Ogle Dominates Hickory, Caps Championship Season with Fifth Win in Zach Brewer Classic

Newton, NC – Tom Ogle, the newly crowned Yesteryear Tour Modified Series champion, ended his season in dominant fashion Saturday night, claiming victory in the Zach Brewer Classic at Hickory Motor Speedway. The 250-lap finale marked Ogle’s fifth win of the year, capping off a commanding season as he prepares to be awarded the coveted Old Red Boot championship trophy.

The race carried special meaning as it honored North Carolina Modified standout Zach Brewer, who passed away in 2024. In a touching tribute, Allen Wannamaker piloted Brewer’s familiar No. 79 Hillbilly Racing machine, giving the field extra motivation to put on a strong show in his memory.

The drivers faced a rough, character-filled Hickory surface—a bumpy, under 3/8-mile oval that has long tested the skill and patience of racers. The high-powered Modifieds danced across the worn asphalt, with even minor missteps threatening to upset the cars. From the drop of the green, it was clear that the track’s abrasive surface would be a major factor throughout the night.

Polesitter Scott Negus led the field to green with Ogle alongside and James Lowe starting third. But before a rhythm could form, an early caution on Lap 4 saw Brian Bianchi get loose in a three-wide battle and spin, serving as an early reminder that staying out of trouble would be key.

When racing resumed, Ogle quickly took control and established a steady lead, showing why he’s been the man to beat all season. As the laps wore on, the race became a battle of tire management and pit strategy. Around Lap 50, the first major caution brought nearly the entire lead pack to pit road for right-side tires and fuel. Negus clocked a lightning-fast 11.4-second stop to briefly retake the advantage, though some wondered if he had taken on enough fuel for the long haul. Lowe, meanwhile, lost a couple of spots on pit road in a costly but common example of how razor-thin margins can define the outcome at Hickory.

Through the middle stages, Ogle methodically worked his way back to the front, his car thriving on longer runs. Some drivers gambled by staying out on old tires, including Lowe and Bruce Pearson, but the strategy didn’t pay off. They fell back quickly, opening the door for Ogle and Bianchi to reclaim control of the race.

The complexion of the event changed dramatically on Lap 87 when Rex Hoyle and Torrance Childs made contact, spinning Childs directly in front of Ogle. The champion clipped the spinning car but managed to keep his composure, sustaining only light damage that was repaired on pit road. That pit cycle proved pivotal—Ogle won the race off pit road, while Bianchi jumped from ninth to second, setting up the duel that would define the remainder of the night.

Over the final 100 laps, Bianchi kept the pressure on Ogle, but the Ohio driver remained unshaken. The top two traded lap times within tenths of a second while Jerry Isaacs lurked just behind in third, unable to find a way past Bianchi despite having what appeared to be a quicker car in clean air. “It was so hard to pass,” Isaacs said afterward. “You could try to dive in, but you’d just get loose on entry or exit. I wasn’t going to end the season by wrecking someone.”

Bianchi admitted that the track’s ever-loosening condition made life difficult, saying he brushed the outside wall “about 50 times” trying to hang with Ogle. “It just kept getting freer every lap,” he said. “We only took rights, and by the end, it was all about survival.”

Despite the pressure from behind, Ogle kept his composure, managing the gap to perfection. He took the white flag with a comfortable margin and crossed the line to secure his fifth win of the year—his most impressive yet—bringing home both the race victory and the championship hardware. Behind Ogle, Bianchi earned a hard-fought runner-up finish, followed by Isaacs, Lowe, and Negus rounding out the top five.

Allen Wannamaker’s emotional run in Brewer’s No. 79 ended early after contact, but his tribute resonated deeply with the field and fans alike. Ogle, meanwhile, reflected on his remarkable season with gratitude. “Getting track position early made all the difference,” he said. “Once I was out front, I could pace myself and take care of the tires. Huge thanks to my teammates and to Allen and Torrance for putting on this awesome series.”

As the checkered flag waved over Hickory, the message was clear—Tom Ogle’s season was one for the ages. Five wins, a championship, and a dominant finale at one of short-track racing’s toughest bullrings cemented his place as the driver to beat in the Yesteryear Racing.

Altice Holds Off Lowe to Win Chaos-Filled BRL Late Model “Equator” Race at Lanier

Braselton, Georgia — The Bootleg Racing League’s Late Model Invitational Series hit its season midpoint with a wild and unpredictable showdown at Lanier National Speedway, where chaos, cautions, and tire wear ruled the night. When the dust settled, the ever-calm Rubin Altice delivered a masterclass in composure, leading every lap from the pole and fending off a late charge from points leader James Lowe to capture his first victory of Season 32.

