BRL SLM S21 R7 Recap
12 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 7
Super Late Model Series | Irwindale Speedway
The Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series Season 21 Round 7 at Irwindale Speedway was nothing short of exciting. John Wilson started on the pole, but it was James Tiernan who quickly took the lead on lap 15, leaving Wilson behind. Aiden Young, who started in 11th, made a good climb up to the top 5 on lap 22, while J R Shepherd was not too far behind in 12th.
The race saw some early drama when Kurt Smith got spun around, but the caution didn’t come out, ending his race only two laps into the run. Tiernan continued to dominate the race, maintaining a lead of over 4.7 seconds over Wilson, who was in second place.
However, a caution on lap 43 due to contact between Stephen Spies and Bruce Pearson gave the leaders a chance to come down pit road for fuel and tires. Tiernan decided to stay out and maintain his lead, while Shepherd was in 10th place for the restart on lap 48.
Tiernan came down pit road on lap 70 under caution, with Young and Shepherd following him in. Ryan Salvatore was in control of the field and took the green flag on lap 74. A chaotic restart caught Tiernan out, causing him to fall back to 12th, while Shepherd and Young quickly jumped up to 2nd and 3rd.
Another chaotic start on lap 80 saw Shepherd getting spun around and collecting Spies. The green came out again on lap 86, with Salvatore still in the lead. Young was working on Salvatore up front when Chris Davis and Tiernan got together, collecting Shepherd in the aftermath.
Tiernan was able to recover and got the lead away from Salvatore on lap 151 as Salvatore made contact with the outside wall. Shepherd, Spies, and Young also got around Salvatore before he was able to recover.
With the end of the race in sight, Shepherd aggressively worked on Tiernan, with Spies and Young battling for 3rd. In the end, Tiernan held on to take the checkered flag, with Shepherd finishing in 2nd and Spies in 3rd. Aiden Young finished in 4th and held on to the points lead, only 3 points ahead of J R Shepherd.
The next race in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series Season 21 will be at Southern National Speedway on May 19th, with the broadcast going live at 8:10PM ET on the Virtual Grip Network. Fans can expect more thrilling action from the drivers as they continue to battle it out for the championship.
PGRL S5 R12 Recap
09 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 4 | Round 12
Premier Series | Kansas Speedway
Michael Chrobok with Loud Pedal Motorsports took the checkered flag in the Pretty Good Racing League season 4 finale at Kansas Speedway in the Julesburg Farms 200. It was a thrilling and action-packed race that saw Chrobok start from 12th place on the grid, but he was able to make his way through the field and emerge as the winner.
The race started with Scott Eckrich on pole position, and he led the first lap before lifting and dropping to the rear of the field. This gave Woody Mahan and Jake Silvia the opportunity to battle for the lead. Silvia defended the lead against Saif Faries, Vincent Crow, and Mahan until lap 30 when his aggressive driving style became a detriment, and Chrobok was able to chase him down and take the lead away.
Chrobok was in control of the field as the green flag came out on lap 43 ahead of Jeff Ward. However, he opted to save his tires rather than battle for the lead and allowed several cars to pass him, including Ward, who took the lead. Lap 50 saw the second caution of the night when Joe Hassert and Woody Mahan came together, collecting several other cars in the chaos.
Chris Stofer and Jake Silvia were on the front row to take the green flag on lap 55, but some confusion in the field resulted in another caution when Saif Faries got loose, and Brian Yaczik couldn’t avoid making contact, sending Faries spinning down to the inside of the track.
Stofer again took the green flag going into lap 60, and Silvia was able to take the lead away on that restart and was pushing hard to hold the lead for the stage end. Chrobok also wanted some stage points and climbed back up to 3rd place behind Mike Rasimas.
As the green flag run continued into the second half of the race, Jeff Ward took the lead away from Silvia, with Chrobok staying close behind in 2nd place. Chrobok retook the lead on lap 94, and he and Ward came down pit road under the green flag on lap 99, preventing any of the other drivers from being able to undercut them going into the final stretch of the race.
