BRL SLM S22 R1 Recap

23 June 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 1
Super Late Model Series | New Smyrna Speedway

In an electrifying start to the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series Season 22, J R Shepherd of Different Path Motorsports claimed victory in the opening event at New Smyrna Speedway, presented by Whiteriver LLC. The race was filled with intense battles, strategic pit stops, and captivating moments.

John Wilson, representing Team CDR, led the field to the green flag from the pole position, while Shepherd and James Tiernan faced the challenging task of starting further back in 12th and 16th place, respectively. Wilson held onto the lead for the first few laps until Stephen Spies, racing for Gambler Motorsports, made a strong move to take control of the field.

Spies quickly built a significant lead, distancing himself from the pack with over a four-second gap to Matt Shinoski by the 50-lap mark. Meanwhile, Shepherd was on a determined charge, aggressively working his way through the field while fending off pressure from Tiernan, who was also making his way forward.

On lap 83, Shepherd and Tiernan found themselves running in close quarters for 3rd and 4th positions. Tiernan seized an opportunity, diving low to overtake Shepherd. Despite Shepherd’s attempts to retaliate with a crossover move, Tiernan managed to pull away and secure 3rd place.

However, a turning point came on lap 91 when a caution flag was triggered by Lowell Jewell, who lost control coming out of turn 4 and slid across the infield down the front stretch. This caution allowed the field to make pit stops for fuel and fresh tires. Kurt Smith emerged as the leader after the pit stops, with Shepherd in 2nd and Tiernan in 4th.

Racing resumed on lap 97, and Shepherd wasted no time making his move. Going into lap 103, he snatched the lead away from Smith, while Tiernan faced a challenging situation trying to navigate through traffic and make up ground. Unfortunately, Tiernan’s aggressive attempt to split between Stephen Spies and Smith resulted in contact, triggering another caution. Aiden Young and Jeffery Hardin were unfortunate victims of the incident, as they made contact with the inside wall while trying to avoid the incident.

With the green flag waving once again on lap 109, Shepherd found himself back in the lead, with Tiernan in 5th place. Undeterred, Tiernan quickly mounted a charge, working his way up to 2nd on lap 119. The battle for the lead intensified as Tiernan relentlessly pressured Shepherd, attempting several unsuccessful overtaking maneuvers. Shepherd showcased his defensive skills, successfully fending off Tiernan’s advances and ultimately securing the well-deserved victory.

Round 2 of the Super Late Model Series is scheduled to take place at Myrtle Beach Speedway on July 7th. Fans can look forward to witnessing more thrilling action and intense battles as the competitors strive to outdo each other on the track. The race will be broadcast live at 8:10 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network, providing fans with front-row seats to all the excitement.

BRL SLM S21 R11 Recap

16 June 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 11
Super Late Model Series | Five Flags Speedway

Mark Hertzog of Hertzog Motorsports celebrated victory in the season 21 finale at Five Flags Speedway in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series, presented by Skitter Creek Motorsports Group. Kurt Smith started the race from the pole position, while Hertzog began in 10th place.

Smith showcased his strength in the first half of the race, leading for the first 110 laps before making a green flag pit stop for fuel. During the pit cycles, Austin Boelke assumed the race lead, benefiting from a timely caution that trapped half of the field one lap down. Boelke held onto the lead until lap 168, when Ryan Salvatore made a move to the inside, pushing Boelke back to 3rd behind Mark Hertzog.

Hertzog engaged in a thrilling battle with Salvatore, running side by side for several laps before finally clearing ahead on lap 184 to take the lead. Hertzog maintained his position for the remaining 17 laps, securing the victory.

J R Shepherd, representing Different Path Motorsports, finished the race in 16th place. However, Shepherd’s consistent performance throughout the season allowed him to retain the points lead and be crowned the Season 21 champion.

The upcoming season will commence at New Smyrna Speedway on June 23rd. Racing enthusiasts can catch all the action live at 8:50 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network!

BRL SLM S21 R10 Recap

09 June 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 10
Super Late Model Series | South Boston Speedway

J.R. Shepherd, representing Different Path Motorsports, emerged victorious at South Boston Speedway in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series, presented by the Skitter Creek Motorsports Group. The race began with Lowell Jewell starting on the pole position, while Shepherd took off from 12th place, alongside his season rival James Tiernan.

