Red Light Racing at N Wilkesboro
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 13 Race 13
North Wilkesboro Speedway
April 3, 2025
by Tim Corder
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds mixed things up this week with Twin 50s at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Both races saw domination by their winners. AJ Hamel won the first event from the poll, leading 49 laps. Then, Jeff Aho secured his first win of the season, leading 45 of the 53 laps of the green-white-checkered extended second race.
Hamel set the pace in qualifying for the first race turning a 17.716 second lap. Eric Stout, Brian Bianchi, Chad Alcares, and Bradley Stefane rounded out the top five in qualifying, all within 0.06 seconds of Hamel’s lap time. The only challenges Hamel faced were on restarts after the opening event’s two caution flags. Stout and Bianchi both fought valiantly on the outside line on restarts, but Hamel would prevail and stay on the point. Stout spoiled Hamel’s shot at leading wire-to-wire by leading one lap of the race.
Joining Hamel on the podium for the first race were Bianchi and Stout. Completing the top five were Stefane and Alcares. Joshua Buckley’s 17.699 second lap 8 was the fastest lap of the first race. Benjamin Gerhardt won the first of the Hard Charger Awards. He gained 9 spots, climbing from his 20th place starting position to 11th. All but two drivers completed all 50 laps. Fifteen of the 20 drivers left the first event without any incident points.
The starting grid for the second of the Twin 50 races was set by inverting the first 10 finishing positions from the first event. As a result, Fred LeClair started on the pole. Rob Higgins, Jeff Aho, Rex Hoyle, and Joshua Buckley rounded out the top five starters.
LeClair led the first eight laps of the race before Jeff Aho was able to take over the point with a pass to LeClair’s inside. Buckley, in third, spun trying to follow Aho in passing LeClair, bringing out the first of 5 cautions on the night. Buckley would finish the night in 11th. LeClair battled Aho for most of the event but on lap 47, battling traffic to his inside, LeClair’s hopes of a top 5 finish were dashed. After slight contact with Bianchi, LeClair bounced off the outside wall coming onto the front stretch. This sent LeClair spinning in front of half of the field, gathering several other cars in the melee. LeClair managed to finish in tenth.
Joining Aho on the podium were Stefane and Kenny Allen, Allen having picked up an impressive 10 spots from his 13th place starting position. Completing the top five were Bianchi and Luke Logan Allen. Luke Logan Allen also won the event’s Hard Charger of the Race Award, picking up 14 spots from his 19th place starting position. Joshua Buckley repeated his performance from the first event by turning the fast lap of the second race as well. He completed the fifth lap of the race in 17.704 seconds, besting Aho’s fifth lap by just 0.001 seconds.
Twelve of the twenty drivers finished all 53 laps of the second event. Only three drivers escaped with no incident points: Aho, Kenny Allen, and Andrew Lewis.
Championship leader Eric Stout finished the second race in 8th. The top ten finish coupled with his 3rd place finish in the first race meant that little changed at the top of the Championship standings. He keeps a commanding 51-point lead over Stefane for season championship. Chad Alcares and Kenny Allen left the day’s two races still in 3rd and 4th in the standings, respectively. Brian Bianchi moved up to fifth in the standings. With just three races left in the season, Stout seems to have all but locked-up the Championship.
Anything could happen, though, as the series heads to tricky Oswego Speedway on April 10th. The green flag drops at 7:55 PM Eastern. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.
BRL Late Model Invitational S30R03 | Five Flags Speedway
In Season 30 Round 03 at Five Flags Speedway, racing action was intense right from the start. Steve Hilbert and Mike Holloway led the front row, but Hilbert quickly took charge as he hit the gas, allowing Todd Liston to slip into second place while Holloway settled into third.
On Lap 2, Liston made a bold move inside Hilbert to seize the lead, with Holloway following closely behind, which reshuffled the front positions. By Lap 21, James Lowe had overtaken Hilbert for third, and by Lap 24, Lowe advanced to second place, passing Holloway. Bruce Pearson joined the podium by overtaking Holloway for third on Lap 25, all while the leader maintained a half-second lead as they reached the quarter mark of the race.
As the race progressed, John Wilson passed Pearson for third on Lap 36. A caution flag waved on Lap 47, halting the action. Once racing resumed on Lap 52, Liston and Lowe retained their front positions. Both drivers made strong starts, with Lowe successfully defending his second place against Wilson until another caution emerged on Lap 53.
