VLR_18, who recently celebrated his 16th birthday, roared off the pole to take command at the green flag and never looked back in his Mopar Crate Late Model. He controlled the entire distance, keeping BLS_F1yer of Hickory, NC., at bay en route to a win in the season opener for the VLR Crates series.

BLS_F1yer, 33, settled for second place, steering his Chevrolet under the checkered flag 2.320 seconds behind VLR_18. Summer 2010 Crate champion VLR_McGee of Spartanburg, SC., faded early but made a strong rebound late in the race to get third. VLR_Shock of Crossville, Tn., placed fourth in the NOS Energy/teamvlr.com Toyota, and Tahlequah, Ok. driver WFO ICE rounded out the top five.

“It was good (to win), they got to wrecking each other behind me, which allowed me to get out ahead, and it helped to start on the pole,” said VLR_18, who won the VLR Gen 3 race here last season. “I had a good car and this is one of my favorite tracks so it was a good night.”

VLR_18 stayed focused on winning and didn't worry about who was behind him as the race wrore on and he slowly extended his lead over third starting BLS_F1yer.

"I didn't even know he (BLS_F1yer) was behind me until the end,” said 18, who won the season opener for the Crates after not running for half of last season. “We were both pretty equal there. Once I got so far out ahead it was probably hard for him to catch me but I knew we were running equal times."

F1yer never did, in fact, draw close enough to challenge 18. He stayed within sight of the leader, but couldn't cut the gap on him after coming from his third starting spot to take over second on lap three.

“I had a good run and had him in my sights early on but I about got turned and when I got back going again he was too far out to run down," said F1yer. “I think I had something for him but I'll never know."

“I got frustrated when he (VLR_18) got so far ahead so I just went into conserve mode. I was on him and I don't know what happened behind me (on lap four), but I damn near went around. He had a good heat and the best spot in the A main, and he ran his race and done what he had to do so congrats to him.”

VLR_McGee fell as low as fifth midway through the race, but used some intense racing action between VLR_Shock and WFO_ICE for third to squeeze by both of them with fifteen laps to go and come home in third, up one spot from where he started.

The hard charger of the night was 22-year-old VLR_Shock as he was involved in a three car accident in his heat triggered by TXR_41 that caused him to finish last and relegated him into the B Main. Despite the lower groove being faster on this night in the Crates and being unable to pass anyone on the high side, he moved from sixth spot in the second 15 lap B Main to win and start 8th in the feature.

It appeared he would head for a third place finish in the feature, but everytime he would pass the #97 of WFO_ICE, he'd get passed right back in the next corner. He finally got by ICE's Monster Energy car, but by that time VLR_McGee had already zoomed past this hectic battle and moved into third.

“It seems like ICE is always mad at me about something," said Shock, who limped home in fourth. “Everytime we race something happens between us and he just doesn't like me. I talked with him after the race and he said I should have passed him when he gave me the inside line, but he would pull me down the straightaway on the high side so I couldn't ever clear him.

“I knew we were fast, but when the guy on the high side comes out there with that momentum and your pinned to the bottom it's hard to clear someone. Hopefully it will go better for us on Sunday and we won't have to try to make it in through the B main.”

WFO_ICE hung on to round out the top five, but it wasn't what he was hoping for after starting second. Everyone made their predictions for the upcoming season and he wasn't really expected to be a contender for the championship in many people's minds, despite winning five times last season in limited action.

ICE didn't look as strong in this first race of the Crates season, however, as he slowly drifted back after the start and couldn't shake the #0 of Shock to make a charge back up to the front.

BLSJsn! of Kokomo, In., finished sixth, after steadily working his way from his dead last starting position with a fast car. BLS_4H of Hindman, Ky. had an interesting night which included early contact with Welland, Ontario, Cn., driver VLR_AMP. These two would bring home seventh and eighth, respectively; XCR_B58 of Ramona, Ca. would pick up a ninth place finish, and sixth starting BLS_Zombie rounded out the top 10.

Heat winners were VLR_18, WFO_ICE, and BLS_F1yer. The B-Mains were captured by XCR_B58 and VLR_Shock.

There was a record number of drivers that piled into the pits for VLR Crates race Friday night, with 25 drivers making an entry, including longtime VLR veteran, raZz, making his first start in over a year.

The VLR Crates tour will be back in action next Friday night at 8pm eastern at the 1/4 mile Brownstown Speedway for a 100-lap memorial race in memory of VLR_AMP's mother. We'll cya there for race #2 of 12!

Top 10 Results of VLR Crate Late Model series Attica 50 (Finishing Position/Start/Driver): 

1. (1) VLR_18

2. (3) BLS_F1yer

3. (4) VLR_McGee

4. (8) VLR_Shock

5. (2) WFO_ICE

6. (10) BLS_F1yer

7. (5) BLS_4H

8. (9) VLR_AMP

9. (7) XCR_B58