Jewell maintained the lead for the first 61 laps, with Mark Hertzog and Tiernan battling for 3rd place. Unfortunately, contact between Hertzog and Tiernan resulted in Hertzog hitting the outside wall along the front stretch, leading to a caution. All drivers, except for John Wilson and Chris Davis, opted to pit for fuel during the caution period. This decision gave Wilson the lead, while Jewell held onto 3rd place when racing resumed on lap 68, ahead of Ryan Nardone.

Shortly after the restart, another quick caution occurred. Davis and Wilson chose to pit, allowing Jewell to regain the lead for the green flag on lap 76. Throughout the race’s first half, Shepherd and Tiernan worked their way through the field, running side by side and eventually breaking into the top 10.

On lap 89, Shepherd advanced to 2nd place and executed an aggressive move on the outside to overtake Nardone for the lead. For the first time in the race, there was a car between Shepherd and Tiernan, as Nardone settled into 2nd place ahead of Tiernan. However, Tiernan managed to surpass Nardone on lap 158.

Shepherd held off Tiernan’s challenges for the remainder of the race, securing the win. With this victory, Shepherd extended his lead in the point standings, now 36 points ahead of Jeffery Hardin, who finished 4th in the race.

The season finale is set to take place at Five Flags Speedway on June 17th, and fans can catch all the action live at 8:50 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network!

BRL SLM S21 R9 Recap

02 June 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 9
Super Late Model Series | Hickory Motor Speedway

J.R. Shepherd of Different Path Motorsports emerged as the winner in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series at Hickory Motor Speedway. The race began with Chris Haizlip starting on the pole position, while Shepherd and his rival James Tiernan of Elbows Up Simsport started in 9th and 10th positions, respectively. John Wilson took the lead from Haizlip on lap 8 and held onto it until lap 68.

During the race, Shepherd made a swift charge through the pack and overtook Wilson to claim the lead, with Tiernan also making his way up to second place. Tiernan remained within 0.2 seconds of Shepherd, keeping the pressure on throughout the race. A caution on lap 89 allowed all drivers to pit for fuel and tires. Shepherd and Tiernan engaged in a tight battle off pit road, with Shepherd maintaining the lead for the restart.

As racing resumed on lap 97, Shepherd continued to lead the field in the second half of the race. Tiernan attempted several times to pass Shepherd but was unable to make a successful move. Meanwhile, Ryan Nardone showcased his ability to conserve his equipment, gradually increasing his speed during the long green flag run and closing the gap to the leaders.

In a dramatic finish, Tiernan made contact with the rear of Shepherd’s car coming out of the final corner, causing Shepherd to lose control. However, Shepherd managed to recover and crossed the finish line to take the checkered flag, securing the victory. With this win, Shepherd extended his lead in the championship standings, now holding a commanding 33-point advantage over Jeffrey Hardin, who sits in second place.

The next event in the series will take place at South Boston Speedway on June 9th, with live coverage available exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.

BRL SLM S21 R8 Recap

19 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 8
Super Late Model Series | Southern National Motorsports Park

It was an intense and thrilling race at Southern National Motorsports Park in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series presented by Skitter Creek Motorsports Group. James Tiernan, driving for Elbows Up Simsport, emerged victorious after a dramatic last-lap pass on J R Shepherd to claim the checkered flag. Tiernan had started the race in 10th position, right behind Shepherd. Rory Collins began the race on the pole.

The excitement started early on as a caution came out on lap 3, with Tiernan getting caught in the chaos when Ryan Salvatore and Tom Hilbert made contact in turn four. After the restart on lap 9, John Wilson took the lead from Collins on lap 36. However, Kurt Smith seized the lead from Wilson on lap 41, with Shepherd quickly moving up to 2nd place. Shepherd wasted no time and claimed the lead on lap 43 as another caution was triggered by contact between Austin Boelke and Lowell Jewell, resulting in Jewell’s car rolling over in turn 1.

The green flag waved again on lap 49 with Shepherd controlling the field. Unfortunately for Tiernan, his misfortune continued when he made contact with Wilson on lap 59, sending him crashing hard into the outside wall along the front stretch. This incident brought out another caution, while Shepherd resumed the lead on lap 65.

As the race progressed into the second half of the night, Tiernan showcased his skills by navigating his damaged car through the field, climbing back into the top 5 and maintaining a strong pace. On lap 137, during a long green flag run, Tiernan decided to pit, getting fresh tires, a quick splash of fuel, and repairing some of the damage to his #03 Tunacan machine. He rejoined the track two laps down.

