PGRL S5 R2 Recap
30 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 5 | Round 2
Premier Series | Charlotte Motor Speedway
Thomas George, racing for Steel Horse Motorsports, emerged victorious in the MARSS Properties Vacation Rentals 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Pretty Good Racing League Premier Series. Adam Jurski started on the pole position, while George began the race from the 20th spot on the grid.
Jurski put up a strong fight to maintain his lead for the first 27 laps, battling against drivers like Cody Dempster and Jake Silvia. However, Michael Chrobok seized the lead on lap 28. The first caution of the night occurred on lap 34 when Silvia made significant contact with the outside wall following a checkup incident. Jurski reclaimed the lead as the race resumed on lap 38.
Just three laps later, Dempster executed an aggressive move along the outside to jump from 3rd to 1st place. Meanwhile, George quietly made progress through the field, gaining an impressive 11 spots within the first 50 laps. On lap 68, a collision between Brandon Beyke and Colton Salek along the front stretch prompted another caution period.
Racing resumed on lap 73, with Chrobok back in the lead. However, a substantial wreck involving Jeff Ward, Scott Eckrich, Travis McQuistion, and several other drivers unfolded coming out of turn 2, bringing out another caution. Chrobok once again took the green flag on lap 78.
During the second half of the race, a long green flag run forced drivers to make two pit stops under green flag conditions, repeatedly shuffling the running order. Chrobok held onto the lead with Ward, George, and Drew Carroll in close pursuit. In the final 30 laps, frequent cautions disrupted the race, forcing George to give his all in multiple short runs in his #6 Valvoline car to maintain the lead.
As the final caution emerged with just two laps to go, George navigated the final lap under caution to secure the victory. Colton Salek, representing Norse Force Racing, maintained his points lead, sitting four points ahead of Jeff Ward in the championship standings.
The next event in the series, the Julesburg Farms 150, will take place at the World Wide Technology Raceway on June 6th. Fans can catch all the action live at 8:50 PM ET, exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.
PGRL S5 R1 Recap
23 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 5 | Round 1
Premier Series | Darlington Raceway
Scott Eckrich, racing for Loud Pedal Motorsports, emerged as the winner in the Alliance VR 200 at Darlington Raceway in the Pretty Good Racing League Premier Series presented by Alliance VR. Jake Silvia started on the pole alongside Jeff Ward, while Eckrich began the race in 22nd position.
Silvia and Ward engaged in an intense battle for the lead, with Silvia managing to hold onto the top spot as they entered lap 5. The race was punctuated by frequent caution periods, which made pit strategies less critical in the first half of the event.
Eckrich made a remarkable charge through the field, climbing 12 spots into the top 10 within just 30 laps of his run, demonstrating impressive speed and determination. Meanwhile, Michael Chrobok showcased a strong pace, maintaining the lead through the multiple restarts.
Colton Salek and Ward engaged in a thrilling battle for the lead, with Salek ultimately securing the 10 bonus stage points for leading at the halfway point. As the race progressed, tensions rose between Eckrich and Silvia, resulting in multiple instances of contact between them and heated exchanges over the radio.
Salek dominated the second half of the race, but in a bold and aggressive move, Eckrich made a daring dive low through turns 3 and 4, managing to get underneath Salek and take the white flag. Eckrich led the final lap as chaos ensued in the field, causing a shuffle in the running order as drivers scrambled to navigate through wrecked cars along the backstretch. Vincent Crow capitalized on the confusion, jumping from 6th to 2nd place, while Salek crossed the finish line in 3rd.
With his strong performance, Salek, racing for Norse Force Racing, took the points lead, holding a 5-point advantage over Jeff Ward. The next event in the series, the MARSS Properties Vacation Rentals 300, will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 30th. Fans can catch all the action live at 8:50 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.
BRL LM S22 R8 Recap
20 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 8
Late Model Series | Southern National Motorsports Park
Photograph By: Michael Goodman
In the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Invitational Series presented by Gargamel’s Kitchen at Southern National Motorsports Park, Michael Goodman from 8 Ball Motorsports emerged as the winner. The race saw Aiden Young start on the pole, while Michael Goodman began in 3rd position.
Early on, an incident occurred on lap 6 in turn 2 involving multiple drivers. Although it didn’t initially bring out a caution, the unaware leaders narrowly avoided contact with cars still trying to turn themselves around on the backstretch. Unfortunately, Mike Holloway couldn’t avoid Mike Allen in the confusion, resulting in contact and bringing out the first caution of the night.
Racing resumed on lap 13 with Young still in the lead. However, Goodman utilized the outside lane to make his way around Young and took the lead on lap 15. Goodman held onto the lead during a long green flag run but faced mounting pressure from Matt Hoose, who had climbed up to 2nd place and was rapidly closing in on the lead with the race entering its final 10 laps.
On lap 92, a miscalculation from Goodman while maneuvering through lap traffic led to contact with the rear of Lowell Jewell’s car, sending Jewell around and bringing out the second caution of the night. Hoose, showing great sportsmanship, lifted off the throttle to allow Goodman to retain his position for the restart with only 3 laps remaining. Hoose commented after the race, “I didn’t want to pass him that way. It did run through my mind real quick, but I just slowed up so I didn’t get involved in anything and just let him have it.”