The fourth caution came out on lap 103 from Jason Galvin having technical issues, and the race went green on lap 108 with Rasimas in the lead and Chrobok in 2nd place. Going into lap 118, Chrobok again took the lead back and held onto it, defending against Rasimas and Scott Eckrich to take the checkered flag.
Scott Eckrich with Loud Pedal Motorsports finished the race in 3rd place but ended the night as the season champion. Overall, it was a fantastic end to a thrilling season of racing, and all the drivers gave it their all to put on an exciting show for the fans. Chrobok’s impressive performance and strategic pit stops were instrumental in securing his victory, and he will undoubtedly be a driver to watch in the upcoming season.
The Pretty Good Racing League will be back on May 23rd to kick off the new season at Darlington Speedway with the action going live at 8:50 PM ET only on the Virtual Grip Network!
BRL LM S22 R6 Recap
06 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 6
Late Model Series | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Photograph By: Michael Goodman
It was an intense night of racing in the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series presented by Gargamel’s Kitchen at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Ruben Altice led the field from the pole position with Lowell Jewell and Kurt Smith hot on his tail. Aiden Young started back in 15th, but he quickly made his way through the pack and found himself in the top 10 within the first 10 laps. However, a caution on lap 18 for a collision between Jason Menda and Jeffrey Kemper slowed the pace.
Altice continued to hold the lead after the restart, but another caution on lap 26 involving Kurt Smith and Donny Moore shook things up. On the restart, Menda made a bold move and passed Kevin Nunn and Mike Holloway to take third place. Meanwhile, Young was trying to make up for lost ground, but he lost control of his car and spun out, causing another caution.
Menda then overtook Jewell for second place and chased down Altice for the lead. He succeeded in passing Altice on lap 41, with Holloway following him into second. However, Menda’s lead was short-lived when he was caught up in a multi-car accident on lap 50. Jewell took advantage of the situation and moved into the lead, with Hoose hot on his heels.
Despite Hoose’s best efforts, Jewell maintained his lead until a caution on lap 80 for Davis spinning out. Jewell continued to lead after the restart, but Young made an aggressive move and passed Hoose for second place. Jewell held onto the lead until Young executed a daring move on the final green flag lap, overtaking Jewell and crossing the finish line under caution.
In the end, Young took the checkered flag ahead of Jewell, securing an exciting victory in a race filled with intense moments and multiple cautions. Jeffery Hardin remains in the lead of the point standings, followed closely by Joe Segalla and Donny Moore. The drivers of the Bootleg Racing League will next head to Irwindale Speedway on May 13th for another thrilling night of racing, exclusively broadcasted on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:55PM ET.
BRL SLM S21 R6 Recap
05 May 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 6
Super Late Model Series | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
J R Shepherd secured his fourth victory of the season in a thrilling race at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series presented by the Skitter Creek Motorsports Group. Shepherd started from 10th place, but quickly made his way up the field after a caution on lap 3 caused by Joe Segalla and Tre Bloom. Despite coming down pit road for a splash of fuel, Shepherd continued to climb the field and challenge for the lead.
James Tiernan, who started ahead of Shepherd, was able to challenge Kurt Smith for the lead and briefly took over the top spot. However, contact between Tiernan and Smith caused them to spin out, handing the lead to Stephen Spies. Shepherd suffered a setback on lap 29 when he collided with Lowell Jewell, sending him hard into the outside wall. But his crew worked quickly to repair the damage, and Shepherd was able to remain on the lead lap.
Tiernan made a surprising recovery and took the lead on lap 41, but Shepherd quickly overtook him and reclaimed the lead on lap 51. Despite traditionally maintaining a gap ahead of 2nd place, Shepherd fought to break away from the pack, aware of the new, aggressive drivers on the roster this season. Shepherd reclaimed the lead after a pit stop and held onto it despite several caution flags and challenges from Aiden Young.
Shepherd ultimately crossed the finish line first, with Young in second place. Young still holds onto the points lead, just four points ahead of Shepherd. The next race in the series will take place at Irwindale Speedway on May 12, and will be broadcast live on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:10 PM ET.