Shepherd made his pit stop on lap 141. During the pit cycle, Tiernan managed to regain his lead lap status and was running in 4th place, with Austin Boelke leading the field. However, Boelke chose to stay out on older tires. The green flag waved again on lap 155, and both Shepherd and Tiernan quickly overtook Boelke to battle for the lead. Shepherd successfully defended his position lap after lap until the final lap.

Coming out of turn four and heading towards the white flag, Tiernan made a decisive move, getting underneath Shepherd and seizing control of the lead. He held on to it, crossing the finish line to secure the checkered flag.

With his 2nd place finish, Shepherd takes the lead in the championship standings, now 28 points ahead of Jeffery Hardin. Aiden Young, who missed the event, fell back to 3rd place in the standings, trailing Hardin by 9 points. The next race will take place at Hickory Motor Speedway on June 2nd, and fans can catch all the action live at 8:10 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.

BRL SLM S21 R7 Recap

12 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 7
Super Late Model Series | Irwindale Speedway

The Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series Season 21 Round 7 at Irwindale Speedway was nothing short of exciting. John Wilson started on the pole, but it was James Tiernan who quickly took the lead on lap 15, leaving Wilson behind. Aiden Young, who started in 11th, made a good climb up to the top 5 on lap 22, while J R Shepherd was not too far behind in 12th.

The race saw some early drama when Kurt Smith got spun around, but the caution didn’t come out, ending his race only two laps into the run. Tiernan continued to dominate the race, maintaining a lead of over 4.7 seconds over Wilson, who was in second place.

However, a caution on lap 43 due to contact between Stephen Spies and Bruce Pearson gave the leaders a chance to come down pit road for fuel and tires. Tiernan decided to stay out and maintain his lead, while Shepherd was in 10th place for the restart on lap 48.

Tiernan came down pit road on lap 70 under caution, with Young and Shepherd following him in. Ryan Salvatore was in control of the field and took the green flag on lap 74. A chaotic restart caught Tiernan out, causing him to fall back to 12th, while Shepherd and Young quickly jumped up to 2nd and 3rd.

Another chaotic start on lap 80 saw Shepherd getting spun around and collecting Spies. The green came out again on lap 86, with Salvatore still in the lead. Young was working on Salvatore up front when Chris Davis and Tiernan got together, collecting Shepherd in the aftermath.

Tiernan was able to recover and got the lead away from Salvatore on lap 151 as Salvatore made contact with the outside wall. Shepherd, Spies, and Young also got around Salvatore before he was able to recover.

With the end of the race in sight, Shepherd aggressively worked on Tiernan, with Spies and Young battling for 3rd. In the end, Tiernan held on to take the checkered flag, with Shepherd finishing in 2nd and Spies in 3rd. Aiden Young finished in 4th and held on to the points lead, only 3 points ahead of J R Shepherd.

The next race in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series Season 21 will be at Southern National Speedway on May 19th, with the broadcast going live at 8:10PM ET on the Virtual Grip Network. Fans can expect more thrilling action from the drivers as they continue to battle it out for the championship.

BRL SLM S21 R6 Recap

05 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 6
Super Late Model Series | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

J R Shepherd secured his fourth victory of the season in a thrilling race at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series presented by the Skitter Creek Motorsports Group. Shepherd started from 10th place, but quickly made his way up the field after a caution on lap 3 caused by Joe Segalla and Tre Bloom. Despite coming down pit road for a splash of fuel, Shepherd continued to climb the field and challenge for the lead.

James Tiernan, who started ahead of Shepherd, was able to challenge Kurt Smith for the lead and briefly took over the top spot. However, contact between Tiernan and Smith caused them to spin out, handing the lead to Stephen Spies. Shepherd suffered a setback on lap 29 when he collided with Lowell Jewell, sending him hard into the outside wall. But his crew worked quickly to repair the damage, and Shepherd was able to remain on the lead lap.

Tiernan made a surprising recovery and took the lead on lap 41, but Shepherd quickly overtook him and reclaimed the lead on lap 51. Despite traditionally maintaining a gap ahead of 2nd place, Shepherd fought to break away from the pack, aware of the new, aggressive drivers on the roster this season. Shepherd reclaimed the lead after a pit stop and held onto it despite several caution flags and challenges from Aiden Young.

