MVRL ARCA SERIES S1 R12 Recap
Michael Seals Championship in Wild Michigan Finale
The final round of the MVRL ARCA Series Season 1 brought drivers to the high-speed oval of Michigan International Speedway, but the drama kicked off well before the green flag dropped. Points leader James Lehman was absent — for good reason — as he and his wife were at the hospital awaiting the birth of their child. With no provisional points and no drop races available, Lehman’s championship lead was suddenly up for grabs, and the title hunt exploded wide open.
Qualifying Chaos and a Quick Shake-Up
The night began with a frantic qualifying session, setting the tone for a wild finale. Jack “Killer” Watts grabbed the early advantage, leading the opening lap, but William “Red Alert” Kirk quickly took control before the field could even settle in.
It didn’t take long for the action to escalate. A multi-car spin off turn two brought out the first caution, scattering the field and shaking up the running order. Justin Michael surged forward, while Charlie Widner rocketed from 18th to 7th, setting himself up as a dark horse in the title picture.
At the stage break, the entire field headed to pit road — but the strategies couldn’t have been more varied. Christopher Howell and Zack Saunders pitted early, while Justin Michael surprised everyone by making a quick stop on lap 10 and then pitting again later, clearly prioritizing fuel over a full tire change. It was a bold move, and with the long green flag runs Michigan is known for, it could’ve gone either way.
Meanwhile, others pushed their equipment to the limit. The Groover brothers were aggressive early, using every bit of tire to gain positions — but risking longevity in the process.
Mid-Race Mayhem: Aggression Boils Over
Justin Michael eventually cycled into the lead, but it didn’t last long. Charles Widner, trying to make something happen, side-drafted Howell aggressively, sending him spinning and bringing out another caution. Most of the field pitted again, this time topping off on fuel, while others tried to hold track position.
As the race resumed, Gary Offutt briefly grabbed the lead before Michael returned to the front. The action intensified in the final 30 laps as Scott Patton, Brad Slagel, and Michael Milfelt all began to claw their way into the fight.
Slagel’s night took a hit when he lost the rear off turn two and spun into the outside wall, while Widner kept pressing hard, closing the gap on the leaders as tire wear began to show. A series of small mistakes and off-track excursions from Howell, Saunders, and Milfelt gradually removed them from contention — all of which played perfectly into Michael’s patient strategy.
Tire Strategy: Risk, Reward, and Recovery
Tire management proved to be absolutely critical. With a limited number of sets and a long fuel window, many drivers opted to take fuel only, hoping for a late-race caution to bolt on a fresh set for a final push. Michael’s unconventional strategy — pitting early and focusing on track position — could have ended in disaster. He even spun off the apron early in the race, miraculously avoiding both the grass and the wall, and was able to rejoin without damage.
The track itself played a role in saving several drivers. Michigan’s wide racing surface and paved apron gave spinning cars room to recover without terminal damage, a luxury that wouldn’t have existed at a place like Pocono or Darlington.
As the field thinned and the rubber wore thin, drivers with a little extra tire left in the bank began to close. But the clean air Michael had worked so hard to maintain proved crucial, and with Widner and Patton pushing behind him, he held firm up front.
Final-Lap Fireworks and a Championship Clinched
The closing laps were filled with tension. Scott Patton gave Michael everything he had, pulling alongside in turns one and two and taking a look under him on the backstretch. But Michael held the line, managed the draft, and stayed cool under pressure.
Behind them, Widner was making one last push, trying to overtake Slagel for third and potentially steal the title if things broke his way. He would ultimately come up just short. Patton faded on the final lap, and Michael crossed the line in first — claiming both the race victory and the championship.
Widner finished fourth, locking up second in the standings, while Milfelt, who had entered the night with a mathematical shot at the title, was eliminated from contention after an off-track incident. Kirk, Watts, and Offutt all had solid drives but were out of the title picture by the final stint.
Final Thoughts
With the unexpected twist of James Lehman missing the finale, the championship was anything but decided heading into Michigan — and it showed. Tire wear, fuel gambles, caution timing, and even a bit of good old-fashioned luck played massive roles in shaping the outcome.