Racing resumed once again on Lap 57, with Liston and Lowe leading the charge. Chris Davis moved to third by passing Wilson. On Lap 69, Mark Hertzog battled fiercely with Davis for the third spot, eventually succeeding.
The race took a pivotal turn on Lap 74 when Lowe moved to the inside of Liston to take the lead on the backstretch. Hertzog attempted to overtake Liston for second on Lap 79, racing side by side before finally making the pass on Lap 80. By Lap 91, Tre Blohm surged to third, overtaking Liston in turn 4.
On Lap 96, Blohm, aiming for second, pushed Hertzog hard but was unable to complete the pass until they hit the backstretch, where he finally succeeded. As the race neared its end, Lowe established a commanding three-second lead with just two laps to go.
Ultimately, James Lowe clinched victory, crossing the finish line in first place, followed by Tre Blohm in second and Mark Hertzog in third. It was an exciting race full of strategic moves and fierce competition!
Highlights
🏆 James Lowe wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 30 Round 03 race at Five Flags Speedway.
🚀 Mark Hertzog was the biggest mover, gaining 15 spots, racing from 18th to 3rd!
🏁 The race featured three leaders with two lead changes. Todd Liston led the most with 72 laps, followed by James Lowe with 27 laps and Steven Hilbert with 1 lap.
BRL Late Model Invitational S30R02 | Hickory Motor Speedway
Get ready for some high-octane excitement as Ricky Hardin and James Lowe rev up for Season 30 Round 02 at the legendary Hickory Motor Speedway! The tension is palpable as the green flag drops and Hardin rockets off the line, snatching the lead right away. Ruben Altice is on the hunt, slipping beneath Lowe for a fierce battle over second place. John Wilson doesn’t sit idle either; he joins the fray and tussles with Lowe for third, while Lowe smartly tucks himself into fourth.
By Lap 6, Altice is applying pressure, peeking inside Hardin and eyeing the top spot, but can’t quite make a move just yet. On Lap 10, Altice makes his bold move, taking the lead from Hardin, with Wilson hot on his trail. Just as it looks like things are heating up, caution flies on Lap 13, with Hardin holding strong in second.
Once racing resumes on Lap 18, it’s Altice and Hardin once again leading the pack. Altice launches off the restart like a rocket, allowing Hardin to settle comfortably in second—until lap 18’s caution as well puts their momentum on pause once again. When the action starts again on Lap 23, Altice proves his dominance with another stellar restart, while Wilson tries to squeeze under Hardin but can’t quite snag the position, holding onto third.
Meanwhile, the battle for sixth heats up as Kurt Smith gangs up against Joseph Snyder, but a caution at Lap 28 halts their showdown. When the race kicks back to life on Lap 33, it’s déjà vu for Altice and Hardin, with Altice effortlessly commanding the lead yet again, and Wilson comfortably holding down third.
Fast forward to halfway through the race: Lowe fights his way past Wilson to claim third place, just as another caution comes out on Lap 63, keeping everyone on their toes. Racing resumes on Lap 68 with Altice holding strong and Hardin on the outside, flanked by Lowe. Lowe zips past into second, while Brennan Myers tries to sneak by Hardin, who skillfully shuts the door—what a race!
The tension escalates on Lap 79 when Lowe challenges Altice, side by side in turns 1 and 2 on Lap 80, and snags the lead—only for caution to be waved on Lap 81! Action picks back up on Lap 86 with Lowe and Myers at the forefront. Lowe nails the restart while Myers finds himself tussling with Todd Cousins; they battle fiercely, but a little contact leads to caution on Lap 88.
Racing once again kicks off on Lap 92 with Lowe and Smith leading the charge! Lowe defies gravity, launching ahead early and allowing Smith to slip into second, but the chaos comes crashing down during a massive pileup in turn 2 on Lap 93.
When the race resumes for the final laps on Lap 97, Lowe and Smith are back in control, with Lowe taking off like a rocket! But brace yourselves—turn 4 is mayhem, and as the dust settles, Myers emerges as he steals third among the wreckage. In an exhilarating finish, James Lowe crosses the line in first place to take the victory for Season 30 Round 02 at Hickory, with Lowell Jewell and Brennan Myers rounding out the podium!