The race marked the “equator” of the eleven-race season — round six, the dividing line between the front and back halves of the championship. Lowe entered the event as the clear favorite after winning four of the first five rounds, holding a narrow lead over Chris Davis in the standings. That lead only widened when Davis failed to make the grid, leaving Lowe free to strengthen his title position with another strong finish.

The field was set by the league’s traditional inversion of the top 13 finishers from the previous race — a format designed to mix things up and force the fast drivers to earn their way forward. The shuffle placed Altice on pole, while Lowe rolled off ninth. Adam Schoen started alongside Lowe, and Todd Liston lined up mid-pack, all with eyes on moving forward in the 100-lap feature. With no tire changes allowed, drivers knew their success would depend on managing grip over a long green-flag run.

When the green flag dropped, Altice immediately took command from the inside lane and never looked back. Behind him, the opening laps were anything but smooth. Allen Wannamaker nearly looped his car off Turn 2 on cold tires, gathering it up just in time to avoid a bigger incident but falling to the rear. Lowe, meanwhile, began carving his way through traffic with surgical patience, jumping from ninth to fifth in the early going without using up his tires.

The action intensified mid-race as Liston, Brennan Myers, and Bruce Pearson traded paint in a hard-fought battle for top-five positions. Lowe took advantage of the chaos to slip by when gaps opened, while Kurt Smith quietly picked his way forward from deep in the field, saving his tires for a late charge. Darryl Wineinger also made steady progress, running just outside the top five and keeping his car clean through the rough middle stages.

The first caution of the night flew after contact between Schoen and Myers triggered a chain reaction that collected John Wilson. Myers sustained right-front damage but managed to stay on the lead lap. The restart that followed reshuffled the order and ignited another round of drama. Altice held firm out front, while Wilson and Wineinger tangled in a hard-fought battle behind them that sent Wilson spinning, bringing out the second yellow.

That set the stage for a tense closing run. Lowe cleared traffic after the restart and began tracking down Altice, cutting into the lead with each lap as the field settled into a sprint to the finish. With ten laps to go, Lowe was glued to Altice’s rear bumper, searching for any opening. Altice, however, never wavered. Running a near-perfect line along the inside curb, he defended every corner with veteran precision.

Lowe tried the high side off Turn 2 in the final laps, but Lanier’s tight confines left him no room to complete the move. Altice held his ground, holding off Lowe by less than half a car length at the checkered flag to score his first win of the season. He later admitted the closing laps “felt like forever,” adding that he wasn’t sure he could’ve held Lowe off for another five.

Kurt Smith completed the podium after a patient and consistent drive from 13th, avoiding trouble and making his move late to secure third. John Wilson rebounded to finish fourth after his earlier spin, and Wineinger rounded out the top five with another solid run.

The win was a statement for Rubin Altice, who proved that calm execution can still trump chaos in the Bootleg Racing League. For James Lowe, the runner-up finish extended his championship advantage as the Late Model Invitational Series crossed its midpoint and headed into the backstretch run.

Isaacs Dominates Late at Atlanta as Ogle Locks Up Championship

Atlanta, GA— The OBRL Yester Year Tour Modified Series delivered one of its most grueling strategic tests of the season at Atlanta, and Jerry Isaacs rose to the occasion. After a relentless, full-distance 100-lap green flag battle, Isaacs executed a perfectly clean pit stop cycle and commanded the bottom lane over the closing laps to score his first win of the season — while Tom Ogle backed up his championship campaign with a deliberate, championship-minded second place finish that effectively sealed his path to the coveted “old red boot”.

The night began with major stakes. Double points were in play and Ogle entered the event with a 30-point cushion over primary rival Brian Johnson. Johnson came out swinging, taking the pole and controlling the entire first half of the race. Track conditions made tire conservation borderline desperate — this historic Atlanta layout chews up front tires and punishes excess wheel input — forcing most of the field to lock into long-run survival mode on a night where no cautions slowed the tempo.

When the green flag pit cycle began around halfway, everything flipped. The lead group attempted to hit pit road together, but several drivers — including Johnson, who had led every lap up to that moment — were penalized for pit road violations. Johnson’s black flag buried him multiple laps down, and with it went any realistic shot at the championship. Isaacs, Ogle, and Todd Liston executed flawless stops, merging cleanly into the lead draft with clear track ahead.

The race then tightened into one final chess match: Isaacs and Ogle worked the inside groove with discipline, while Liston and Scott Negus repeatedly tried to build momentum topside. Negus made multiple attempts to slingshot the high lane into contention, even leading brief attacks late, but the bottom lane simply carried too much speed down the straights. Ogle refused to move off the preferred line, knowing P2 under these conditions would lock down his season. He committed himself to ensuring Isaacs stayed in front, staying tucked behind him and never giving Negus the side draft runway needed to make a sustained charge.