Justin Michael’s early spin could’ve ended his night. Instead, it became the turning point in his miraculous recovery and eventual title-clinching win. And with a new champion crowned and a new baby in the Lehman household, the MVRL ARCA Series closed out its inaugural season in dramatic, unforgettable fashion.
OBRL CUP SERIES S8 R16 Recap
15 June 2025
OBRL Presented by VCTRYLNSPRTS | Season 8 | Round 16
YesterYear Cup Series | Kentucky Speedway
The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series rolled into Kentucky Speedway for round 16 of the season, and what unfolded was one of the most unpredictable and strategy-heavy races of the year — all thanks to the debut of a brand-new tire model that left teams and drivers guessing from green flag to checkers.
From the drop of the green, it was clear this race wouldn’t follow the usual script. Tom Ogle slowed dramatically on the outside lane, bunching up the field and allowing Andrew Kotska to make a quick jump through traffic. But by lap 9, chaos had already erupted. Lloyd Moore lost control off turn four, spinning across the track and collecting Chris Bates in the process. Bates, who came in flirting with the playoff cutoff, saw his night go up in smoke far too early. Despite the drama, few cars opted to pit — likely banking on durability and long-run strategy with the new tires.
Cortney Nelson was the class of the field early. He took command before the first set of green flag stops, stretching his lead with surgical precision. The new tire model gave him an edge — until it didn’t. Around lap 37, Jerry Isaacs was battling for second when he lost the rear end and scraped the wall, prompting an early green flag stop. Just a few laps later, Nelson himself got loose exiting the backstretch. He spun down pit road, made an illegal entry, and had to serve a costly penalty that erased his dominant start.
That opened the door for defending champion Josh Robinson, who had quietly worked his way forward. He took over the lead just as the first round of scheduled pit stops began around lap 50. Behind him, Andrew Kotska tried to play the long game, staying out in hopes of catching a caution to get back on the lead lap — but that gamble backfired. On lap 78, he clipped the outside wall and had to pit, dropping him even farther behind. Not long after, James Hislop — who needed a win to keep his championship hopes alive — spun through the grass and also made an illegal pit entry, earning a lap penalty of his own.
As the race transitioned into its second half, the intensity ramped up. Worn tires and tight packs made every lap a test of patience. Just after lap 110, a lap car spun out, bringing out a much-needed caution. While several mid-pack drivers pitted for fresh tires, the leaders — including Robinson and a rebounding Nelson — stayed out. And that set the stage for a white-knuckle finish.
With ten to go, Robinson was stalking Nelson, who was beginning to struggle for grip on the corner exits. With five laps left, the pass came — clean and clinical. Robinson moved to the inside, got the run, and cleared Nelson down the backstretch. Nelson, desperate to respond, pushed hard — maybe too hard — and spun once more, sealing the victory for Robinson.
When the checkered flag waved, it was Josh Robinson standing tall with another win, reminding the field why he wears the crown. Nelson, despite the spin, still managed a strong showing, but his race was defined by what might have been. Jerry Isaacs and Tom Ogle rounded out the top five after navigating the tire wear and pit strategy puzzle better than most.
In the end, Kentucky reminded everyone just how challenging sim racing can be when new variables get thrown into the mix. The tire model kept things fresh, strategy mattered more than ever, and tire management separated the contenders from the pretenders.
With just a few rounds left before the playoffs, this one will be remembered as a turning point in the season — and a signature win for Robinson.
BRL OUTLAWS S39 R11 Recap
14 June 2025
Bootleg Racing League | Season 39 | Round 11
Outlaw Modified Series | New Smyrna Speedway
The lights were bright over New Smyrna Speedway for the Season 39 finale of the Bootleg Racing League’s Outlaw SK Modified Invitational Series, and while the championship was already locked up by James Lowe, the season’s final chapter still had plenty of drama left to write.