Mark your calendars—join us for Season 30 Round 03 racing next Saturday, April 5th at 9:10pm ET, live on VGN at Five Flags Speedway! Don’t miss out on the action!
Highlights
🏆 James Lowe wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 30 Round 02 race at Hickory Motor Speedway.
🚀 Lowell Jewell was the biggest mover, gaining 9 spots, racing from 11th to 2nd!
🏁 The race featured three leaders with two lead changes. Ruben Altice led the most laps (70), followed by James Lowe (25) and Ricky Hardin (9).
Red Light Racing at Hickory
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 13 Race 12
Hickory Motor Speedway
March 27, 2025
by Tim Corder
Fans would be forgiven if they’ve come to expect the same story at every Skitter Creek SK Modifieds race this season. They may feel that the only suspense often is “what margin of victory will Eric Stout have this time?” Fans for whom this common storyline has started to wear a little thin had a pleasant surprise in store when the series took to historic Hickory Motor Speedway on March 27, 2025. There were so many storylines during the race it resembled a Seinfeld episode . . . a long green flag run saw lap traffic come into play, pit strategy was a major factor, and a no-call by the tower had many fans wondering was anyone in the tower even watching the race? Oh, and Eric Stout didn’t win. It was instead Fred LeClair that took his first league trophy home after deftly picking up 12 positions from his 13th place starting position.
In qualifying, Chad Alcares was the cream of the crop, grabbing the pole with a 13.534 second lap. Jeff Aho, Bradley Stefane, AJ Hamel and TJ Henson rounded out the top five in qualifying, all within 1/10th of a second of Alcares time. Championship leader Eric Stout started in sixth.
The race got off to a rocky start with two cautions within the first ten laps, both of which involved Stout. The first fell on lap 2 when Rob Higgins tapped Eric Stout’s rear bumper in turn 4, sending the two spinning and gathering other drivers along the way. Stout would drop all the way back to 17th for the restart on lap 7. On the restart, Bob Higgins checked up because of those in front of him slowing. Stout was unable to slow down in time to avoid Higgins sending Higgins spinning.
The green flag would again wave on lap 12 with Alcares still at the point. The yellow would not again come out until lap 68. Alcares set a blistering pace over the green flag run and caught the back end of the field. Battling to stay on the lead lap Brandon Feeney spun, Ken Allen also spun as the drivers reacted to Feeney’s car, which brought out the lap 68 caution.
Six of the top ten drivers at the time of the caution pitted to take on tires, including Stout and eventual winner LeClair. Stout and LeClair restarted on lap 73 in 10th and 11th, respectively. The next caution came out on lap 77 when TJ Henson spun in turn 4 with Alcares still leading. After the resulting lap 82 restart, Bradley Stefane took over the point from Alcares on lap 84.
The tower’s decision to keep the race under green despite a massive pileup on the front stretch on lap 89 left the entire grandstand scratching their collective heads. The melee started with AJ Hamel spinning at the exit of turn 4. Car after car then piled-in blocking the front stretch, with the better part of ½ of the field involved. The race stayed green while those involved tried to rejoin the race. Leader Stefane completed lap 90 before hitting Rob Higgins who was trying to get his car pointed in the right direction after being involved in the pileup. The Stefane wreck woke up the assumed-to-be-sleeping officials who finally decided to throw out the caution. As a consolation to Stefane, the tower allowed him to keep the point position.
At the time of this officiating disaster, LeClair had worked his way up to 4th and Stout had risen to 6th, both taking advantage of their fresh tires over the brief green flag run. The green briefly came out again on lap 95 but the yellow waved again before the completion of that lap. As briefly as the green was out, though, LeClair was able to take over 2nd and Stout took over 5th.
The final restart of the night happened on lap 100, resulting in a green-white-checkered finish. Stefane led the field on the restart, but LeClair took over the point with an outside line pass on lap 101. LeClair would not relinquish the lead and took home the checkered flag. Stefane finished second just 0.188 seconds behind LeClair. Rounding out the top five were Alcares, Stout and Chris Haizlip.
The twelve spots LeClair picked up in winning the race were the most spots gained by any driver, so LeClair also claimed the Hard Charger of the Race award. Chad Alcares led 78 laps of the event. Joining Alcares, LeClair, and Stefane as leaders of the race was Jeff Aho who led two laps. Alcares also set the fastest lap of the race, completing lap 18 in 13.582 seconds. No driver escaped the event without any incident points.