Isaacs never cracked under pressure. Running flawlessly along the white line and never offering the outside lane an opening, he held the bottom all the way to the checkers to grab a statement win in one of the most mentally demanding races of the season. Ogle crossed right behind him in second — and with Johnson finishing two laps down in P13 — Ogle now heads to Hickory as a mere formality before taking home the championship title and legendary “Old Red Boot” trophy.

Foltz Captures OBRL YesterYear Cup Championship at Phoenix in Strategy-Driven Finale

Avondale, AZ — After 35 races and 4,777 total laps logged this season, the OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup crowned its new champion Saturday night in a 175-lap finale at Phoenix Raceway. In a race defined by tire conservation, pit execution, and long green-flag segments, Sean Foltz sealed the deal and clinched the championship, using a perfectly timed green-flag pit call to out-maneuver early dominator Andrew Kotska and overcome a costly pit mistake from James Hislop.

The final four championship contenders were Foltz, Hislop, Kotska, and Jerry Isaacs — and it was Kotska who rolled in with momentum. He set quick time, earned the pole, and immediately established control of the event, reinforcing his reputation as a Phoenix specialist. Isaacs’ title fight took an early hit, however, when he was forced to serve a green-flag pass-through penalty on lap one, dropping him nearly a lap down before even settling into race rhythm.

The race settled into the long-run Phoenix environment everyone expected. Hislop was smooth and steady while running the top lane with precision, and Foltz quietly kept himself within striking range while focusing on managing tire life rather than attacking early. The first caution arrived just before the race reached the 50-lap mark when Tommy Emasie, on fresh tires and closing rapidly on Dave Matson, made contact and sent Matson hard into the outside wall — a break that allowed Isaacs to climb back onto the lead lap.

On the subsequent restart, Kotska dramatically lost clean air and found himself locked in a fierce battle with Cortney Nelson, who surged to the lead for several laps. Unfortunately, Nelson’s bid to stay at the front ended in heartbreak — contact with the wall caused front suspension damage severe enough to force him backward through the field shortly after.

As the race crossed halfway, pit timing and tire delta became the entire difference maker. Foltz waited patiently, then committed to his call — short pitting two laps earlier than his title rivals. It was the turning point of the season. While Foltz maximized his out laps, both Kotska and Hislop struggled: Kotska barely missed his pit mark and had to reset, and Hislop’s overshoot was far more costly, forcing him to back up significantly in the box and losing multiple positions during the cycle.

When green flag stops completed, Foltz emerged with more than four seconds of advantage — a margin he defended with discipline in the closing run. Kotska and Hislop both chipped away at the deficit inside the final 15 laps, but damage and dirty air stalled the run. Hislop mounted one final push and closed the lead down to a single second with three laps remaining, but the math — and the laps — simply ran out.

Sean Foltz crossed the stripe to win the Phoenix finale and secure the OBRL YesterYear Cup Championship — a title won not on raw pace, but on a decisive strategic strike at exactly the right moment.

Kotska completed an impressive season turnaround by finishing third in the finale, while Isaacs clawed back for a top-six finish despite his early penalty. But this night belonged to Foltz — whose patience, timing, and execution delivered a champion’s closing statement.

Chris Davis Triumphs at Oswego, Ends James Lowe’s Bid for Perfect BRL Season

Oswego, NY – Chris Davis delivered under pressure in Round 5 of the Bootleg Racing League’s Late Model Invitational Series at Oswego Speedway, scoring his first win of the season and officially ending the perfect season streak attempt of points leader James Lowe. Coming into the night, Lowe had been undefeated through the first four races, but Oswego has historically been one of his tougher venues, and his flawless run finally came to an end.

The starting grid was set by the finishing order of the previous event, placing veteran Steve Hilbert on the pole. Allen Wannamaker elected to start from pit road. Hilbert got a strong launch to begin the 100-lap feature, but the opening lap immediately erupted into a major multi-car incident in Turns 3 and 4. John Wilson, Mike Holloway, Kurt Smith, and Chris Davis all became tangled in the chaos — but Lowe, starting deep in the order, showed the poise that put him atop the standings. He got hard on the brakes, waited for the smoke to clear, and navigated through the mess, jumping seven spots and putting himself right into early contention.

Once the race settled, Hilbert settled into a steady rhythm at the front, leading for 32 laps while holding off multiple pressure waves behind him. As the field began to compress mid-race, the battle for the lead intensified. Davis, who had rallied forward from 11th, worked his way into the top three, while Lowe climbed into second. In a pivotal three-wide fight entering Turn 1, Davis drove low underneath Hilbert, making contact that sent Hilbert spinning into the outside wall and forcing another caution.

