CHILLICOTHE, OHIO (February 26, 2012) - JFR_Jim found the perfect track to pick up his first career win at VLR on Sunday over a crowd of thirty-six of the top drivers in dirt late model racing.

With a huge crowd of fans and family members looking on, the 19-year old from Jim Falls, Alaska made sure the long trip was worth it as he fought off a furious challenge from VLR_Shock and Jim's teammate, JFR*A2D after sixty grueling laps at the Atomic Speedway.

JFR_Jim thrilled the capacity crowd with a win that saw him battle side by side with VLR_Shock for many laps without the two ever touching. The hard earned victory was Jim's second at the track and has quickly moved into the top spot on his list of favorites. Jim not only won the race but he managed to get the clean sweep by earning his first career VLR pole and went on to win his heat race as well.

Jim crossed the line 1.16 seconds ahead of second place finisher VLR_Shock of Crossville, Tennessee, but the race was much closer than the finish indicated as VLR_Shock and third finishing JFR*A2D made contact late in the race.

“My car works great here (at Atomic). It’s a testament to BMS, the track builder, he did a whale of a job,” said JFR_Jim who talked about his affection for the 1/3 dirt oval. “I've been carrying the MB Custom banner, so hopefully this gets some interest in this chassis and not them cheating Bloomquist cars.

“I was a little bit nervous but I knew it would be a clean race because Shock is a great guy and can be very clean when he wants to be."

The "Alaskan Assassin" proved his win here at the JFR season a month ago was no fluke since Jim lead almost every lap Sunday night despite VLR_Shock and JFR*A2D virtually sitting on his bumper the whole race waiting for a mistake that never came.

Fourth starting JFR*A2D of Las Vegas, Nevada drove conservatively during the first half of the race and coasted in third with his nose tucked right behind the #0 of VLR_Shock. It was slight contact on lap 45 that sent Shock sliding and the three tenths he lost to JFR*Jim proved to be just enough for the Alaskan driver to ride to a win

VLR_Shock was forced to settle for second after driving one of the best races in his career. The 23-year-old Tennessee driver held off third-finishing JFR*A2D in a photo finish at the checkered flag after a frantic last fifteen laps.

Strong-as-of-late driver WFO*Blaze made the trip from Detroit to race and continued his recent success in the late models with a relatively uneventful fourth place finish. BLS_ICE made his first a main at VLR since early last season at Adams County Speedway and got a top five finish after 60 circuits.

“This one stings a little bit," said VLR_Shock after finishing second in both VLR races this season. “I was just being patient as I could behind Jim for the whole race and trying to wait and settle it at the very end but we didn't quite make it that far. As soon as I got hit I knew it was probably over because Jim was running a real smooth line up there.

“Who knows if I even would have won but I was hoping to have a shot there at the end. That's the cleanest I've ever driven probably and it was gonna be tough to pass him anyway. I should be happy about second but of course you ask yourself what could've been?"

JFR_Jim's victory came in just his 19th start at VLR, and the talented driver looks to build on his first victory with a strong points run this season. The driver of the #9 was able to make his mark on the VLR all time win list with his triumph over some big names in the dirt racing world.

"Shock and I ran the first 45 laps nose to tail," said JFR_Jim after climbing out of his car. "It was insane, and no contact happened. It shows how great the competitors are at VLR. This one was even better than my JFR win here because it proved the first one was no fluke.

"Hopefully this is an eye opener to people that you can be a forum racer AND a beast on the track."

“Also I wanna say congratulations to my teammate A2d on his third place finish, first and third for JFR is great, and congratulations to Faschek on his father status.

"Oh and one last comment, I hope I made Jason’s top 20 drivers list now."

JFR*A2D was satisfied with his second consecutive third place finish but wanted to come home at least one spot ahead of VLR_Shock who sits two points ahead of him in the standings. The Sin City driver is planning to race the full VLR schedule despite only being able to race limited races at other series.

"I thought I was gonna be junk here to be honest," The twenty year-old California native said. "I worked on it after the heats and it seemed to be pretty good in the A Main but just like last week I was having to be extra careful behind Shock there.

"After I got into him a little bit and saw that we weren't gaining on Jim I just tried all I could to pass him and we came up a couple inches short at the line, but I really wanted second. We put on a damn good show for the fans, though."

BLS_BW43 of Sparta, Michigan drove home to a sixth place finish and sits fourth in points after two races. Houston, Texas' WFO_Starnes surprised some people with his seventh place finish, while New Albany, Indiana driver XCR_T92 was perhaps even more surprising in his second A Main at VLR by finishing eighth. VLR_18's incredibly dissapointing season continued for a second week as the defending champion from Wisconsin has a big hill to climb to 7-peat as champion. IFRT_RB of Oswego, New York earned a  spot in the A Main but it ended in a 10th-place finish and DNF.

JFR_Jim was quickest in the VLR Time Trials as he blistered the track in 11.96 seconds to earn his first ever pole at VLR.

The Team VLR series will head even further north this week to the state of Minnesota for the first ever Gopher 50 at the Deer Creek Speedway. Many of the top drivers are again expected to attend the event so come early and get a good seat. Racing action starts at 8:30 eastern with qualifying followed by heats, consi's, and a 50 lap feature event.