PGRL S4 R11 Recap
02 May 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 4 | Round 11
Premier Series | Dover Motor Speedway
The MARSS Properties Vacation Rentals 200 at Dover Motor Speedway was an intense battle of speed and skill as the Pretty Good Racing League hit the track. It was Isaiah Dupre who started on the pole position, with Woody Mahan in second and Mike Rasimas in sixth.
From the start, Mahan and Dupre were neck-and-neck, exchanging the lead multiple times, while Saif Faires hung back in third, waiting for his opportunity. Meanwhile, Eckrich was making his way through the pack, passing Cody Dempster and breaking into the top 10.
The excitement ramped up when Shane Parish began overtaking the field, making his way up to second place. But the race took a dramatic turn on lap 24 when Faires collided with Parish, resulting in the only caution of the night and knocking both drivers out of contention.
When the green flag flew again, Yaczik took the lead with Dupre and Chrobok close behind. But Eckrich and Ward were quickly closing in, maneuvering through traffic with lightning speed. Rasimas was also on the move, overtaking Chrobok and targeting Dupre.
The race reached its most pivotal moment when Ward made a bold move, coming down pit road for fresh tires and fuel on lap 92. The other front runners stayed out, hoping to claim bonus stage points at lap 100. Rasimas ultimately took the stage win, but it was Ward who emerged as the main threat, reclaiming the lead on lap 126 and never looking back.
There were more surprises in store, as Rasimas ran into mechanical issues with just 28 laps to go, falling back to eighth place. This left the door wide open for Ward, who pushed his way to victory with Farmer and Chrobok close behind.
It was a thrilling race that had fans cheering and on the edge of their seats from start to finish. With only one round left at Kansas Speedway, the competition is sure to be fierce. Be sure to tune in to the Virtual Grip Network for all the action.
BRL LM S22 R5 Recap
29 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 5
Late Model Series | Lucas Oil Raceway
Photograph By: Michael Goodman
The Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series took on Lucas Oil Raceway in a thrilling race that saw several lead changes and exciting moments on track. Jeffery Hardin started in second place and quickly overtook pole sitter Steve Hilbert on the backstretch. Todd Liston followed closely in third, while Matt Hoose started the race in the 13th position.
Hoose wasted no time moving up the field, breaking into the top ten and patiently waiting for an opportunity to advance further. Hardin and Liston pulled away from the rest of the pack, with Hardin fiercely defending his lead against Liston’s persistent pressure.
As the race entered its second half, Lowell Jewell emerged as a challenger for the top positions, attempting to overtake Liston for second place. However, contact between the two drivers ended their hopes of victory and opened up the door for Adam Schoen and Hoose to move up into second and third place, respectively.
Schoen’s position was short-lived as a rare mistake sent him into the outside wall, allowing Hoose to move up to second and start chasing after Hardin. After leading for the first 66 laps, Hardin lost his lead to Hoose, who pulled away from the rest of the pack with open track ahead of him.
Michael Goodman quietly made his way up the field and secured the third position, quickly closing the gap between himself and Hoose in the final laps. However, Hoose was able to hold on to his lead, crossing the finish line just 0.108 seconds ahead of Goodman.
With Mike Holloway maintaining his lead in the points standings, the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series heads to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on May 6th for the next event, exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.
BRL SLM S21 R5 Recap
28 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 5
Super Late Model Series | Lucas Oil Raceway
During the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway, Aiden Young with Gambler Motorsports claimed his first win of the season. He managed to hold onto the points lead going into the next round, five points ahead of J R Shepherd, who finished second.
The race began with David Traylor starting on the pole and getting a great jump off the start, with Makayla Steffes and Joe Segalla following close behind. As the drivers scrambled to get to the outside line, Steffes got loose coming out of turn two on the second lap and was tagged by Jeffrey Hardin, causing both drivers to fall back to the rear of the field for the restart.