The restart placed Davis and Lowe side-by-side. Davis grabbed command and the duel for the win was fully on — but the perfect season machine suddenly looked vulnerable. Lowe’s earlier contact resulted in a bent nose that hindered his handling, giving Davis just enough margin to hold firm. Meanwhile, Tre Blohm put on one of the biggest charges of the race. Starting 15th, he stormed through the field with the fastest lap of the night (19.252) and powered into the top three. He managed to muscle by Lowe, shrinking Davis’s lead down to half a second in the closing laps, but his tires finally surrendered with eight laps remaining and the forward drive evaporated.

A late caution involving Allen Wannamaker and Mike Holloway sent the race into a single Green-White-Checker shootout. Davis executed cleanly, while Adam Schoen made a final-lap surge to second. But before the field could mount one final strike, Rubin Altice spun, freezing the order and ending the race under yellow. Chris Davis crossed the line first, scoring the signature breakthrough win of his season — and the one that finally put a stop to Lowe’s perfect run.

Davis took the victory after starting 11th. Adam Schoen finished second, and James Lowe brought it home third. Tre Blohm’s charge ended with a fourth-place result after torching his right side tires late, while Ryan Senneker completed a standout run through the field from last on the grid to finish fifth.

Post-race, Davis admitted the final laps were nerve-wracking knowing Lowe was coming, but he was relieved to break through cleanly and confirmed he had escaped the opening chaos with no major damage — a stroke of luck that allowed him to save his equipment for the end. Davis’s win also activates another Mission 22 donation — $122 — tied to his season-long personal pledge in honor of his son recently earning Captain rank in the U.S. Army. Lowe, meanwhile, said he was satisfied salvaging third, comparing his night to feeling like a “ping-pong ball,” but happy simply to get Oswego behind him.

The BRL Late Model Series now shifts to Lanier National Speedway as Season 32 continues.

Shepherd Dominates Thompson to Clinch Inaugural YYR IROC Series Championship

Thompson, CT — J R Shepherd, known across the YesterYear Racing paddock as “Short Track Voldemort,” capped off a commanding campaign in the YYR IROC Racing Series by claiming both the race victory and the season championship in the finale at Thompson Speedway. Shepherd’s win marked his second triumph of the season and sealed the deal on a title battle that pitted him against rival Danger Josh Robinson, who finished second in both the race and the final points standings.

The Thompson showdown wrapped up the four-race series — a spirited homage to the 1985 International Race of Champions. The unique format brought together drivers from four different iRacing leagues, all competing in equally prepared Cadillac coupes. The result was a chaotic, entertaining, and decidedly unorthodox form of short track racing that left fans and drivers alike grinning. The prize? A championship bottle of whiskey from Garage Oil Spirits — fitting for a season that combined grit, luck, and a splash of chaos.

With no qualifying sessions, the starting grid was inverted based on points. Championship leader J R Shepherd rolled off 11th (last), while his closest pursuer Josh Robinson started just ahead in 10th. That inversion guaranteed early drama, and the cold tires of the Cadillacs ensured it would arrive quickly.

Jeff Aho grabbed the early lead from Bruce Pearson, but the stability of the rear-wheel-drive luxo-barges was short-lived. Tom Ogle, whom the series AI had pegged as a dark horse favorite, got loose off Turn 2, slammed the inside wall, and needed a tow — ending his night almost before it began. Moments later, Pearson and Christian Loschen spun in unison, bringing out the race’s first caution — the first yellow flag seen in the entire series after three clean rounds.

This early caution split strategies wide open. Shepherd and Robinson immediately dove to pit road to top off their fuel, anticipating a long green run to the end. The move proved pivotal. As Shepherd later explained, “That first stop gave us all the fuel we’d need. Once I realized others hadn’t come in, I knew they’d be in trouble later.”

Once racing resumed, Aho dominated, maintaining control through the first half of the 150-lap event. Behind him, attrition was mounting. Brian Bianchi brushed the wall multiple times before one final hit ended his night, trimming the field to single digits.

While Aho appeared untouchable up front, Shepherd and Robinson quietly stalked from mid-pack, both balancing fuel and tire management while also eyeing critical bonus points for laps led. The system awarded five points for the most laps led, three for second-most, and two for third — small numbers that could make or break a championship.

By Lap 75, Aho had led every circuit, locking in the maximum bonus and leaving Shepherd and Robinson to battle for the remaining points. As the race progressed, the two title contenders began slicing through the field, working the high line and eventually closing in on Aho’s bumper.

The turning point came when Aho made his green-flag pit stop, opting for four new tires. But his hopes unraveled instantly — John Wilson got loose, and he spun on corner exit, bringing out the caution and locking Aho a lap down and ending his shot at victory despite leading the first half of the race.