Coming into the night, all eyes were on Brennan Myers. He’d been fast in practice and when the green flag dropped, he wasted no time asserting himself at the front of the field. Myers grabbed the lead early and began to stretch his legs, putting together consistent laps while the rest of the field sorted themselves out behind him.
But this wasn’t going to be a Sunday cruise. James Lehman, who had shown solid pace started working his way forward and quickly emerged as Myers’ biggest threat. For nearly 40 laps, the two ran nose-to-tail, exchanging the lead in a couple of slick crossover moves and keeping fans — and spotters — on edge.
Further back, Alan Wannamaker ran a methodical race, staying out of trouble and managing his tires. Ruben Altice, known for his consistency, kept himself in the top five, waiting for the fireworks up front to create opportunity.
And those fireworks finally came. With just a couple laps remaining, Lehman made one last push, diving hard into turn 3 on the final lap. He drove in deep, maybe too deep, making contact with James Lowe and both drivers spun out of turn 4 as the white flag waved. Myers, who had been holding his line, slipped through untouched and crossed the line to take his first win of the season in dramatic fashion.
Altice seized the moment to slide into second, and Wannamaker completed the podium in third, making the most of a steady, mistake-free drive. Lowe, already crowned champion after clinching the title a week earlier at Five Flags, had a disappointing end to his season, but was still hoisting the Season 39 trophy at night’s end.
So, while the championship may have been a done deal, the final race gave us everything fans have come to expect from the BRL — tight racing, aggressive strategy, and a last-lap twist worthy of a highlight reel.
Congrats to Brandon Myers on a clutch victory, and to James Lowe on a dominant season. Season 40 awaits.
First Anniversary of Virtual Grip Network’s VGN Weekly Podcast
by Tim Corder
June 14, 2025
Tuesday June 10, 2025, marked the first anniversary of Virtual Grip Network’s podcast, “VGN Weekly.” The show serves as their weekly rundown of the races the network broadcasted the previous week. VGN Weekly also features interviews with drivers of the series they cover, the VGN broadcasters themselves, and others within the sim racing community. “We wanted another way to highlight the leagues we broadcast and their drivers,” shared Lowell Jewell, VGN owner, when asked what inspired the podcast. Asked the same question, John Heyn, VGN interviewer extraordinaire said, “The goal was to give the drivers a platform to introduce themselves to the people that watch the broadcasts.”
The podcast owes its start to the efforts of Lowell, John, and Producer Ryan Senneker. John noted he had, “talked to Lowell about doing a Virtual Grip Podcast for some time after Lowell founded VGN.” John, Lowell, and Ryan made a few attempts at starting the podcasts, eventually leading to a test episode that was recorded with Matt Hoose as the trial guest.
That pilot proved successful, and the podcast has been a weekly occurrence since. As of the writing of this article, 51 episodes have been published through Virtual Grip Network’s YouTube channel. In total, those 51 episodes consist of nearly 50 hours of interesting conversations. A wide variety of guests have been interviewed, including brothers and a father/son combination!
When asked if any of the interviews have surprised him, Lowell said, “Honestly, they all surprised me! You ‘think’ you know someone right up until you see them on camera and hear them speak at the same time.” John added, “Funny thing is, I’m usually surprised once in every interview . . . I’ve learned that we have a crazy amount of people in the leagues that do really interesting things.”
Lowell also shared the important work that Ryan Senneker does each week to publish an episode, “Ryan does the bulk of the work, lots of gathering content, splicing, editing and recording.” Fellow VGN members and viewers all appreciate Ryan’s efforts.
For his part, in preparation for interviewing a guest, John shared that he, “usually prepares about 10-15 topics to cover during an interview based on a questionnaire that interviewees are asked to complete prior to their interview.” Then, “I just start a conversation with that week’s guest. I like to keep the conversation as organic as I can to keep it conversational.”
Has the podcast changed the way Lowell or John view their fellow drivers? Lowell answered, “It has, and I hope it has for everyone. We are all human and we enjoy the same hobby!” John responded, “Yes! On the track I have gotten behind the people I have interviewed and have the realization that they desire to play nice. They have been so nice during their interview, and I’ve gotten to know them on a personal level.”
