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!
Red Light Racing S14 Martinsville
Skitter Creek SK Modifieds
Season 14 Race 3
Martinsville Speedway
June 5, 2025
by Tim Corder
Red Light Racing’s Skitter Creek SK Modifieds roared into historic Martinsville Speedway for its third race of Season 14. The race played out in three phases. Phase 1 saw the caution flag waving often as the drivers worked their way into a rhythm. Phase 2 saw a long green flag run with much of the field running in single file. In Phase 3 the flagman re-entered the chat with frequent appearances. Phase 3 also saw some of the best racing of the event. Ultimately, it was pole sitter Chad Alcares who took home the victory. Brian Bianchi moved up from 10th on the RaceDayCT.com starting grid to finish second. Eric Stout fought hard all day, often on the outside line, to complete the podium after starting on the outside pole. Josh Buckley finished in 4th after starting in 8th and Bradley Stefane rounded out the top five finishers improving on his 16th place starting position.
Alcares claimed the pole with a 19.080 second qualifying lap. Stout was just 0.1 seconds slower than Alcares in claiming the outside pole. Ken Allen, last week’s winner Ethan Troutman, and Jeff Aho started in 3rd – 5th place, all within 0.15 seconds of Alcares’ qualifying time.
The caution flag waved 7 times resulting in 28 of the event’s 100 laps being run behind the pace car. The event started slowly with two cautions within the first 13 laps. Then, a long green flag run of 50 laps saw Alcares lead the whole run. The caution started waving again on lap 63 and would come out regularly for the rest of the event. Some outstanding battles were held on the restarts, especially at the front of the field. Alcares and E Stout put on a clinic for tight, tough, but clean racing, usually with Alcares on the inside line and E Stout on the outside. In total, Chad Alcares led 90 of the 100 laps. Eric Stout led the other 10 laps that Alcares did not.
Bruce Pearson picked up the most spots during the race. He finished 8th after starting in the 22nd spot. In addition to winning the race, the poll, and leading the most laps, Alcares also set the fastest lap during the race. He turned his 93rd lap in just 19.247 seconds. Only three drivers completed the race without incident points: Alcares, E Stout, and Stefane.
Ethan Troutman came into the event with the early championship lead. Despite what was likely a disappointing 18th place run, Troutman keeps the lead in the early standings. Eric Stout is just 3 points behind Troutman. Fred Leclair, Chad Alcares, and Brian Bianchi complete the top five in the point standings.
The fourth race of the season will be run at Thompson Speedway. The green flag will drop at 7:55 PM Eastern on June 19th. Catch all the action LIVE on Virtual Grip Network.
OBRL CUP SERIES S8 R14 Recap
01 June 2025
OBRL Presented by VCTRYLNSPRTS | Season 8 | Round 14
YesterYear Cup Series | Nashville Superspeedway
Sunday night, June 1st, the OBRL, presented by VCTRYLNSPRTS, rolled into Nashville Superspeedway for Round 14 of Season 8 in the YesterYear Racing Cup Series — and what followed was a masterclass in long-run strategy.
Dan Hill earned the pole with a blistering 29.477, with Lloyd Moore alongside. From the drop of the green, the early laps were all about Hill and Tom Ogle, as the two swapped the lead back and forth over the first 30 laps in a thrilling battle up front. Eventually, Hill edged out the advantage, but the duel gave time for the rest of the field to close in.
Josh Robinson, starting from 5th, dropped back early to save his tires — and that patience paid off. As Hill and Ogle wore theirs out, Robinson began carving his way back toward the front. Cortney Nelson, running a strong third, was also inching closer to the lead, but by lap 50, Robinson had caught him — just as Nelson reached Ogle’s bumper, making it a four-car battle for the top spot.
Behind them, Jerry Isaacs threw a curveball by pitting early on lap 51, opting for an aggressive alternate strategy. Meanwhile, Nelson muscled into second, and Robinson followed him through — both closing fast on the fading Hill.
By lap 60, Robinson made his move — charging past Hill and immediately opening up a gap, setting the fastest laps on the track. That signaled the beginning of green-flag pit stops. Robinson stayed out until lap 70, stretching his tires and fuel before giving up the lead to Nelson, who ran one lap longer.
The second stint mirrored the first — Robinson again managing his equipment better than anyone else and eventually reclaiming the lead, this time from Ogle, pulling away with ease.
With no cautions to reset the field, lap traffic added another layer of challenge, but Robinson maintained control. As the final pit window opened, he once again stayed out longer than the rest — finally pitting with 43 laps to go. The gap he’d built was so significant that he rejoined in provisional 2nd, directly behind Ogle.
From there, it didn’t take long. With 23 laps remaining, Robinson dove under Ogle and beat him to the line to retake the race lead. Ogle tried to fight back on the outside but couldn’t hold off the charge.
Robinson cruised to the checkered flag after a flawless performance built on strategy, patience, and pace — claiming a dominant win on a caution-free night in Nashville.
The OBRL is back next Sunday, June 8th, at Michigan International Speedway for Round 15, with coverage live at 8PM Eastern, only on the Virtual Grip Network!
BRL OUTLAWS S39 R9 Recap
31 May 2025
Bootleg Racing League | Season 39 | Round 9
Outlaw Modified Series | Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Saturday night, May 31st, the Bootleg Racing League’s Outlaw SK Modified Invitational Series rolled into Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway for Round 9 of Season 39, and all eyes were on James Lowe, who entered the night with a commanding 33-point lead in the standings. With just three races remaining, all Lowe needed to do was take the grid — and he did, starting back in 10th.
Bruce Pearson led the field to green with Steve Hilbert alongside. Pearson controlled the early going, but Todd Liston came storming up from third, taking second place on lap 1 and applying immediate pressure. Hilbert didn’t make it easy, staying glued to Liston’s bumper and preventing him from taking a clean shot at the lead.
But on lap 14, Liston made his move — diving low under Pearson in turn 3 to claim the top spot. Pearson quickly regrouped and shut the door on Hilbert to hold second. Meanwhile, Lowe was quietly picking his way through the field, bringing Chris Davis along in his tire tracks.
By the halfway point, Lowe had worked his way into second, with Davis right behind in third. But Liston had built a 1.5-second lead, and it looked like he might run away with it — until a caution flew on lap 65, erasing the gap and setting up a showdown.
On the restart with 31 laps to go, Lowe didn’t wait around. He executed a perfect crossover move on Liston down the backstretch to take the lead, while Davis followed suit, sliding into second just a few laps later. Davis stayed glued to Lowe’s bumper the rest of the way, but Lowe never put a wheel wrong.
With a calm, calculated drive, James Lowe collected yet another win on the season and all but locked up the Season 39 championship — a title that now feels like a mere formality.
Next Saturday, June 7th, the Outlaw SK Modifieds head to South Boston Speedway. Tune in live at 7:45PM Eastern, only on the Virtual Grip Network!
Virtual Grip Network 