Moments later, Shepherd and Robinson hit pit road in unison, with the championship — and race — hanging in the balance. Shepherd played it safe, taking four tires and fuel. Robinson gambled, taking only two tires to gain track position. The move briefly gave Robinson a 10-second edge leaving pit road — but it didn’t last.

The two-tire strategy proved disastrous. The cold tires refused to bite, and Robinson’s Cadillac plowed like “a dump truck,” slamming the wall and losing all momentum. He fell behind both Shepherd and Todd Liston, watching his gamble unravel in seconds. Robinson later described it as “braking into a left turn that never wanted to end.”

With Robinson’s pace crippled, Shepard inherited the lead and never looked back. True to form, the veteran remained laser-focused, managing his tires and clicking off laps with precision. His lead stabilized around 1.5 seconds over Robinson, who could only watch as the title slipped away.

When the checkered flag waved, Shepherd crossed the line to take his second win of the season — and the first-ever YYR IROC Championship. The finish solidified Shepard’s reputation as one of the most disciplined short-track racers in sim racing today.

Post-race, Shepard reflected on the unique challenge of the series: “That car wasn’t meant to do what we just did, but that’s what made it fun. The early pit call made all the difference.”

Robinson, gracious in defeat, admitted his risky call was his only play: “We had to try something. Two tires was a gamble, and it bit us, but you can’t win a championship without swinging for it.”

Todd Liston, who rounded out the podium, praised the concept of the IROC revival: “These Cadillacs were wild. Everyone had to adapt — no setups, no comfort zones. It was a blast.”

The YYR IROC Series will return for Season 2 in 2026, with organizers hinting at a new lineup of classic machinery and tracks. But for now, J R Shepherd stands alone at the top — the undisputed IROC champion of YesterYear Racing.

Hislop Dominates Martinsville, Punches Ticket to Phoenix Finale in Clutch Performance

Martinsville, VA — The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series rolled into Martinsville Speedway for the final playoff race of the round of 8 in the 2025 playoffs — a grueling 180-lap showdown that would determine who would advance to the Phoenix championship finale. The flat half-mile paperclip lived up to its reputation for punishing both patience and equipment, but on this night, it was all about one man: James Hislop, who entered the race 23 points below the cut line and needed nothing short of a win to stay alive. He did exactly that, delivering a masterclass in control, tire management, and timing to dominate from start to finish.

Coming into Martinsville, Sean Foltz and Jerry Isaacs were already locked into the finale thanks to prior playoff victories. Andrew Kotska carried an 18-point cushion above the cut line, while Tom Ogle clung to the final transfer spot by just six points over Daniel Hill, who ultimately failed to make the grid.

On the front row, Roger Hurley and Hislop set the tone early, while Ogle and Cortney Nelson lined up just behind them. For Ogle, the mission was simple — survive, stay clean, and hope circumstances fell his way.

From the drop of the green, the race settled into a steady, green-flag rhythm — a rarity at Martinsville. Hislop wasted little time stalking Hurley, finally taking command around Lap 16 with a bold move into Turn 1 that included just enough contact to make it memorable. Hurley’s car began to fade as Hislop pulled away, and before long, the #92 was setting a blistering pace at the front.

With long runs taking shape, tire conservation became the theme of the night. The outer groove grew treacherous with marbles, forcing drivers to hug the curbs and tiptoe through traffic. Hislop, ever calm, managed his tires to perfection, keeping Hurley and the rest of the field well behind.

By Lap 77, pit strategy loomed large. The consensus was clear — split the race roughly in half with a stop near Lap 90. Jerry Isaacs was among the first to blink, triggering a wave of pit activity. But timing proved cruel for some. Just as the cycle began, a caution flew after Dwayne MacArthur, Todd Cousins, and Isaacs tangled amid the chaos of fresh tires and heavy lap traffic.

The caution flipped the script. Some drivers caught the yellow perfectly, while others were trapped on track or down laps. The unluckiest of all was Tom Ogle, who had stayed out in hopes of a wave-around. Instead, he found himself two laps down after narrowly missing the pace car — a brutal twist that effectively ended his playoff hopes.

The final 25 laps were vintage Martinsville — elbows out, tempers flaring, and cautions breeding cautions. Hislop, however, looked untouchable. Each restart saw him launch flawlessly from the control position, building immediate breathing room while chaos erupted behind him.

At one point, Sean Foltz rolled the dice by staying out on older tires, briefly taking the lead before Hislop muscled back past. Meanwhile, McArthur and Cousins engaged in a fierce scrap for the Lucky Dog, with McArthur ultimately prevailing to regain the lead lap.

Greg McDaniel, who had been a serious threat early, faded dramatically past Lap 99 after overdriving the car. His night ended in heartbreak with a late spin on Lap 174 that relegated him to P20 — ending his championship aspirations.