Traylor managed to hold onto the lead as the racing resumed, with Segalla running in second and Ryan Salvatore and Lowell Jewell battling over third. Young was conserving his equipment in 10th place, while Shepherd followed Matt Hoose’s lead and began to move up into sixth.
Fifteen laps into the race, Traylor pulled away from the field by almost two seconds, with Segalla and Jewell battling over third. Jewell made contact with the outside wall, and Segalla was able to pull away, while Hoose and Shepherd both pressured Jewell for third. Young was right on Salvatore’s bumper, looking for an opportunity to move forward.
On lap 22, Jewell got loose in turn 2, causing Hoose to make contact with him. Shepherd also got caught up in the incident, while Young sustained front left damage, and the caution flag came out on the track.
As the green flag came out, James Tiernan was up to ninth, quietly moving up through the field with speed to challenge the leaders later in the night. By lap 34, Shepherd caught Traylor and took the lead away, while Tiernan cleared around Young and was up to fourth, challenging Michael LeMieux for third.
The field settled into running single file as they approached the halfway point of the race, with drivers starting to think about pit strategy under green flag conditions. Tiernan was in third, with Young and Hoose following close behind, while Shepherd continued to lead the field ahead of Traylor.
Several drivers had come down pit road, but the leaders waited. Tiernan was the first to come down on lap 95, followed by Shepherd on the following lap, but he waited a few laps longer before coming down on lap 99. Young had a faster stop than Shepherd, allowing him to hold position ahead of Shepherd as he rejoined the track.
To make matters worse, Shepherd struggled to negotiate through dense traffic running side by side battling over positions throughout the field while Young had open track ahead of him, giving him a solid six-second lead over Shepherd. The top five had yet to come down pit road, with Young running in sixth, the first driver one lap down on lap 105.
On lap 108, Young was able to run down Salvatore, the leader, and reclaim his lost lap. Shepherd cleared the leader, getting back on the lead lap on lap 123, and was running in sixth, still over six seconds behind Young, as a caution came out on lap 124. Tiernan was in the lucky dog spot as the caution came out, setting the field up for an exciting finish.
Young won the race off pit road by a significant margin, while Shepherd rejoined the track in seventh place. Salvatore and Kurt Smith took the front row as the green flag came back out on lap 129, with Young wasting no time in going for the lead. Shepherd, on the other hand, aggressively weaved through traffic and got into second place just one lap later, keeping Young in sight. Tiernan managed to clear around Rory Collins for third place, while Young and Shepherd pulled away from the rest of the field.
As the laps counted down, Shepherd’s strategy began to reveal itself. During the last pit cycles, Shepherd opted to get four new tires, while Young only took right side tires to save time. With 20 laps remaining, Shepherd had caught up with Young and was pressuring him to force a mistake. Shepherd was looking to the inside of the corners, but couldn’t match Young’s pace on corner exit. He tried to get ahead by diving to the inside in each corner, but Young ran a more defensive line, staying lower on exit and blocking Shepherd’s momentum.
Shepherd seemed to be getting frustrated, throwing the car to the inside more aggressively as the laps quickly counted down. However, any tire advantage Shepherd may have had was disappearing with each failed pass attempt. The race was complicated by the fact that they caught up with lap traffic, making it even more challenging for Shepherd to overtake Young.
As they came out of the final corner, Young managed to hold onto his lead, taking the win by just 0.191 seconds at the line. The Bootleg Racing League will move to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on May 5th for round 6, with the action going live at 8:10PM ET exclusively on the Virtual Grip Network.
PGRL S4 R10 Recap
25 April 2023
Pretty Good Racing League | Season 4 | Round 10
Premier Series | Talladega Superspeedway
Photograph by: Michael Chrobok
At the *Chuckles* I’m in Danger 250 presented by MC2 Editing Services in the Pretty Good Racing League at Talladega Superspeedway, Scott Eckrich of Loud Pedal Motorsports secured his fifth win of the season in dramatic fashion, crossing the finish line backwards ahead of Cody Dempster. The race started with Clarence Bonner on pole, while Eckrich started in 16th.
