Austin Wins the Finale as Williamson Secures Fifth Championship Title

Braselton, GA — The Season 15 finale of the Red Light Racing Modified Series at Lanier National Speedway delivered a historic night of racing. The event was a grueling 150-lap showdown—50 laps longer than a standard series race—and served as a high-stakes battleground for the championship between points leader Dalton Williamson and three-time defending champion Eric Stout.

The race began under the setting Georgia sun, which had previously created a blinding glare during qualifying. Hayden Austin claimed the pole position, flanked by Eric Stout on the outside, while Williamson started fifth, focused on a clean run to secure his fifth title. As the green flag dropped, Stout took the lead from Austin, who appeared to settle into a conservative pace. The first caution was triggered when Bradley Stefane looped his car, collecting Ricardo Cano in the process.

The midpoint of the race was defined by a series of cautions and impressive charges through the field. Chris Davis and Brian Bianchi were the big movers, with Davis climbing ten spots into third and Bianchi moving up eleven spots from the back of the grid early. Cautions continued to mount as Jeff LeMire and Bradley Stefane made contact in turn one. Kevin Alicea then went around after contact with Stefane, who admitted over the radio that he felt responsible after being involved in multiple incidents. Later, a multi-car mess involved Jeff Aho, Hayden Austin, and Mark Poe, though most were able to continue with minimal damage. During these breaks, Bill Benedict opted to stay out on older rubber to maintain track position, while Stefane gambled on a two-tire stop to help his car rotate better on the flat oval.

As the race entered its final third, the focus shifted to the two championship contenders. Running first and second, Stout and Williamson pulled away from the field by over a second, engaging in a high-stakes chess match. Williamson began applying heavy pressure to Stout’s bumper, which culminated in slight contact through the center of the corner that sent Stout spinning. While both cars avoided terminal damage, the incident reshuffled the lead. In the ensuing chaos of a late restart, a massive pile-up involving front-runners Chris Davis, Jeff Aho, and Bradley Stefane allowed Williamson to sneak through unscathed into the lead.

The final stages saw Hayden Austin utilize his fresher rubber to reclaim the lead from Williamson, who was struggling on worn tires. Behind them, Geoffrey Souza staged a remarkable comeback, slicing through the field from 14th to challenge for the win. In the closing laps, Austin managed to maintain a one-car-length gap over Souza to cross the finish line and secure his second win of the season.

Geoffrey Souza followed in second, with Patrick Stout rounding out the podium in third. Despite the late-race contact and falling to fourth in the final laps, Dalton Williamson did exactly what he needed to do to clinch his fifth career championship. Eric Stout finished sixth, unable to overcome the late-race spin to defend his title. The top ten was completed by Bradley Stefane, Jeff Aho, Ricardo Cano, Chris Davis, and Bill Benedict. Following the race, Williamson confirmed he is already looking ahead to next season, aiming for a sixth series crown.