Stout stays well in control of the championship point standings. Stefane stayed in second for the championship, 56 points in arrears to Stout. Alcares moved up to third in the points. Kenny Allen stays fourth, and with the race win, LeClair moved into fifth in the championship running.
The series next visits historic North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 3rd with a Twin 50 lap event. The first green flag drops at 7:55 PM Eastern. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.
YYR Tour Modified Series S2R2 | South Boston Speedway
The YesterYear Racing (YYR) Tour Modified Series revved up for an action-packed showdown on March 25th at South Boston, showcasing Season 2 Round 2 of thrilling racing. Jerry Isaacs stormed through qualifications, clocking in the fastest time at 14.170 seconds.
As the green flag waved for the YYR SOBO 150, it was a neck-and-neck start with Isaacs and Todd Liston side by side. While Liston briefly faltered at the entrance of turn 1, he quickly regained his footing and settled into 2nd place behind Isaacs. Behind them, Brian Bianchi and Daryl Wineinger engaged in a fierce battle for 3rd, with Bianchi ultimately taking the outside lane to claim victory in that duel.
The first caution flew on lap 27, resulting from lapped traffic that tangled with Isaacs, forcing him to pit and allowing Liston to take the lead on Lap 29.
When racing resumed on lap 31, Liston and Bianchi were leading the pack. However, a quick caution on lap 33 halted their momentum. After the restart on lap 38, Liston found himself back in control.
On lap 41, Wineinger made several attempts to squeeze past Bianchi for 2nd but couldn’t find a way through. Meanwhile, Brian Johnson and Bill Martin put on a dazzling side-by-side spectacle from Lap 50 to Lap 56, with Martin eventually edging out Johnson for 10th place. Another caution came on Lap 58, setting the stage for a stacked restart on lap 62, where Liston took the lead again, but not without chaos among the lap cars that ensued.
Green flag racing kicked off on lap 67 with Liston leading, but tensions mounted as Bianchi pressured Liston, both drivers racing ahead of Tom Ogle in 3rd. By Lap 81, Bianchi was breathing down Liston’s neck, looking for an opportunity. A caution on Lap 87 put a pause on the fierce competition.
When the race resumed on lap 92, Liston held the front spot, but Bianchi didn’t let up. By lap 104, he was right on Liston’s tail, ready to make a move. On lap 113, Bianchi took his chance, overtaking Liston and snatching the lead, just before another caution on Lap 114.
As racing resumed on lap 119, Bianchi was back in command. Meanwhile, Rex Hoyle and Jeffery Hardin were locked in a battle for 3rd, with Hoyle eventually securing the position. On Lap 134, Hoyle tried to dive inside Liston for 4th, leading to a side-by-side clash. They battled fiercely until their duel led to a caution on Lap 136.
After another restart on Lap 141, Bianchi led the final stretch with Hardin applying pressure in 2nd. Lowell Jewell charged through the pack, vying for 5th against Johnson in a spirited battle fueled by competitive spirit. As the white flag waved, Bianchi held onto a tight half-second lead over Hardin, while Liston and Brian Neff jostled for 3rd. In the end, Brian Bianchi crossed the finish line first, claiming victory in Season 2 Round 2 of the YYR SOBO 150, with Jeffery Hardin finishing 2nd and Todd Liston rounding out the podium in 3rd.
Mark your calendars! The next exhilarating round of the YesterYear Racing Tour Modified series is set for April 8th at 8:25pm ET at Richmond Raceway. Don’t miss it!
Highlights
🏆 Brian Bianchi wins the YYR Tour Modified Series Season 2 Round 02 race at South Boston Speedway.
🚀 Lowell Jewell was the biggest mover, gaining 18 spots, racing from 24th to 6th!
BRL Late Model Invitational S30R01 | Martinsville Speedway
The excitement of Season 30 of the Bootleg Racing League’s Late Model Invitational ignited at the iconic Martinsville Speedway, setting the stage for an unforgettable showdown. As the green flag waved, the front row featured dynamic rivals Brennan Myers and Kurt Smith, both itching for victory. Myers bolted off to a solid start, but Smith swiftly challenged him from the outside. Just as the field settled, a caution flew before they completed the first lap, tightening the suspense from the get-go.