The drivers quickly shuffled lines, experimenting with 3-4 wide racing, and forming well-organized top lines. Lap 9 saw a close call when the majority of the field had to fan out to avoid a pile-up. All drivers maneuvered without making contact, and the racing continued, with packs splitting into smaller groups going into lap 10.
Jake Silvia led the front pack, while Cosmin Ioanesiu led the second group in 9th. Ioanesiu closed in on the leaders, swelling the leading pack to over 20 drivers. Meanwhile, Joe Hassert led the next pack back in 22nd, 1.5 seconds behind the main pack.
After the first 15 laps, Dempster led with Silvia pushing him. On lap 21, Loud Pedal Motorsports, consisting of Eckrich, Michael Chrobok, Jeff Ward, Brian Greenlee, Brian Yaczik, and Woody Mahan, came down pit road to try and overtake the lead in the coming laps. Seven laps later, Apex Simsport drivers, Silvia, Dempster, and Jordan Harnish, along with drivers from other teams, joined them.
Loud Pedal Motorsports’ strategy paid off, and they cleared ahead of Apex Simsport as they rejoined the track. The leading pack, with Eckrich out front, worked together more effectively than the other groups, with a gap growing between them and Dempster leading the 2nd pack.
On lap 38, Aiden Graetz and Brady Cure had a miscommunication while bump drafting, causing the only caution of the night and collecting Joe Hassert and Gael Brooks. The drivers took the break to come down pit road for fresh tires, and Saif Faries took control of the field to take the green flag.
The drivers shuffled to link up with teammates and charged towards the front. Pete Baskins, with Jeff Ward pushing, took the lead away from Dempster, crossing the halfway point of the night and taking bonus points before dropping back and giving the lead back to Dempster.
With 30 laps remaining, the front three packs merged back together, and Apex Simsport drivers worked hard to maintain the lead with Ioanesiu in tow. The front pack settled into a single file line on the bottom of the track to check off laps leading up to the end.
In the final laps, Loud Pedal Motorsports made their move, and Apex Simsport moved back up to the high line. Chrobok pushed Yaczik, getting alongside Dempster and Silvia. Coming out of the final corner, Eckrich moved up as Silvia and Dempster went side by side trying to block the track. A bump from Dempster sent Eckrich onto the apron and under Silvia. The move sent Silvia up the track, across Dempster’s nose, spinning down the front stretch. Dempster came down again, trying to stop Eckrich’s advance, but a hit from Vincent Crow and another from Saif Faries knocked Eckrich across the line to take the checkered flag backwards 0.004 seconds ahead of Dempster.
With the win, Eckrich extended his lead in the point standings by 79 points over Chrobok. The next Pretty Good Racing League event is the MARSS Properties Vacation Rentals 200 at Dover Motor Speedway on May 2nd, with the action going live at 8:55PM ET only on the Virtual Grip Network.
BRL LM S22 R4 Recap
22 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 22 | Round 4
Late Model Series | Martinsville Speedway
At Martinsville Speedway, the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series saw Matt Hoose from Thunder Ridge Racing take the checkered flag in a thrilling race. Hoose began the race from the pole position, while other notable drivers included Todd Liston, Donny Moore, Mike Holloway, Jeffery Hardin, and Kurt Smith, who started from various positions on the grid. As the green flag waved, Hoose took an early lead, with Lowell Jewell hot on his heels. However, the field was chaotic in the opening laps, with drivers struggling to settle into a single-file formation. Joe Segalla found himself stuck on the outside, losing positions to other drivers.
Holloway, on the other hand, quickly made up positions and began to climb through the field, with Hardin following suit. Segalla was eventually able to slot into the inside line in 13th and started his climb back up the field. Despite the challenges from other drivers, Hoose was able to maintain a 1-second lead over the rest of the field in the first 15 laps of the race. Unfortunately, a lap traffic incident caused a pile-up in turn 4, which collected several drivers, including Jeffery Hardin, Kurt Smith, and Adam Schoen, and brought out the first caution on lap 23.