The race’s conclusion came under a one-shot Green-White-Checker finish, extending the race to 181 laps. Hislop delivered one final statement, nailing the restart and immediately gapping the field. Behind him, Hurley and Chris Bates waged an intense fight for second, but neither had anything for the leader.

Hislop crossed the line unchallenged, completing a wire-to-wire masterpiece and punching his ticket to the Phoenix championship finale.

For Hislop, the win was the product of preparation and precision. “I probably ran about a thousand laps in practice this week,” he said. “I knew exactly what I needed out of the car tonight.”

Hurley, who finished second, credited his steady approach: “Don’t look in the mirror — hit your marks. That’s the only way to survive Martinsville.”

Bates, who surged from 15th to third, was candid in victory lane: “I messed up qualifying, plain and simple. I needed a yellow to have a shot, and somehow I got one.”

Rounding out the top five were Brian Lynch and Dwayne McArthur, both mounting impressive comebacks after being a lap down earlier in the race. Kotska’s steady 6th-place effort appeared enough to clinch the final playoff spot, while Ogle’s 12th-place result left him agonizingly short of the cut.

With Martinsville in the books, the OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series now sets its sights on Phoenix Raceway, where four drivers will battle for the 2025 championship crown in the desert.

Lowe Extends Perfect Season Streak in Caution-Free Las Vegas Thriller

Las Vegas, NV — James Lowe continued his unprecedented run of perfection in the Bootleg Racing League’s Late Model Invitational Series, claiming victory in Round 4 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor. Lowe’s win marks his fourth consecutive victory to start Season 32. The race, which took place on Saturday night, October 25th, 2025, went the full distance of 100 laps entirely under green flag conditions, frustrating drivers who rely on cautions to close gaps.

The BRL’s “baker’s dozen” grid inversion doctrine once again forced the series champion and points leader, James Lowe, to start deep in the field—12th position, specifically. This format, a hallmark of Bootleg Racing League competition, keeps things interesting by rewarding consistency and giving fans a show as the fastest drivers work their way through the pack. It’s a system that ensures every lap matters and that even early-season dominance doesn’t make things predictable. Mike Holloway, 17th in points, was the beneficiary of the invert, starting on the pole position alongside Tom Hilbert. Despite predictions that passing would be tough at the Bullring, the early action proved surprisingly easy.

Holloway’s pole position start was short-lived. Early in the race, Ruben Altice, “the quiet man,” quickly utilized the inside line to move up, securing second place and then passing Holloway for the lead. Altice, who has a couple of victories in his career, is typically notorious for starting in the back, making his early run to the front unusual. While Altice maintained the lead, James Lowe began his steady march forward, climbing four spots by Lap 6. Chris Davis, starting in 11th, was the biggest early mover, advancing six positions.

Davis, known as “Mr. Aggressive,” then turned his focus on Altice. Davis worked both the inside and outside of the track, pushing hard to get around Altice cleanly, admitting later he did so to avoid being stuck between Altice and Lowe. Altice, noted for racing his line without being aggressive or “ugly,” yielded, and Davis claimed the lead around the 20-lap mark, immediately setting the fastest lap of the race.

By the time the race reached roughly one-third distance, Lowe had caught up to the back of Altice and soon dispatched the quiet man to claim second place. The stage was then set for a lengthy, clean duel between Lowe and Davis for the victory. As the race passed the halfway point (Lap 56), Davis began to show signs of tire wear, getting “wiggly” and loose. Davis confessed post-race that he had pushed too hard early on, burning up his right front tires, whereas Lowe did a much better job of saving his equipment.

The battle intensified around Lap 65, with Lowe sticking closely to Davis. Davis used his car’s sideways slide to take up horizontal track real estate, making Lowe’s path difficult. They bumped, banged, and slugged each other during their fight. Lowe attempted an early pass, but backed off to avoid taking Davis out, waiting several more laps before trying again.

Lowe finally made the pass stick around Lap 80. Lowe got side-by-side with Davis, forcing his nose underneath. Although Davis attempted a block, Lowe powered through and took the lead for good. From there, Lowe pulled away as Davis continued to struggle with his handling, admitting his car was “drifting” heavily.

A major narrative point throughout the broadcast was the lack of a caution flag. Aiden Young, who is fast and notorious for saving his equipment, needed a yellow flag to bunch up the field and utilize his fresh tires, but the yellow never appeared. Similarly, pole sitter Mike Holloway, confirmed to be the real driver, finally found speed late in the race but it was “too little too late.”

James Lowe secured the win, maintaining his perfect 4-0 season start. Chris Davis and Ruben Altice rounded out the podium, followed by John Wilson, “The Canadian Goose,” and Kurt Smith to complete the top five. Kyle Feimster had an impressive run, climbing from 13th to finish sixth. Aiden Young finished 10th, and Alan Wannamaker, who had a great run early, fell back to 12th. Due to the grid inversion, Steve Hilbert (who finished 13th) will start on the pole next week.