The race restarted on lap 6, and Smith launched magnificently, granting Myers just enough space to slot into second. However, the caution came out once more, halting the momentum. Back at it on Lap 11, Smith once again took off like a rocket. Myers valiantly defended his position, but Mike Holloway slipped past into second place, with Lowell Jewell close behind, clinching third. As caution waved again on Lap 13, the battle intensified with the field regrouping.
Restarting on Lap 18 with Smith leading and Holloway right on his tail, the thrill continued. Smith’s knack for great starts kept Holloway in tow while Jewell and Todd Cousins fought for positions further back. Caution fell on Lap 32, prompting another restart on Lap 36. Smith and Holloway resumed their duel, with Smith holding strong in the lead.
Lap after lap, the tension mounted, and after another caution on Lap 43, they went green once more on Lap 47. Smith launched again, allowing Holloway to maintain second. As the laps wore on, the drivers engaged in fierce battles for positions, none more thrilling than the showdown between Jewell and Cousins.
On Lap 56, Smith was again commanding the track despite Holloway’s best efforts to push inside. The action divided into an exhilarating showdown as Jewell advanced into second, only to have a massive pileup erupt on Lap 61, further complicating the race.
The stakes grew with each caution, leading to the intense Lap 65 restart where Smith and Jewell faced off anew. Schoen emerged as a fierce competitor, making his move into second by Lap 70 and ultimately seizing the lead after some riveting wheel-to-wheel racing with Smith.
As the laps dwindled, a late caution fell on Lap 83, followed by a late-race tussle with Schoen, Jewell, and Smith battling for supremacy. Tension gripped the spectators as Lap 97 saw Smith and Menda exchange contact, bringing out yet another caution, setting up a thrilling Green-White-Checker finish.
With the lights blazing, Schoen jumped ahead when the race resumed on Lap 101. Jewell secured a clean second, leaving Smith to fend off a spirited challenge from Myers. In the thrilling conclusion, it was Adam Schoen who crossed the finish line first, claiming victory, with Lowell Jewell hot on his heels in second. The fans erupted, knowing they had witnessed a race for the ages!
Be sure to come back next week for Season 30 Round 02 racing at Hickory Motor Speedway on Saturday march 29th at 9:10pm ET.
Highlights
🏆 Adam Schoen wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 30 Round 01 race at Martinsville Speedway.
🚀 Jason Menda was the biggest mover, gaining 16 spots, racing from 20th to 4th!
🏁 The race featured two leaders with one lead change as Kurt Smith led 69 laps followed by Adam Schoen with 33 laps.
Red Light Racing at Oxford
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 13 Race 11
Oxford Plains
March 20, 2025
by Tim Corder
A mere 6 days after 3/14, known amongst nerds as Pi Day, Red Light Racing’s Skitter Creek SK Modifieds drivers roared into the most circular track on the schedule. The drivers calculated “2 x Pi x r” 103 times around uniquely shaped Oxford Plains Speedway. The event was extended due to a green-white-checkered finish. The name at the top of the finishing positions was a very familiar one, Eric Stout. However, his winning yet another race this season was in no way a certainty. Pit strategy turned out to be a major deciding factor in the race.
Chad Alcares claimed the top spot in the RaceDayCT.com starting grid with a 14.467 qualifying lap. The remainder of the top-five in qualifying were Eric Stout, Brian Bianchi, Jeff Aho, and Rob Higgins. All of the top-5 qualifiers were within one-tenth of a second of each other.
Alcares led the first 59 laps of the event, with Stout not far behind in second. The duo headed to pit road on a lap 60 caution, which allowed Brian Bianchi to take over the point. When the green came back out on lap 64, Stout and Alcares were in 7th and 8th, respectively.
Bianchi would lead until lap 76 when he pitted under caution. During the green flag run leading up to the caution which saw Bianchi pitting, Stout and Alcares made admirable moves through the field. Stout and Alcares took over first and second with Bianchi on pit road. Bianchi rejoined the field in 13th and finished the event in 10th place. Stout would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the event. Alcares finished in third. Rob Higgins put in a stellar performance, moving up from fifth at the start of the race to finish second.
The race was slowed by 7 cautions totaling 28 laps. Only four drivers finished the event without incident points: Stout, Higgins, Alcares, and Jeff Aho, who finished in 16th after experiencing mechanical issues at the start of the race.
