Lowe Dominates Greasy New Smyrna for Sixth Win of the Season

New Smyrna Beach, FL — James Lowe extended his commanding run in the Bootleg Racing League SteelCraft Structures Super Late Model Series, claiming his sixth win in eight races at the high-banked New Smyrna Speedway. On a night defined by “greasy” track conditions and early-race chaos, Lowe once again proved nearly untouchable, further solidifying his points lead as the championship heads into the final stretch of Season 26.

The 100-lap feature began with Jeff Sharp on the pole, but the tight and slippery surface quickly produced trouble. On lap two, Benny Ellison spun on cold tires, immediately bringing out the first caution. Adam Schoen and Kurt Smith had opted to start from pit road to avoid early incidents, though the strategy offered only limited protection against the slick track, with temperatures hovering around 79 degrees.

Sharp led the initial restart, but Todd Liston and Lowe quickly surged forward. By lap 11, Liston had taken the lead, just before a second caution slowed the field when John Wilson slid sideways off Turn 4, narrowly saving his car from hitting the wall. The early laps set the tone for a night where patience and tire management would be as critical as outright speed.

The defining moment of the race came on a subsequent restart when Lowe executed an aggressive outside pass on Liston, taking the lead with authority. From there, Lowe began managing his gap, demonstrating a combination of skill, experience, and composure. Multi-car incidents continued to disrupt the pack, including a heavy crash for Steve Hilbert following contact with Lowell Jewell, which ended Hilbert’s night. Later, Lewis Flowers delivered a spectacular “save of the season,” spinning three full revolutions yet avoiding the wall during the fourth caution.

As the race approached the halfway point, Todd Liston, Lowe’s primary challenger, clipped the wall exiting Turn 4. The impact ripped off the front bumper and nose of his #87 machine, severely compromising his performance. Ruben Altice, “The Quiet Man,” capitalized on Liston’s misfortune, moving into second and setting up a tense battle with Lowe for the remainder of the race.

Meanwhile, Trey “The Caveman” Bloom, starting deep in the field, fought through traffic to challenge the damaged Liston car, eventually finishing fourth. The midfield remained chaotic, with aggressive passes and cautious maneuvers making every lap unpredictable.

The final stage settled into a green-flag sprint. Lowe, in command, proved “too tough to tame,” extending his lead to over three seconds. Late-race drama struck when Benny Ellison spun into the grass attempting a pass on Liston for fifth, allowing Liston to limp home in sixth. Ruben Altice maintained a strong second-place finish, while Chris Worrell rounded out the podium in third.

After the checkered flag, Lowe credited his car’s balance and patience on the tricky track, admitting he was loose on restarts but “stuck fairly decent” once clear of traffic. Altice praised the challenging conditions, describing the track as feeling like an “oil slick” in every turn. The race further solidified Lowe’s dominance, giving him a 75% win rate through eight races and setting him up as the clear favorite heading into the final four rounds of the season.