Lowe noted after the race that his strategy is simply “trying to get as low as fast as I can,” while crediting Davis for racing him clean and hard: “He was doing everything he had to do to keep me behind him.” Davis, who will donate $22 to Mission 22 for his second-place finish, admitted his biggest mistake was pushing too hard early to get around Altice, which cost him his tires in the closing laps. He praised the respect between himself and Lowe, saying, “A bump doesn’t mean that you know someone’s going to spin.” Altice, who finished third, shared that his plan after taking the lead was to ride and save tires, but he “didn’t have enough to hold them off” once Lowe and Davis came calling. Altice also revealed his unique hobby: slot car drag racing, where cars can reach over 100 mph actual speed in 0.3 seconds on tracks up to 55 feet long.

The BRL Late Model Series moves next week to Oswego Speedway on Saturday, November 1st.

Lowe Outsmarts Ogle in YesterYear Classic at Martinsville

Martinsville, VA — The YesterYear Racing Tour Modified Series returned to one of the sport’s most iconic short tracks for Round 13 of Season 2, the YesterYear Classic at Martinsville Speedway. The 150-lap event, steeped in 1966 nostalgia, featured the full throwback treatment — unlimited tires, no “lucky dog” passes, and no “fast repairs.” It was pure, old-school short track chaos, where precision and patience meant as much as horsepower. When the dust finally settled, James Lowe outsmarted points leader Tom Ogle in a masterclass of defensive driving and strategy to take the win.

The field of 17 roared to life on the tight half-mile paperclip, with polesitter Jerry Isaacs leading them to green alongside Lowe on the outside. But before the first lap was in the books, calamity struck. Coming off Turn 4, Brian Neff got too high on corner exit, causing a chain reaction pile-up that sent Todd Liston’s #87 machine flipping down the frontstretch in spectacular fashion. Though heavily damaged and multiple laps down, Liston refused to quit, continuing to turn laps in true YesterYear spirit, hoping attrition might bring him back into the fight.

After the restart, Ogle quickly worked his way forward from the second row. By Lap 12, he had powered underneath Isaacs to take the lead, showing the same poise and racecraft that has kept him atop the points standings all season. Chris Davis made an early charge through the field as well with some daring, if not a little overly aggressive, moves on the outside line. But aggression came at a cost — on Lap 40, Davis’s race ended abruptly when Robert Guarisco spun in Turn 4, collecting him and sending his modified hard into the inside wall.

That caution triggered the first major round of pit stops. Ogle, Isaacs, and Kenny Allen all opted for fresh right-side tires, gambling they could make it to the finish on that set. Lowe, however, rolled the dice and stayed out, inheriting the race lead. The call proved pivotal. Although Ogle’s new rubber quickly allowed him to retake the top spot, Lowe’s decision set him up perfectly for the strategy battle that would unfold in the race’s second half. Meanwhile, Scott Negus — quiet but methodical — began working his way up from 15th, living up to the league’s AI “Hubble” prediction that had pegged him as a sleeper for a podium finish.

A second caution flew just past halfway when Chris Haizlip looped his car in Turn 4. This time, most of the front-runners, including Ogle, came in for another set of right-sides, hitting what teams called the “magical number” for tire longevity. Allen stayed out on slightly older rubber, explaining that he needed to “do something opposite of Tom” if he hoped to cut into Ogle’s championship lead. The strategy mix shuffled the field, putting Ogle mid-pack for the restart. His march back toward the front was nearly derailed moments later when Allen spun in the lead group on Lap 82, collecting Isaacs and Torrance Childs. Ogle escaped with minor contact, but Isaacs and Childs weren’t so lucky — both suffered terminal damage, ending their nights early.

From that point on, the race became a two-man showdown between Lowe and Ogle. Lowe inherited the lead on the restart and never relinquished it, holding off constant pressure from the championship leader. Ogle’s newer tires gave him an edge in corner grip, allowing him to close in through the turns, but Martinsville’s narrow inside groove made passing nearly impossible. Lowe kept his machine planted to the curb, hitting every apex perfectly and launching off the corners with just enough traction to stay in front. Lap after lap, Ogle searched for a way around, but Lowe’s composure under fire was flawless.

Behind them, Negus capped off a superb drive to third after starting deep in the field, while Allen recovered from his earlier spin to finish fourth. Robert Guarisco turned in a solid effort to round out the top five after keeping his car clean through the night’s early chaos. Points contender Brian Johnson quietly climbed nine spots to finish seventh, continuing to put in consistent performances.