John also notes that some of the most entertaining conversations can come before or after recording the interview. “Some of the pre- and post-taping conversations have been ‘better’ at times than we can broadcast. We keep our broadcasts PG, and, some of these side conversations would have us into an R rating within a sentence or two!”
Congratulations on the inaugural season of VGN Weekly! Here’s to another year of interesting and fun conversations!
MVRL ARCA SERIES S1 R11 Recap
09 June 2025
Maximum Velocity Racing League | Season 1 | Round 11
ARCA Series | Martinsville Speedway
The penultimate round of Season 1 in the Maximum Velocity Racing League’s ARCA Series brought the field to the paperclip — Martinsville Speedway — and the short track drama did not disappoint. In a night dominated by cautions, contact, and comebacks, James Lehman delivered a wire-to-wire masterclass, leading every green-flag lap and making a huge statement with just one race left in the season.
The chaos started early. On lap 1, a massive pileup in Turn 3 took out several contenders — including Cal Majkowski and Chris Braley, both of whom found the wall and struggled to recover. Juen-Jen Wang jumped up five positions during the shuffle and looked like a serious dark horse in the early going.
When the dust settled and racing resumed, Lehman and Greg Maul broke away from the pack. The two-car train pulled clear as the rest of the field scrapped for stage points and survival. Maul was glued to Lehman’s bumper for most of the race, but never quite found the momentum to make a pass stick.
Back in the pack, the championship picture started to shift. Aiden Young, one of Lehman’s main title rivals, was caught up in the opening crash and fell two laps down. But Young refused to give up. Staying out during the stage break and taking the wave-around, he began methodically clawing his way back into the top 10 — fighting hard for the Lucky Dog and holding off faster cars just to stay in contention.
With about 30 laps to go, tire wear became a major factor. Drivers started to slide, and that’s when Wang’s night unraveled — a late-race spin sent him hard into the outside wall. That caution shook up the top 10 and gave Michael Milfelt the break he needed to slide up into the top tier. From there, it was a tense final run to the finish.
But through all of it, Lehman never cracked. He held the lead on every restart, kept Maul at bay, and crossed the line for his second win of the season, delivering a dominant and decisive drive at one of the trickiest tracks on the schedule. Maul had to settle for second, while Jack “Killer” Watts finished third after a quiet but efficient race.
Young’s comeback to finish 10th could be pivotal in the championship, especially with drop weeks in play — and with rivals like Justin Michael struggling all night, the title race is now officially Lehman’s to lose.
Next Monday night, it’s the season finale at Michigan International Speedway, and with its long straights and wide corners, it’ll be a very different kind of challenge. The title fight remains wide open, and after what we saw at Martinsville, there’s no telling how this one will end.
Catch all the action live next week only on the Virtual Grip Network!
OBRL CUP SERIES S8 R15 Recap
08 June 2025
OBRL Presented by VCTRYLNSPRTS | Season 8 | Round 15
YesterYear Cup Series | Michigan International Speedway
The OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series made its stop at the two-mile Michigan International Speedway for Race 15 of the season, delivering a barnburner of a race with 110 laps of high-speed, four-wide action. Cool temperatures gave drivers extra grip, and they made the most of it—pushing tires and each other to the absolute limit in a true test of strategy, patience, and raw pace.
The race got underway cleanly with Daniel Hill grabbing the early lead, fending off a strong charge from Jerry Isaacs in the opening laps. As the field settled in, long green flag runs put the spotlight on tire management and pit strategy. A late-race caution turned the race on its head, packing the field and igniting a flurry of position changes. Drivers like Wayne Hufford and Dwayne McArthur capitalized with short-pit strategies that vaulted them up the leaderboard.
Andrew Medlin, a regular top-10 threat, looked strong early but was bitten by a costly penalty that knocked him a lap down. Meanwhile, technical issues took other contenders out of the hunt entirely, underscoring the unpredictable nature of sim racing at this level.
