VLR_Shock, 22, of Crossville, Tn., mastered the inside groove in the first-ever VLR Gen 3 event held in the quarter-mile bullring. He drove off the grid with the pole after setting fast time, and proceeded to dominate and win by 2.18 seconds over BLS_F1yer, the largest margin of victory this season.
Defending VLR Gen3 champion VLR_18 of Brookfield, Wi., finished third, followed by VLR_JW of West Point, Ms., making his return to VLR action, and WFO_ICE of Tahlequah, Ok., who registered his best finish of the season in the Gen 3 series.
“This is awesome to just dominate like this and pull away,” said VLR_Shock, who scored his first win of the season in Gen 3 action. “I was really down on myself after last week at Brownstown for going off track and losing some points, so to beat the level of competition here tonight is just great.
“I never gave up and I just knew I’d have to run hard to get it done tonight.”
Driving an all new orange and white Tennessee Volunteer themed Toyota Camry Late Model, Shock used a great start to get ahead of outside pole-sitter VLR_JW. He proceeded to dominate the field over the next 99 laps, powering around the inside of the ¼ mile oval in superior fashion.
VLR_Shock used a lap of 11.31 to set on the pole for the event, and went on to be victorious in his heat race, before charging away from the competition in the A Main.
“I wasn’t thinking about anything other than getting a win,” said Shock, who sits third in points and closed the gap to just eight points back from new leader BLS_F1yer. “I knew that I had to win in order to stay in the points. I know it’s early in the season, but this is where you set yourself up for a championship run.
“Last week at Brownstown bummed me out (Shock finished 4th after leading up until 15 laps to go), so this almost makes up for that. Now we got to try and get max points again next week at Knoxville.”
BLS_F1yer, 33, started fifth and steadily charged up to second place, but once there he stalled out and couldn’t make up any ground on the scorching pace being set by VLR_Shock.
VLR_18, 16, crossed the finish line 1.5 seconds behind F1yer after starting fourth place and only being able to advance his final position by one spot. However, he was surprisingly upbeat about his third place finish.
“I loved it,” said VLR_18, who drove his Mopar Dodge to a third place finish. “First of all I gotta say Shock is like the Carl Edwards of dtr2 (referring to Shock downplaying his win after the race). ‘Oh well I didn’t wanna win by that much,’ even though he’s probably got a smile on his face right now. But yeah, it was a good point’s day.”
The Mississippi Missile VLR_JW faded a bit from his second place starting position to come home fourth, just less than three car lengths behind VLR_18. He was still satisfied with his finish in his return to action at VLR.
“It was fun,” said VLR_JW, the point’s leader for much of the first half of last season before he was unable to continue following the tour. “I was glad to be back, and I was still a little rusty, but I gave it my all. I couldn’t pass VLR_18, though, he was too tough.”
WFO_ICE had a much better run this week when compared to his 14th place finish the week before at Brownstown. Still, the Oklahoma driver thought he left a lot out on the track.
“I think I’m more frustrated than last week, actually,” said ICE, 32. “I had an awesome car. I went back to eighth early, and worked my way back up to fifth. I almost caught VLR_18 and JW for third, but I screwed up and hit the damn tire, and ended up fifth.
“I thought we had a car that could win tonight. I’m always happy going to Knoxville (next week’s race), though, it’s a track that fits me well. I should do good there, hopefully I do better than I did this week.”
Doit 2 once again was the highest finishing rookie this week, and looks to be a real threat for win in the coming weeks after finishing sixth.
“It’s a blast learning,” Doit 2 said. “It’s a blast racing against these guys. You know, you race against the best and I don’t think I’m too shabby at it.”
Another impressive rookie as of late is BOB of Campbellsville, Ky. The Kentucky driver made his second straight A Main at VLR, after going his first eleven races without making a race in the prestigious series. He powered ahead for his best career finish this week, a seventh place run.
“My goal now is to get a top five in both the points and in a race,” said BOB. “I’m happy with my run tonight, Doit 2 was kinda knocking me around. I got up to fifth and I was kinda happy and then ICE came on around and he was flying. Then we were all three battling there and I fell back to seventh and they drove away, and I just got lazy-eyed and ran there.”
Finishing in positions 8-10 was WFO_Rainman of East Moline, Ill.; BLS_Jsn of Kokomo, In.; and VLR_McGee of Spartanburg, SC.
Thirty cars were signed in for the event at Highland, which is in southwestern Illinois.
The track’s biggest crowd of the season jammed the stands on a cool fall night, to watch the stars of the VLR tour from all over the country descend on the tiny ¼ mile speedway.
VLR_Shock toured the oval in 11.31 seconds during qualifying to record his first pole of the season in the Gen 3’s, as he’d go on to pick up his 14th career win in the series as well, which moves him solely into third on the all time wins list.
Heat winners were VLR_Shock, VLR_JW, and WFO_ICE. The night’s B Mains were won by WFO_Rainman and Doit 2.
The VLR Gen 3 tour returns to action Sunday at Knoxville Raceway for the ‘Knoxville Nationals 50’ at the half-mile oval. This will be the biggest track the competitors have raced at so far this season, and it will be intriguing to see if any new names are up at the front at the end of the race.
Top 10 Results of VLR Late Model series Kathy Blanchard 100 (Finishing Position/Start/Driver):
1. (1) VLR_Shock
2. (5) BLS_F1yer
3. (4) VLR_18
4. (2) VLR_JW
5. (3) WFO_ICE
6. (8) Doit 2
7. (10) BOB
8. (7) WFO_Rainman
9. (9) BLS_Jsn!
10. (6) VLR_McGee
Time of Race: 18:54.15
Margin of Victory: 2.18 Secs.
Rookie of the Race: Doit 2
SuperClean Fast Time Award: BLS_F1yer 11.17
SuperClean Hard Luck Award: BOB