, as Brian Neff lost traction in the marbles on the opening circuit, triggering a multi-car stack-up that collected Josh Buckley, Fred LeClair, and Chris Oliver. Neff found trouble again shortly after the restart, bringing out another caution and keeping the field tightly packed.

Once the race finally stretched into a longer green-flag run, Stout began building a steady advantage, but the fight behind him simmered. Bradley Stefane and Alcares traded momentum in a tense duel for second. Alcares attacked corner entries aggressively, occasionally brushing the wall, while Stefane maintained a smoother approach focused on preserving tires. Alcares’ determination briefly paid off as he secured second and chipped Stout’s lead down to roughly half a second, putting the champion under his first real pressure of the night. Martinsville, however, punishes overcommitment. A slight drift high in Turn 3 opened the door for Dalton Williamson and Stefane to capitalize, reshuffling the podium battle once again.

The decisive moment arrived on lap 90 when Ethan “The Mountain” Troutman spun after contact with AJ Hamel while navigating lap traffic, setting up a late restart that would test both nerve and tactics. Stout later admitted he played the final launch strategically, easing slightly through Turns 1 and 2 to keep Stefane locked to his bumper. The move effectively boxed Williamson out of the preferred inside lane and neutralized any outside charge before it could form.

In the closing sprint, Stefane made a bold move beneath Williamson to secure second place, but no one mounted a serious threat to Stout. The defending champion crossed the line comfortably out front, adding another statement win to his Season 15 campaign. Stefane finished second after starting fourth, Williamson completed the podium from sixth, and Austin maintained a solid fourth-place run. The quiet charge of the night belonged to Louis Flowers, who stormed from 19th on the grid to claim an impressive fifth-place finish.

After the race, Stout admitted Alcares had him concerned during the long green-flag stretch, acknowledging he expected a fierce challenge before the late-race shuffle unfolded. Stefane, rebounding from a disappointing previous round, described the race as a careful balance between managing tire wear early and unleashing speed when it mattered most. With Martinsville in the books, the Skitter Creek Modified Series now turns its focus to Oswego, where the fight for the Season 15 championship promises yet another demanding test.