An amazing day in the fields of glory of southern peninsula USA. On the pole resides John Tharp, one of the drivers who is not known for great success at this racetrack. He will have race favorite Ryan Heuser to contend with on the outside row, looking to log his first race laps since the Daytona 500.

Race Results

Points Standings

Schedule

Early in the going, John Battista took the lead away from #14 and kept it for several laps and beyond. Scott Jackson came out in front midway through, but the #39 was clearly the horsepower master today. He would re-take the position towards green flag pit stops.

Battista was one of the first cars to come in for tires, leading the field by three seconds due to the 15-MPH fall-off. Tim McDonnell, Tharp, Randy Dobbins and Adam Crapser were in a four-way persuit to catch the leader.

They eventually did, with Tharp passing the #39 on the inside lane. All three WASP Motorsports vehicles were inside the top-5, but carried the luggage of Alex Crapser and Matt Raboin as the field came together. There was plenty of 3-wide action up front during the mid-race spectacle.

WASP Motorsports was having a decade day. The same was said for PHR racing, two teams that dominated the later part of the 2000's were not battling for the victory once more. The young guns could only watch in horror from behind, though Lucas Racing looked extremely strong.

Matt Raboin and John Battista powered their way back to the front after the first caution flag for debris. Rick Jackson meandered his way to the top of the heap after nosing inside the top-10 all day long. He was looking to steal the show like the older days, winning this event in 2019 and struggling ever since.

Matthew Dominique was outside of the top-25 for most of the first run, but finally came up to speed with a neutralized car. The previous caution saw Alan Nesfeder out of cycle after coming in for a pit stop halfway through the run. It got him the lead after the yellow came out, and re-took it from Dominique late in the going. Alex Crapser made a three-wide move on the lapped car of Cristian Torres to take his multiple-lap stint at the front.

Ryan Heuser took his first lead of the night with 78 laps to go, staying there for 15 laps before Champion Tim McDonnell grabbed his 5 bonus points. He led for only 2 circuits, before Michael Henson shocked the racing world by leading the field to the final green flag pit stop of the event.

Johnny reed Foley short-pitted and came out on top, drafting with teammate Henson to keep the field at bay. They were looking successful until tragedy struck with 48 to go. Donald Stewart lost his ignition in the middle of turn 4 and got pile-driven by his teammate Glenn Kaufmann. Both drivers would finish outside of the top-30.
 

The restart saw Foley leading the charge for 5 laps. Henson made his move on the outside and lost the momentum of both teammates, leaving the bottom wide open for John Battista and his slightly fresher tires. Foley have in, as he and Henson remained side-by-side for two full laps.

Battista would clear Henson exiting turn 4 with 37 laps to go and never looked back. They were three-wide behind for second as Race-2-Win eventually won the battle. The #39 was car-lengths ahead for the entire distance and took his first checkered flag of the season with ease. Congrats to Battista, crew chief Lew Money, and the entire Lucas Racing crew for an ... Read more »