Shepherd ultimately crossed the finish line first, with Young in second place. Young still holds onto the points lead, just four points ahead of Shepherd. The next race in the series will take place at Irwindale Speedway on May 12, and will be broadcast live on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:10 PM ET.

BRL SLM S21 R5 Recap

28 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 5
Super Late Model Series | Lucas Oil Raceway

During the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway, Aiden Young with Gambler Motorsports claimed his first win of the season. He managed to hold onto the points lead going into the next round, five points ahead of J R Shepherd, who finished second.

The race began with David Traylor starting on the pole and getting a great jump off the start, with Makayla Steffes and Joe Segalla following close behind. As the drivers scrambled to get to the outside line, Steffes got loose coming out of turn two on the second lap and was tagged by Jeffrey Hardin, causing both drivers to fall back to the rear of the field for the restart.

Traylor managed to hold onto the lead as the racing resumed, with Segalla running in second and Ryan Salvatore and Lowell Jewell battling over third. Young was conserving his equipment in 10th place, while Shepherd followed Matt Hoose’s lead and began to move up into sixth.

Fifteen laps into the race, Traylor pulled away from the field by almost two seconds, with Segalla and Jewell battling over third. Jewell made contact with the outside wall, and Segalla was able to pull away, while Hoose and Shepherd both pressured Jewell for third. Young was right on Salvatore’s bumper, looking for an opportunity to move forward.

On lap 22, Jewell got loose in turn 2, causing Hoose to make contact with him. Shepherd also got caught up in the incident, while Young sustained front left damage, and the caution flag came out on the track.

As the green flag came out, James Tiernan was up to ninth, quietly moving up through the field with speed to challenge the leaders later in the night. By lap 34, Shepherd caught Traylor and took the lead away, while Tiernan cleared around Young and was up to fourth, challenging Michael LeMieux for third.

The field settled into running single file as they approached the halfway point of the race, with drivers starting to think about pit strategy under green flag conditions. Tiernan was in third, with Young and Hoose following close behind, while Shepherd continued to lead the field ahead of Traylor.

Several drivers had come down pit road, but the leaders waited. Tiernan was the first to come down on lap 95, followed by Shepherd on the following lap, but he waited a few laps longer before coming down on lap 99. Young had a faster stop than Shepherd, allowing him to hold position ahead of Shepherd as he rejoined the track.

To make matters worse, Shepherd struggled to negotiate through dense traffic running side by side battling over positions throughout the field while Young had open track ahead of him, giving him a solid six-second lead over Shepherd. The top five had yet to come down pit road, with Young running in sixth, the first driver one lap down on lap 105.

On lap 108, Young was able to run down Salvatore, the leader, and reclaim his lost lap. Shepherd cleared the leader, getting back on the lead lap on lap 123, and was running in sixth, still over six seconds behind Young, as a caution came out on lap 124. Tiernan was in the lucky dog spot as the caution came out, setting the field up for an exciting finish.

Young won the race off pit road by a significant margin, while Shepherd rejoined the track in seventh place. Salvatore and Kurt Smith took the front row as the green flag came back out on lap 129, with Young wasting no time in going for the lead. Shepherd, on the other hand, aggressively weaved through traffic and got into second place just one lap later, keeping Young in sight. Tiernan managed to clear around Rory Collins for third place, while Young and Shepherd pulled away from the rest of the field.

As the laps counted down, Shepherd’s strategy began to reveal itself. During the last pit cycles, Shepherd opted to get four new tires, while Young only took right side tires to save time. With 20 laps remaining, Shepherd had caught up with Young and was pressuring him to force a mistake. Shepherd was looking to the inside of the corners, but couldn’t match Young’s pace on corner exit. He tried to get ahead by diving to the inside in each corner, but Young ran a more defensive line, staying lower on exit and blocking Shepherd’s momentum.

Shepherd seemed to be getting frustrated, throwing the car to the inside more aggressively as the laps quickly counted down. However, any tire advantage Shepherd may have had was disappearing with each failed pass attempt. The race was complicated by the fact that they caught up with lap traffic, making it even more challenging for Shepherd to overtake Young.

As they came out of the final corner, Young managed to hold onto his lead, taking the win by just 0.191 seconds at the line. The Bootleg Racing League will move to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on May 5th for round 6, with the action going live at 8:10PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.