Before Hoose could make a final attempt for the lead, another caution emerged on lap 99 due to an incident further back in the field involving Joseph Snyder and Rubin Altice battling for 7th place. Goodman then took the checkered flag on the final lap under caution, securing his victory.
Jeffery Hardin from Loose Luggs finished in 5th place and currently leads the point standings, holding a 15-point advantage over Snyder. The next event in the series will take place at Hickory Motor Speedway on June 3rd, and fans can tune in live at 8:55 PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network to catch all the action.
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 LM S22 R7 Recap
13 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 7
Late Model Series | Irwindale Speedway
Photograph By: Michael Goodman
The Bootleg Racing League Late Model Invitational Series Season 22 Round 7 presented by Gargamel’s Kitchen at Irwindale Speedway was an exciting and intense race that saw plenty of drama, close racing, and unexpected twists and turns.
Michael Goodman started the race on the pole position, with Jeffery Hardin starting in 9th, Aiden Young starting in 11th, Matt Hoose starting in 14th, and Mike Holloway starting in 15th. Chris Davis quickly moved up to 2nd, clearing ahead of Mark Hertzog on the 6th lap of the race. However, he got loose as he cleared ahead, forcing Hertzog to lift and fall back to 4th behind Jason Menda.
With passing being a tough task at Irwindale Speedway, most drivers were forced to run single file along the high line just to maintain their positions. Despite this, Aiden Young was aggressive in using the inside line to try and move forward in the field, managing to move up to 8th place.
However, the first caution of the night came out on lap 37 when Menda and Hertzog made contact as Hertzog was trying to reclaim lost positions from earlier in the night. Goodman was in control of the field as racing resumed on lap 43, with Bruce Pearson battling with Lowell Jewell over 3rd, with Jewell managing to hold onto the position.
Young saw the success Jewell had and got in behind him to clear up into 4th. By the halfway mark of the race, Goodman had stretched out his lead to over 1 second ahead of Davis.
Lap 59 saw the second caution of the night when Joe Segalla had to check up to avoid getting into the back of Stephen Spies and was hit from behind by Mike Allen, collecting Joseph Snyder in the resulting slide.
As racing resumed on lap 65, Young was up to 3rd and trying to take 2nd place away from Davis, but had to lift to avoid sliding up into him. Pearson had contact with Kurt Smith on lap 70 and slid onto pit road sideways, while further up in the field a checkup caught Mike Holloway out, sending him hard into the outside wall and flipping him onto his roof, bringing out the third caution of the night.
Goodman led the field around again to take the green flag on lap 76, with Menda quickly pushing back up through the field and battling with Hardin after recovering from his earlier incident with Hertzog. Menda aggressively slid his car up the track to overtake Davis for 2nd place.
After a failed crossover from Davis, Davis tried to slot up behind Menda, but Jewell had already filled the gap. Davis came up and brought out a caution on lap 85, pinching Jewell into the outside wall and sending Davis around, collecting several drivers in the chaos as Davis fell back to 16th.
Racing resumed on lap 91, with Menda making several attempts on the lead, but Goodman running a defensive line to block him. Another caution came out with 7 laps remaining from contact between Jeffrey Kemper and Jewell.
The green flag came back out for a 2 lap shootout to the checkered flag. Michael Goodman with 8 Ball Motorsports led every lap of the race, taking the checkered flag and earning a well-deserved victory. Menda was able to hold off Hardin, coming home with 2nd place after an amazing recovery, while Hardin finished in 3rd.
With Hardin leading in the point standings for Loose Luggs, he now sits 10 points ahead of Joseph Snyder. The next event is on May 20th at 8:55PM with the action brought to you 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.
PGRL S5 R12 Recap
09 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 4 | Round 12
Premier Series | Kansas Speedway
Michael Chrobok with Loud Pedal Motorsports took the checkered flag in the Pretty Good Racing League season 4 finale at Kansas Speedway in the Julesburg Farms 200. It was a thrilling and action-packed race that saw Chrobok start from 12th place on the grid, but he was able to make his way through the field and emerge as the winner.
The race started with Scott Eckrich on pole position, and he led the first lap before lifting and dropping to the rear of the field. This gave Woody Mahan and Jake Silvia the opportunity to battle for the lead. Silvia defended the lead against Saif Faries, Vincent Crow, and Mahan until lap 30 when his aggressive driving style became a detriment, and Chrobok was able to chase him down and take the lead away.
Chrobok was in control of the field as the green flag came out on lap 43 ahead of Jeff Ward. However, he opted to save his tires rather than battle for the lead and allowed several cars to pass him, including Ward, who took the lead. Lap 50 saw the second caution of the night when Joe Hassert and Woody Mahan came together, collecting several other cars in the chaos.
Chris Stofer and Jake Silvia were on the front row to take the green flag on lap 55, but some confusion in the field resulted in another caution when Saif Faries got loose, and Brian Yaczik couldn’t avoid making contact, sending Faries spinning down to the inside of the track.
