MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 5, 2025) – Points leader Connor Hall was the class of the field early in Saturday’s zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car feature at Ace Speedway and appeared headed for yet another victory in the early going.
Unfortunately, a flat tire just 17 laps into the 125-lap feature derailed his chances and he finished 11th, but is still the series points leader by four points over race winner Landen Lewis heading into the May 14 event at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
That wasn’t the only mishap Hall that faced in the event. On his way back toward the front, Hall spun off the bumper of another car and had to start the climb all over again. Later in the race, with just 26 laps remaining, Hall had to avoid a two-car spin ahead of him. As he came down the track to miss the melee, the car of Brandon Pierce was in the middle and Hall pirouetted his Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet over the left front fender before coming back to all four wheels. He rallied back to 11th place at the checkered.
Kvapil, making another start in the team’s No. 8 Carolina Carports Chevrolet, started seventh for the 125-lap feature, just 24 thousandths of a second off the pole time. Reaching the top five early on, Kvapil stayed in the hunt until his left rear tire was cut down by contact with another car.
After pitting to replace the tire, Kvapil rejoined the field at the tail and began to climb back into contention, but the handling was off and he made it back to seventh at the checkered flag.
Lewis won the race over a surging Ryan Millington, Conner Jones, Lanie Buice and Landon Huffman.
Next race for Hall, Kvapil and the JR Motorsports Late Model team is the annual spring trip to North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 14.
Connor Hall, driver, No. 88 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet:
“We had a really fast Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet for this race and I was looking forward to running at the front, but unfortunately the flat tire stalled the initial run. We got it to the pits and changed the tire and were on our way back to the front when I got spun. After going to the back again, we were on our way to the front again when we got caught in that crash. We were as fast as anyone, fast enough to win for Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops, but we had to overcome all that. We’ll take it and go on to North Wilkesboro with the points lead.”
Caden Kvapil, driver, No. 8 Carolina Carports Chevrolet:
“Overall, we had a pretty good weekend in the Carolina Carports Bass Pro Shops Team Chevy No. 8. Wish we could have stayed up front during the race but my dad (Travis) and the rest of the crew gave me a great car and we overcame a lot of challenges. Thanks to Dale, Kelley, LW and Bryan for making this all possible and I’m excited to get back in the car at North Wilkesboro Speedway in a couple of weeks!”