TJ Henson one the Hard Charger of the Race Award, having gained 10 spots from his 16th place starting position to finish 6th. Eric Stout set the fastest lap of the race, completing lap 86 in 14.458 seconds.
Stout’s seventh win of the season further extends his lead in the championship standings, he is now 59 points ahead of Bradley Stefane. Kenny Allen stays in third, Chad Alcares moved up to fourth and Brian Bianchi dropped back to 5th in the standings.
The series next visits historic Hickory Motor Speedway on March 20th for the 12th race of the season. The green flag drops at 7:55 PM Eastern. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.
BRL Late Model Invitational S29R11 | New Smyrna Speedway
As the engines revved up for the grand finale of the season, Aiden Young was in the driver’s seat, leading the points race against James Lowe, who was hot on his heels in second place. Lowe knew he had to clinch a victory while hoping for a misstep from Young to snag the championship title. The tension was palpable as the front row, featuring Scott Negus and Lowell Jewell, prepared to drop the green flag for Season 29 Round 11 at New Smyrna.
When the race kicked off, Negus launched into a blistering start, while Tre Blohm attempted to sneak past Jewell on the inside. However, Jewell maintained his position in second, leaving Blohm to hold onto third. Meanwhile, John Wilson was putting on a show, challenging Young for fourth place, eventually making a successful move inside.
By Lap 8, the field was tight and single-file, with the exception of Lowe, who was on a mission, picking off cars one by one as he climbed up the ranks. An intense moment came on Lap 10 when Brennan Myers and Todd Liston had a brief spill in contact, but they quickly regained control, avoiding a caution.
Lowe made his move on Young around Lap 20, taking over fourth as he continued his relentless pursuit of the championship. Negus had established a dominant 1.5-second lead by the race’s quarter mark. Another chaotic situation unfolded on Lap 26, with several cars getting tangled, but again, no caution was thrown.
As the race progressed to Lap 27, Lowe executed a daring maneuver to overtake Blohm, with Ruben Altice and Adam Schoen riding the inside line to follow him past into fourth and fifth positions, relegating Blohm back to sixth.
The competition heated up on Lap 34 as Lowe and Altice both zipped by Jewell to take second and third, with Jewell losing ground to fourth. By halfway, Negus was still leading but Lowe was closing the gap, now about one second behind. The middle pack was showcasing some thrilling racing, with fierce battles for position, while the top five seemed fairly established.
On the final lap, Negus held a firm one second advantage over Lowe, and a commanding five seconds over Altice, locking in the finishing order for Season 29 Round 11. Aiden Young managed to finish in sixth place, but that was enough to secure the coveted Season 29 BRL Late Model Championship!
Looking ahead, the excitement isn’t over as the Season 30 Round 01 of the BRL Late Model Invitational revs up on March 22nd at Martinsville Speedway at 9:10pm ET!
Highlights
🏆 Scott Negus wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 29 Round 11 race at New Smyrna Speedway.
🏆 🏆 Aiden Young is the Season 29 Round 11 Late Model Champion! 🏆 🏆
🚀 Ruben Altice was the biggest mover, gaining 8 spots, racing from 11th to 3rd!
🏁 The race featured only one leader who led all 100 laps: Scott Negus.
Red Light Racing at Southern National
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 13 Race 10
Southern National
March 13, 2025
by Tim Corder
Red Light Racing’s Skitter Creek SK Modifieds drivers circled Southern National Speedway 25 laps more than they usually do on the series’s short tracks on March 13, 2025. The race had 125 scheduled laps instead of the normal 100 laps per event. Eric Stout, for the sixth time of the season, took home the checkered flag. However, the journey to the win was more challenging than the earlier five wins.
AJ Hamel brought the RaceDayCT.com starting grid to the green flag after turning a 13.426 second lap in qualifying. Eric Stout, Ken Allen, Bradley Stefane, and Chad Alcares started 2nd – 5th, all turning in qualifying laps within a tenth of a second of Hamel’s lap.
Hamel held on to the lead until lap 42 when Stefane took over the point on a restart following a yellow flag. The two drivers later tangled on lap 46 when the yellow flag came out as a result of Brian Neff getting loose off of turn four and making contact with Rex Hoyle. Stefane slowed coming out of turn 2 but Hamel, who was following closely, did not slow down in time to avoid contact with Stefane. Stefane spun as a result and rejoined the field in ninth before race control returned him to the lead position for the restart on lap 58.