In the end, Lowe’s strategic brilliance and unshakable calm under pressure earned him the YesterYear Classic victory, leading 69 of the 150 laps. Ogle settled for second but extended his championship advantage with another strong run, while Negus’s podium confirmed his emergence as one of the tour’s most consistent late-season threats. Nine of the 17 starters finished on the lead lap in a race that showcased everything the YesterYear Racing Tour stands for — grit, racecraft, and a little bit of luck. The series now turns its attention to the old Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the championship battle is set to intensify even further.

Isaacs Answers the Bell, Wins Big at Talladega

Talladega Superspeedway, AL – The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series thundered into the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway for 100 grueling laps in Round 34 of the 2025 season, where pit strategy, playoff pressure, and late-race chaos combined to deliver one of the most dramatic finishes of the year. The night carried special meaning, as the league paid tribute to the family of Christian Loschen, observing a silent lap in memory of his younger brother, who passed away unexpectedly. The OBRL and Virtual Grip Network extended their condolences to the Loschen family.

For Jerry Isaacs, the night began with heavy weight on his shoulders. Entering the race 22 points below the playoff cut line, Isaacs knew that only a win would be enough to keep his championship hopes alive. Daniel “The Black Cat” Hill, also on the outside looking in, started from the pole after securing the fastest qualifying lap, with Isaacs lining up alongside him on the front row. Mark Fisch, the 2025 Daytona 500 winner, rolled off seventh and looked confident at another superspeedway where drafting would be everything.

From the drop of the green flag, drivers played it cautious, staying in line and avoiding the early “Talladega heroics” that so often end in disaster. Isaacs wasted little time making his move, taking the lead from Hill around Lap 12 and settling into a steady rhythm up front. Behind them, the early green-flag run immediately caught out a few contenders. Roger Hurley and playoff hopeful Dwayne McArthur lost the draft by Lap 15, with McArthur’s night ending prematurely after his engine expired on Lap 28—a costly mistake after following too closely in the draft and overheating his motor. The blown engine earned him the night’s Hard Luck Award.

As the laps ticked away, pit strategy became the defining factor. With tire wear and fuel range both in play, teams estimated at least one full service stop would be needed to reach the finish. The window opened around Lap 37, and chaos erupted when Todd Cousins spun entering pit road under green-flag conditions. Isaacs, Andrew Kotska, and Fisch stayed clean through the melee, maintaining their advantage as the field cycled through stops.

Once pit stops sorted out, Isaacs and Kotska linked up in a flawless two-car tandem that quickly pulled away from the field. Their smooth coordination opened up a gap of more than seven seconds over the disorganized second pack, which struggled to form an efficient draft. Daniel Hill continued to battle connection issues—“blinking” in and out of view—which forced him to briefly drop from the lead group before stabilizing later in the race.

The night stayed remarkably clean until Lap 78, when the first major yellow waved after Lloyd Moore spun on the backstretch following contact from Sean Foltz. The caution proved critical, as it brought Hurley back to the lead lap after spending most of the night trapped one down.

The restart with 11 laps remaining reignited the intensity, but trouble struck again just a few laps later when Moore was involved in a second incident, clipping Greg Hammond and sending him into the wall. That set up one final restart with seven laps to go—exactly what Isaacs didn’t want to see, and precisely what the fans did.

When the green flag waved for the final time, Isaacs and Kotska held the bottom lane with precision, while Mark Fisch and Bill Martin tried to build momentum up high. Fred Wolford III led the charge on the outside after climbing from 15th on the grid, but the upper groove couldn’t generate enough speed to challenge the leaders. On the white flag lap, the top four stayed single file, and Isaacs executed a flawless final stretch, taking the checkered flag and clinching his first victory of the season.

It was a storybook moment for Isaacs, who not only earned redemption but secured his place in the Championship Four. Kotska crossed the line second, capping off a dominant one-two finish for the teammates, with Fisch rounding out the podium in third.

After climbing out of the virtual car, Isaacs was quick to credit his teammate: “That second pit stop had me sweating, but Andrew is the best pusher on iRacing—probably one of the most selfless teammates out there. I wouldn’t be in the Championship Four without him.” Kotska echoed that sentiment, confirming the plan had been to stick together no matter what. “I told Jerry I was staying on his bumper to the end,” he said. “The goal was simple—get a teammate locked into Phoenix.”

Mark Fisch praised his steady approach and pit execution, saying, “I thought about going high late, but it just wasn’t working like it usually does. Sticking with Jerry and Andrew was the right move.”

With the win, Isaacs erased his deficit and punched his ticket to the championship finale at Phoenix Raceway. As the OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series heads to Martinsville next week for the final race before the title decider, the playoff picture is clearer than ever—and Jerry Isaacs’ comeback story just became the one to watch.