When the dust settled, it was Dwayne McArthur who stood tall once again—executing a flawless final run to the checkered flag to pick up his fifth win of the season. Hill crossed the line in second, while defending champion Josh Robinson recovered from a rough pit sequence to round out the podium in third. Isaacs stayed in the hunt all night and delivered another consistent top-five finish as one of the best-performing drivers this season without a win.
Notable Performances:
- Dwayne MacArthur: Once again in a class of his own, combining tire discipline, track position, and smart pit work for a dominant win.
- Daniel Hill: Strong from the start and nearly pulled off the upset in the final laps.
- Josh Robinson: Battled back from pit road issues to score a critical podium and keep his championship hopes alive.
- Jerry Isaacs: Quietly efficient and fast, maintaining pressure on the leaders throughout the second half of the race.
This week’s race was a showcase of what the OBRL does best—tight, respectful racing with a deep field of skilled veterans. With only a few rounds remaining, the pressure continues to mount as the season barrels toward its conclusion.
BRL Late Model Invitational S30R10 | South Boston Speedway
The stage was set for an exhilarating showdown as BRL Season 30 Round 10 roared into action at the iconic South Boston Speedway. Making history, Lowel Jewell—known as “The Bossman”—celebrated his 300th start in the Late Models amidst a thrilling 100-lap race. As the green flag waved, it was Chris Haizlip and Jeffrey Kemper commanding the front row, with Haizlip quickly taking charge as he stomped on the loud pedal, darting ahead while Kemper opted to roll the top line. Bruce Pearson slid into the third position, but the excitement was fleeting as caution waved on Lap 4.
When racing resumed on Lap 9, Haizlip and Kemper were back on the front row. Haizlip blasted off once again, while Kemper remained on the outside, attempting to find a way around. Meanwhile, Pearson saw his opportunity to sneak in but was promptly denied as Kemper shut the door! Another caution flagged on Lap 16 paused the action until Lap 21, with Haizlip still in control. He was holding the pack at bay and launched forward, while Kemper bravely defended his second against Pearson.
Mid-race chaos stirred at Lap 45 when a scuffle between the second and third place drivers brought out caution once more, reshuffling the lineup with Kurt Smith and John Wilson taking up the next spots. As racing resumed on Lap 49, it was Haizlip and Smith leading the charge. Smith momentarily found his footing, but Wilson attempted a daring inside move, only to find he lacked the speed.
With each lap, a battle unfolded—Schoen slipped past Wilson for third by Lap 55, and by Lap 62, Smith was hounding Haizlip for the lead. Tensions escalated on Lap 71 as Smith searched desperately for a way past Haizlip, but with only 23 laps to go, Schoen attempted to make it three-wide, leading to paint swapping and a caution on Lap 78.
When the green flag returned with 17 laps remaining, Haizlip led off again, this time with Todd Liston close behind, and the ever-determined Jewell in third. The pace intensified as Haizlip rocketed ahead, but Liston worked the top line, while Jewell dueled with Jason Menda for position. With just 8 laps left, it was neck-and-neck as Menda edged past Liston for second place while Jewell surged forward.
A late caution shook things up with 4 laps to go, priming the field for a thrilling Green-White-Checker finish. The front row featured Haizlip and Menda as they charged into the final laps. Haizlip’s explosive start kept him in the lead, but Menda, seeking glory, ventured for the high line. However, disaster struck as Menda spun out, letting Lowell Jewell catapult into second place, followed by Liston in third. The race concluded under caution, with Chris Haizlip taking the victory, leading from start to finish! Jewell made his 300th start a memorable one with a well-fought second place, and Liston capped off the podium.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 14th, as the Season 30 finale takes us to New Smyrna Speedway at 9:15pm ET. With James Lowe having the championship mathematically secured, join us next week to witness not just a race victor but a new season champion crowned! Is the excitement palpable? You bet it is!
Highlights
🏆 Chris Haizlip wins the BRL Late Model Invitational Series Season 30 Round 10 race at South Boston Speedway.
