Bianke Survives Irwindale Chaos: Late-Race Carnage Hands Victory to Final-Lap Charger

Irwindale, CA — The Round 6 of the YesterYear Racing Modified Series at Irwindale Speedway was a grueling 225-lap test of endurance and tire management known as the YesterYear Classic. The progressive-banked half-mile oval, notorious for high-line dominance and difficult passing, pushed the field to its limits as drivers managed a lone extra set of tires over the extended race distance.

Kenny Allen started on the pole alongside points leader James Lowe. While Allen led the opening lap, Lowe quickly utilized the progressive banking to seize the top spot. Behind them, the field settled into a high-line rhythm. The first major shake-up occurred when Lowe, who had opened a significant gap alongside Lloyd Moore, encountered lap traffic. Torrance Childs spun directly in front of the leaders, causing Lowe to collide with him. While Lowe initially continued, the damage combined with a subsequent black flag for jumping a restart severely compromised his race.

As the race crossed the halfway mark, strategy became the focal point. Tom Hilbert emerged as an unlikely leader by staying out on older tires while others pitted for fuel. However, Hilbert’s luck ran out when he got loose and triggered a multi-car wreck that ended the nights of Roger Hurley and Kenny Allen. Todd Liston then inherited the lead, showcasing a masterclass in tire conservation. Liston elected to stay out on aging rubber for over 130 laps, defending the top lane against drivers with fresh tires like Lloyd Moore and Jerry Isaacs. By lap 177, the track had become treacherous due to marbles accumulating in the lower lanes, making passing attempts high-risk gambles.

With fewer than 25 laps remaining, the intensity peaked. Lloyd Moore spun out of contention after contact while trying to pass Liston for the lead. Liston continued to control the point until lap 214, when he finally got loose and collected Chris Haizlip. The resulting heavy impact led to several disqualifications for exceeding maximum incident points, including Haizlip.

Brian Bianchi, who had quietly worked his way up from an eighth-place starting position, capitalized on the late-race carnage to take the lead with only 11 laps remaining. Bianchi held off a charging Jerry Isaacs and Luke Logan Allen to secure the victory. Isaacs finished second, followed by Luke Logan Allen in third, Brian Johnson in fourth, and Jeff LeMire rounding out the top five. Despite leading a race-high 101 laps, Liston finished seventh, while points leader James Lowe suffered a disappointing 16th-place finish following his multiple incidents.