Stofer again took the green flag going into lap 60, and Silvia was able to take the lead away on that restart and was pushing hard to hold the lead for the stage end. Chrobok also wanted some stage points and climbed back up to 3rd place behind Mike Rasimas.
As the green flag run continued into the second half of the race, Jeff Ward took the lead away from Silvia, with Chrobok staying close behind in 2nd place. Chrobok retook the lead on lap 94, and he and Ward came down pit road under the green flag on lap 99, preventing any of the other drivers from being able to undercut them going into the final stretch of the race.
The fourth caution came out on lap 103 from Jason Galvin having technical issues, and the race went green on lap 108 with Rasimas in the lead and Chrobok in 2nd place. Going into lap 118, Chrobok again took the lead back and held onto it, defending against Rasimas and Scott Eckrich to take the checkered flag.
Scott Eckrich with Loud Pedal Motorsports finished the race in 3rd place but ended the night as the season champion. Overall, it was a fantastic end to a thrilling season of racing, and all the drivers gave it their all to put on an exciting show for the fans. Chrobok’s impressive performance and strategic pit stops were instrumental in securing his victory, and he will undoubtedly be a driver to watch in the upcoming season.
The Pretty Good Racing League will be back on May 23rd to kick off the new season at Darlington Speedway with the action going live at 8:50 PM ET only on the Virtual Grip Network!
BRL LM S22 R6 Recap
06 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 6
Late Model Series | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Photograph By: Michael Goodman
It was an intense night of racing in the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series presented by Gargamel’s Kitchen at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Ruben Altice led the field from the pole position with Lowell Jewell and Kurt Smith hot on his tail. Aiden Young started back in 15th, but he quickly made his way through the pack and found himself in the top 10 within the first 10 laps. However, a caution on lap 18 for a collision between Jason Menda and Jeffrey Kemper slowed the pace.
Altice continued to hold the lead after the restart, but another caution on lap 26 involving Kurt Smith and Donny Moore shook things up. On the restart, Menda made a bold move and passed Kevin Nunn and Mike Holloway to take third place. Meanwhile, Young was trying to make up for lost ground, but he lost control of his car and spun out, causing another caution.
Menda then overtook Jewell for second place and chased down Altice for the lead. He succeeded in passing Altice on lap 41, with Holloway following him into second. However, Menda’s lead was short-lived when he was caught up in a multi-car accident on lap 50. Jewell took advantage of the situation and moved into the lead, with Hoose hot on his heels.
Despite Hoose’s best efforts, Jewell maintained his lead until a caution on lap 80 for Davis spinning out. Jewell continued to lead after the restart, but Young made an aggressive move and passed Hoose for second place. Jewell held onto the lead until Young executed a daring move on the final green flag lap, overtaking Jewell and crossing the finish line under caution.
In the end, Young took the checkered flag ahead of Jewell, securing an exciting victory in a race filled with intense moments and multiple cautions. Jeffery Hardin remains in the lead of the point standings, followed closely by Joe Segalla and Donny Moore. The drivers of the Bootleg Racing League will next head to Irwindale Speedway on May 13th for another thrilling night of racing, exclusively broadcasted on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:55PM ET.
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.
PGRL S4 R11 Recap
02 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 4 | Round 11
Premier Series | Dover Motor Speedway
The MARSS Properties Vacation Rentals 200 at Dover Motor Speedway was an intense battle of speed and skill as the Pretty Good Racing League hit the track. It was Isaiah Dupre who started on the pole position, with Woody Mahan in second and Mike Rasimas in sixth.
From the start, Mahan and Dupre were neck-and-neck, exchanging the lead multiple times, while Saif Faires hung back in third, waiting for his opportunity. Meanwhile, Eckrich was making his way through the pack, passing Cody Dempster and breaking into the top 10.
The excitement ramped up when Shane Parish began overtaking the field, making his way up to second place. But the race took a dramatic turn on lap 24 when Faires collided with Parish, resulting in the only caution of the night and knocking both drivers out of contention.
When the green flag flew again, Yaczik took the lead with Dupre and Chrobok close behind. But Eckrich and Ward were quickly closing in, maneuvering through traffic with lightning speed. Rasimas was also on the move, overtaking Chrobok and targeting Dupre.
The race reached its most pivotal moment when Ward made a bold move, coming down pit road for fresh tires and fuel on lap 92. The other front runners stayed out, hoping to claim bonus stage points at lap 100. Rasimas ultimately took the stage win, but it was Ward who emerged as the main threat, reclaiming the lead on lap 126 and never looking back.
There were more surprises in store, as Rasimas ran into mechanical issues with just 28 laps to go, falling back to eighth place. This left the door wide open for Ward, who pushed his way to victory with Farmer and Chrobok close behind.
It was a thrilling race that had fans cheering and on the edge of their seats from start to finish. With only one round left at Kansas Speedway, the competition is sure to be fierce. Be sure to tune in to the Virtual Grip Network for all the action.
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