BRL SLM S21 R4 Recap

21 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 4
Super Late Model Series | Martinsville Speedway

At Martinsville Speedway, the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series kicked off with an electrifying start. The tension was palpable as drivers like John Wilson and Jeffrey Hardin revved up their engines, eager to take the lead. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the roar of engines filled the air.

The race started off with Chris Davis taking the lead from Wilson, but not for long, as an early caution caused the field to stack up again. Davis regained the lead after the restart, with Joe Segalla hot on his heels. But, the pace was soon halted once again by another quick caution.

As the race resumed on lap 14, Wilson held onto 2nd place, while David Traylor moved up to 3rd. Shepherd and Young were also in the mix, determined to make their way up the leaderboard. Shepherd charged ahead, overtaking Wilson and positioning Traylor ahead of Young. The field then single-filed around the track, as Shepherd aggressively chased down Davis.

The moment came when Shepherd took the lead on lap 27, leaving Young to fight for 2nd place with Davis. Davis didn’t go down without a fight, but eventually conceded to Young, who was then almost 4 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

With 50 laps completed, Smith and Hoose charged forward, catching up to Wilson. Smith swiftly overtook Wilson for 3rd, while Hoose took 4th place. An opportune caution on lap 70 allowed the field to come down pit road, with Shepherd coming out ahead of Young, ready to take the green flag on lap 77.

As the race continued, Shepherd held his lead, with Hoose and Young not far behind. Young and Smith fiercely battled for 3rd, with Young finally reclaiming the position. With 45 laps to go, Shepherd and Hoose broke away from Young by over 2 seconds. However, Young made a comeback, overtaking Hoose for 2nd place off a restart with 20 laps to go.

As the race came to an end, Shepherd was untouchable, taking the checkered flag with Young and Hoose coming in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The drama did not stop there, as Young still held the lead in the points standings, but only by 4 points ahead of Shepherd. The Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series was far from over, with the next race set to take place at Lucas Oil Raceway. Fans could hardly wait for the next round of high-speed thrills and adrenaline-pumping action, live on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:10 PM ET on April 28th.

BRL SLM S21 R2 Recap

07 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 2
Super Late Model Series | Myrtle Beach Speedway

Different Path Motorsports driver J R Shepherd emerged victorious in an epic showdown at Myrtle Beach Speedway, as he beat Aiden Young to the finish line in the Skitter Creek Super Late Model Series with the Bootleg Racing League. Rory Collins and Joe Segalla led the field off the start, while Shepherd started from the sixth position and Young was twelfth on the grid. James Tiernan, the previous round’s winner, began the race in thirteenth, while Matt Hoose started on the inside of row seven alongside Tiernan.

As the green flag dropped, multiple drivers had to slow down, causing a chain reaction that resulted in some cars shuffling for position. Collins built an early lead, with Chris Davis moving into second and Shepherd quickly advancing to third by lap five. The frequent cautions allowed some drivers to pit, but the short green flag runs broke up the pit strategies. Davis attempted to overtake Collins for the lead by going around the outside, but he fell back when Shepherd passed him to claim second place. Shepherd then passed Collins to take the lead on lap 15.

Fifty laps into the race, Shepherd and Davis had pulled away from the rest of the pack, with John Heyn in third place, battling with Tiernan and Jason Menda. Heyn quickly lost ground as Tiernan and Menda closed in on Davis. Another caution on lap 60 brought Tiernan within reach of second place, but Davis managed to hold on to the position, with Menda settling for fourth.

Menda tried to overtake Davis for second place and succeeded on lap 98, while Tiernan fell back after getting loose. The second half of the race saw increased aggression, with multiple cautions causing the running order to shift as drivers pitted in small groups. Mark Hertzog briefly took the lead before Jeffery Hardin claimed it on lap 135, with Shepherd in eleventh place.

Shepherd began aggressively pushing his way back up through the field, with Tiernan right behind him. Young, who had a rough start and was involved in several incidents, made a strong recovery to take third place. Shepherd quickly passed Moore to claim second place, with Tiernan back in fourth. Shepherd and Young battled for the lead through multiple restarts in the final 40 laps.

In the end, Shepherd emerged victorious, beating Young to the finish line by 0.042 seconds after running side by side and leaning on each other coming out of the final corner. “It was really tough on the outside, not a lot of grip out there,” Shepherd said after the race. Next up, the Bootleg Racing League will head to USA Speedway on April 14th, with Tom Hilbert starting from pole position. Fans can catch all the action live at 8:10PM ET on the Virtual Grip Network!