Hardin Conquers South Boston for First Win of the Season

South Boston, VA — The Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series visited the historic South Boston Speedway for Round 7, where the tight 4/10-mile “bull ring” delivered a bruising night of short-track racing. With track temperatures holding at 75 degrees and banking that punishes impatience, the Virginia oval produced a breakthrough moment as Jeffery Hardin captured his first victory of the Season 26 campaign.

Following the series’ inversion of the top 13 finishers from the previous round, Chris Worrell started on the pole with Hardin alongside him. Championship leader James Lowe, who had dominated the early portion of the season with five wins in six races, was forced to start deep in the field from 13th. When the green flag flew, the front row settled quickly into single file while chaos brewed behind them, with intense side-by-side racing throughout the pack.

The first incident came early when Lowell Jewell slapped the Turn 4 wall, shedding his front clip shortly after being passed by Lowe. Surprisingly the caution flag never flew, and racing carried on as Jewell’s night ended. As the race settled, Hardin began applying pressure to Worrell for the lead, aided by a newly installed pedal set that provided improved control under braking. The battle escalated when Hardin moved underneath Worrell to claim the top spot. Worrell answered with an aggressive bump-and-run attempt that spun Hardin and triggered a multi-car incident involving Chris Haizlip, Ed Foster, Lewis Flowers, and Bruce Pearson.

Despite the setback, Hardin regrouped as the race wore on. Meanwhile, Lowe faced his own challenges, battling intermittent connection issues that caused him to “blink” on track during the second half of the event. Even so, Lowe clawed his way into the top three, keeping himself firmly in championship contention.

Additional cautions interrupted the closing stages, including a heavy hit for Jeff Sharp following a net-code incident with Adam Schoen that also collected Tre Blohm. Each restart reset the pressure, but Hardin consistently reclaimed control at the front.

The final run turned into a tense three-car fight for the win. Lewis Flowers relentlessly searched for a way around the leader, while Lowe lurked close behind despite his technical struggles. Hardin defended with precision, holding his line and refusing to open the door. When the checkered flag finally waved, Hardin emerged victorious, securing a hard-earned and emotional first win of the season.

Flowers finished second after a determined drive, with Lowe salvaging third on a night that could have gone very differently. Chris Haizlip brought the “Racing Rev” home in fourth, while Kurt Smith completed the top five.

In victory lane, Hardin credited both his new equipment and disciplined defense for the win, acknowledging that mid-race incidents among his challengers also played a role. Lowe admitted his connection issues effectively ended his shot at victory, while Flowers expressed satisfaction with a runner-up finish on a track where passing for the lead comes at a high cost.