🚀 Allen Wannamaker was the biggest mover, gaining 13 spots, racing from 17th to 4th!
🏁 The race featured only one leader and no lead changes as Chris Haizlip leads 103 laps for the win!
YYR Tour Modified Series S2R7 | South Boston Speedway
The YYR Tour Modified Season 02 Round 07 burst into action at the historic South Boston Speedway, featuring 267 thrilling laps of vintage modified racing, known as the Old Dominion 267. The race ignited as Rex Hoyle and Tom Ogle led the pack to the green flag, with Ogle quickly taking charge, rolling to the front and leaving Hoyle in his wake.
Brian Bianchi made his move, surging past Scott Negus and Luke Allen to clinch the 3rd spot while the racers settled into their rhythm by lap 10. The first caution waved on lap 23, bringing a pause to the adrenaline-fueled racing. When action resumed on lap 28, Ogle maintained his lead as the cars formed a single file.
As the race progressed, excitement simmered until the second caution appeared on lap 40, triggered by Hoyle’s spin while in 2nd place. Bianchi capitalized on this misfortune, moving up to 2nd behind Ogle as the race restarted on lap 45. Bianchi quickly attempted to challenge Ogle for the lead but found himself falling behind as Ogle increased his gap.
Midway through the race, another caution emerged on lap 68, giving drivers a chance to strategize their pit stops. Only Brian Johnson stayed out on the track, momentarily seizing the lead. However, Ogle wasted no time reclaiming the top spot on lap 78, with Jerry Isaacs following closely for 2nd. Despite multiple spins between laps 100-112, the race remained under green flag conditions.
At lap 114, caution hit once more, marking the end of a grueling stint for Johnson who had been on older tires. Restarting on lap 119, Ogle shot off leading with Isaacs hot on his trail, prompting yet another caution. Ogle, determined to hold his position, maintained a bit more distance over Isaacs this time around.
As the race pushed into the final stretches, Ogle found himself with a commanding lead of a second over Isaacs by lap 151, showcasing his dominance. However, a significant caution on lap 169 involved the leader, turning the tides once again. With strategic pit stops, Bill Martin emerged as the new frontrunner, leading the pack to green on lap 174.
In a dramatic turn of events, Martin and Isaacs clashed, causing chaos in turn 4 as the field got stuck on lap 176. Ken Allen seized the opportunity, becoming the new leader on lap 180. Isaacs, undeterred, began to apply pressure on Allen, but it wasn’t until lap 199 that he found a pathway to the front, passing Allen with just 67 laps remaining.
As the laps wound down, Isaacs seemed poised for victory, extending his lead to 1.4 seconds by lap 218. However, with a final caution on lap 223, drivers took one last pit stop, shuffling the leaderboards once more and handing the lead back to Johnson.
The action returned on lap 229, with Todd Liston making a late push to 3rd place by lap 238. In a nail-biting finish, Johnson and Negus battled fiercely. Johnson’s slip allowed Negus to vault into the lead, utilizing lapped traffic to stretch his advantage. In the end, Scott Negus emerged triumphant, winning the S2R7 YYR Tour Modified race, while Liston narrowly edged out Johnson for 2nd in a thrilling finish that saw both drivers collide as they crossed the line!
The next race of the YYR Tour Modified Series will be Season 2 Round 08 at Stafford for the Camden Classis on August 26 at 8:30pm.
Highlights
🏆 Scott Negus wins the YYR Tour Modified Series Season 2 Round 08 race at South Boston Speedway.
🚀 Jeff Lemire was the biggest mover, gaining 09 spots, racing from 16th to 7th!
🏁The race had six leaders with eight lead changes. Tom Ogle led 159 laps followed by Brian Johnson with 45 laps, Jerry Isaacs with 27 laps, Ken Allen with 24 laps, Scott Negus with 7 laps, and Bill Martin with 5 laps.