The event was slowed by a total of seven cautions. Perhaps the most consequential yellow occurred on lap 58 following the aforementioned restart. Hamel and his teammate Stout restarted in second and third behind Stefane. Heading into turn one, the two teammates made contact, sending them both spinning in front of the rest of the field. Several other cars were collected in the melee. Hamel retired from the event following the spin. Stout restarted in 8th place when the green came back out on lap 67. What likely was the winning move of the race, though, was Stout’s decision to take on fresh outside tires during the caution.
With the fresh rubber, Stout climbed back through the field, ultimately taking over the lead for the first time on lap 111. He would not relinquish the point position for the rest of the race. Stefane finished in second place and Kenny Allen completed the podium in third having led 4 laps of the event. Joshua Buckley finished in 4th. In doing so, he won the Hard Charger of the race award as he picked up 12 spots from his 16th place starting position. Brian Bianchi rounded out the top 5 in 5th.
Other notable performances included Stout setting the fastest lap of the race, completing lap 75 in 13.446 seconds. Only two drivers escaped the event without incident points, those being Kenny Allen and Bob Higgins. Higgins finished in 12th, gaining 7 spots from his 19th place starting position.
With yet another win, Stout further solidified his lead in the championship, now 50 points ahead of second place Stefane. Kenny Allen moved up one spot to 3rd in the championship standings. Brian Bianchi also moved up one spot to 4th, and Rex Hoyle fell from third to fifth place.
The series heads to circular Oxford Plains Speedway on March 20th for the 11th race of the season. The green flag drops at 7:55 PM Eastern. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.
BRL Late Model Invitational S29R10 | South Boston Speedway
The excitement was palpable as Bruce Pearson and Chris Davis led the charge at South Boston Speedway for Season 29 Round 10! Pearson wasted no time, blazing ahead at the green, while Davis dove in behind him to snag 2nd place. However, just as the adrenaline peaked, a caution on the backstretch halted the action before the first lap could be completed and would be the nights only official caution.
When the race resumed on Lap 6, Pearson and Davis were back at it, with Pearson showing a strong start. Davis strategically tucked in front of Todd Liston, keeping his 2nd place spot secure as Liston settled into 3rd. By Lap 13, the atmosphere was electric, with Davis fiercely pursuing Pearson, setting himself up for a daring pass for the lead.
Lap 25 saw Davis catching a break; he found room, and the two raced side by side through the turns. Pearson held his ground, leading Lap 26, but Davis tapped into some serious momentum, finally claiming the lead on Lap 27!
As the race neared its halfway point on Lap 31, Liston made his move, challenging Pearson for the 2nd place and successfully passing him on the outside line. With Davis now boasting a two-second cushion over Liston, the battle for the top spots continued to intensify. Aiden Young, keen on breaking into the top three, took on Pearson, but despite several attempts, he struggled to break through Pearson’s defenses.
Lap 68 brought a thrilling showdown as Young and Pearson went toe-to-toe—side by side, and even three wide with a lapped car in the mix! Tension soared as they made slight contact, yet Pearson found a burst of speed on the outside to reclaim his position. But the action didn’t stop there; James Lowe powered his way to 4th and began frightening Pearson on Lap 83. On Lap 84, Lowe found his opening, diving inside Pearson to secure 3rd.
Young wasn’t done yet, though. He took to the outside of Pearson on Lap 88, all while Lowe managed to sweep past Liston to claim 2nd. As the race entered its final laps, Davis showcased his dominance with an impressive five-second lead!
As the checkered flag waved, Chris Davis cruised to victory, finishing almost five seconds ahead of James Lowe, who claimed 2nd place with Todd Liston rounding out the podium in 3rd.
Looking ahead, all eyes will be on the Season 29 finale next week at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, March 15th, at 9:10pm ET. Aiden Young heads into this thrilling conclusion with a 14-point advantage over James Lowe, while Scott Negus sits 26 points back in 3rd. It’s shaping up to be a race for the ages!
Highlights
🏆 Chris Davis wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 29 Round 10 race at South Boston Speedway.
🚀 Donny Moore was the biggest mover, gaining 11 spots, racing from 20th to 9th!
🏁 The race featured two leaders with only one lead change. Chris Davis led 75 laps followed by Bruce Pearson with 25 laps.
Virtual Grip Network 