After the restart on lap 29, Hoose again took the lead, with Bruce Pearson battling Jewell for 2nd. However, contact in the middle of the field brought out another quick caution, which halted the action. The racing resumed on lap 35, with Jewell eventually taking 2nd place from Pearson, while Hoose quickly pulled away again. Holloway, who had been climbing through the field quietly, was up to 4th place as the drivers crossed the halfway point of the race.
On lap 62, Darryl Wineinger tried to pass Donny Moore for 5th place, but contact caused a blockage on the track, which collected multiple drivers who couldn’t avoid the incident in time. This caused another caution flag, but Hoose was still in control of the field, with Jewell in 2nd. Holloway quickly took 3rd place from Pearson as the green flag came back out and started pressuring Jewell going into the last 30 laps of the race. Meanwhile, Segalla had started his climb back up the field and was running in 7th place, closing on Smith ahead.
Hardin and Pearson battled side by side for 4th place, but they collided with each other, and both hit the outside wall, allowing Smith to pass around both drivers. Segalla saw an opportunity and quickly dove low to move up into 5th place without incident. Holloway got a nose under Jewell, clearing into 2nd place on lap 82, with Smith taking advantage and pushing Jewell back to 4th place. Segalla and Schoen battled side by side, with Schoen eventually taking away 5th place.
In the final laps of the race, Smith and Holloway battled door to door for 2nd place, but Holloway made contact with the outside wall, dropping back to 4th place before he was able to recover. Hoose was the dominant driver throughout the race and took the checkered flag unchallenged as he crossed the finish line.
Holloway currently leads the point standings by one point over Moore, and the next event for the Bootleg Racing League Late Model Series will take place on April 29th at Lucas Oil Raceway. Fans can catch all the live action on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:55PM ET.
BRL SLM S21 R4 Recap
21 April 2023
Bootleg Racing League | Season 21 | Round 4
Super Late Model Series | Martinsville Speedway
At Martinsville Speedway, the Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series kicked off with an electrifying start. The tension was palpable as drivers like John Wilson and Jeffrey Hardin revved up their engines, eager to take the lead. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the roar of engines filled the air.
The race started off with Chris Davis taking the lead from Wilson, but not for long, as an early caution caused the field to stack up again. Davis regained the lead after the restart, with Joe Segalla hot on his heels. But, the pace was soon halted once again by another quick caution.
As the race resumed on lap 14, Wilson held onto 2nd place, while David Traylor moved up to 3rd. Shepherd and Young were also in the mix, determined to make their way up the leaderboard. Shepherd charged ahead, overtaking Wilson and positioning Traylor ahead of Young. The field then single-filed around the track, as Shepherd aggressively chased down Davis.
The moment came when Shepherd took the lead on lap 27, leaving Young to fight for 2nd place with Davis. Davis didn’t go down without a fight, but eventually conceded to Young, who was then almost 4 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
With 50 laps completed, Smith and Hoose charged forward, catching up to Wilson. Smith swiftly overtook Wilson for 3rd, while Hoose took 4th place. An opportune caution on lap 70 allowed the field to come down pit road, with Shepherd coming out ahead of Young, ready to take the green flag on lap 77.
As the race continued, Shepherd held his lead, with Hoose and Young not far behind. Young and Smith fiercely battled for 3rd, with Young finally reclaiming the position. With 45 laps to go, Shepherd and Hoose broke away from Young by over 2 seconds. However, Young made a comeback, overtaking Hoose for 2nd place off a restart with 20 laps to go.
As the race came to an end, Shepherd was untouchable, taking the checkered flag with Young and Hoose coming in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The drama did not stop there, as Young still held the lead in the points standings, but only by 4 points ahead of Shepherd. The Bootleg Racing League Super Late Model Series was far from over, with the next race set to take place at Lucas Oil Raceway. Fans could hardly wait for the next round of high-speed thrills and adrenaline-pumping action, live on the Virtual Grip Network at 8:10 PM ET on April 28th.
Virtual Grip Network 