BRL OUTLAWS S39 R10 Recap
07 June 2025
Bootleg Racing League | Season 39 | Round 10
Outlaw Modified Series | South Boston Speedway
Saturday night, June 7th, the Bootleg Racing League’s Outlaw SK Modifieds stormed into South Boston Speedway for the penultimate round of Season 39, and fans were treated to an absolute short track slugfest.
The Hilbert brothers brought the fire early — Tom Hilbert launched from the front row and took command of the race right away, while Steve Hilbert found himself stuck mid-pack, wrestling his way through traffic and adding some sibling rivalry spice to the early laps.
But the first major twist came just past lap 15, when a multi-car pileup shook up the field. The crash took out Todd Cousins and “The Canadian Goose” John Wilson, thinning the pack and setting the tone for what would become a night of attrition and survival.
On the restart, it was Chris Davis who seized control. He jumped to the lead and began setting the pace out front while under pressure from James Lowe, who had been steadily climbing his way through the field.
Lowe’s charge was one of the stories of the night — starting deep in the field, he picked off cars one by one, eventually closing the gap to Davis with about 20 laps to go. Meanwhile, Adam Schoen put on a clinic in recovery driving, starting 18th and slicing his way through the chaos into third, grabbing the hard charger honors of the night.
Behind them, the battle for third was fierce, with Schoen, Brennan Myers, and Todd Liston trading paint in a tense scrap. Myers, who had skipped practice, still managed to show up and throw down — turning heads with his raw pace and adaptability.
Despite the pressure, Davis held firm. Lap after lap, he kept Lowe at bay, managing traffic expertly and fending off every challenge to secure a hard-earned victory under the lights at South Boston.
Top 5 finishers:
- Chris Davis – Controlled the race after the early caution and never looked back.
- James Lowe – Late charge through the field, just ran out of laps.
- Adam Schoen – Gained 15 spots, brilliant comeback.
- Brennan Myers – No practice, no problem — brought home a solid finish.
- Todd Liston – Quietly consistent, held his ground in the top 5 fight.
With only one race left in the season, all eyes now turn to the championship finale. Can Davis carry the momentum? Will Lowe strike back? And who else will rise in the final showdown?
Catch all the action next Saturday night, June 14th, live at 7:45PM ET — only on the Virtual Grip Network!
MVRL ARCA SERIES S1 R10 Recap
02 June 2025
Maximum Velocity Racing League | Season 1 | Round 10
ARCA Series | Talladega Superspeedway
Monday night, June 2nd, the Maximum Velocity ARCA Series rolled into Talladega Superspeedway — and as expected, the race turned into an absolute drafting chess match filled with wild moments, big wrecks, and a fuel strategy masterclass that caught everyone off guard.
Brandon Groover led the field to green after taking the pole in qualifying, with heavy hitters James Lehman and Justin Michael lined up just behind, setting the stage for a night of high-speed pack racing and split-second decision-making.
From the drop of the green, it was vintage Talladega — three-wide action, constant lead changes, and the draft coming into play every lap. The first stage break was set for lap 21, but a late caution just before the scheduled yellow meant the stage break merged into the caution period. Still, strategy started forming early — especially with fuel mileage on everyone’s minds.
As the field reset, Justin Michael made a charge to the front and led a solid stretch before getting shuffled out late. Zachary Chapman took over the top spot heading into the final 10 laps, with Aiden Young right on his bumper. But chaos would strike again — a massive wreck with about five laps to go took out several contenders, including Christopher Howell, and left Tyler Starcher inheriting the lead.
That caution set up a high-stakes shootout, and just when it looked like Stucker might hold on, Michael Milfelt made a daring move in the final moments. But the twist didn’t end there — Kyle Kieselbach, who had quietly played the fuel game to perfection, stayed tucked in the pack, avoided the wrecks, and emerged from the smoke to steal the win at the line.
In classic Talladega fashion, the final laps were pure chaos — proving once again that survival, strategy, and timing matter just as much as speed. Several lesser-known names had breakout runs, and the championship picture tightened up heading into the next round.
The ARCA Series returns Monday, June 9th, with more high-stakes action — only on the Virtual Grip Network!
Virtual Grip Network 