Track Specs: Caraway (N.C.) Speedway, .455-mile oval/125-lap feature
Kvapil's finish: 3rd
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 7, 2022) --With both CARS Tour LMSC driver and owner championships already clinched, Carson Kvapil and JRM's No. 8 iRacing team ended a standout 2022 season with a third-place finish in the season finale on Saturday at Caraway Speedway.
In the opening race of the season on the .455-mile oval, Kvapil outraced a strong field to win the Old North State Nationals—and its $30,000 winner's check—on the way to a four-win season that included triumphs in the Racetrack Revival 200 at North Wilkesboro Speedway and CARS Tour victories at both Franklin County Speedway and South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
With the championships, Kvapil became just the second driver to win CARS Tour titles in both the LMSC and Pro Late Model classes. Jared Fryar, who won the season finale race on Saturday, is the other. Kvapil needed a perfect race in the 2021 season-ending Super Late Model race at South Boston to earn his first CARS title.
On Saturday, Kvapil, team manager Bryan Shaffer and the rest of the iRacing.com team concentrated on handling and balance, knowing they would need it for the end. In qualifying, Kvapil posted the fifth-fastest time and lined up on the inside of the third row for the 125-lap feature.
As has been the case in most of the CARS Tour LMSC events this season, Kvapil saved as much of his tires as he could over the first half of the race, pulling up to third place. Moving up to second position behind leader Trevor Ward with Fryar close behind, Kvapil began to increase the pressure.
Fryar got around Kvapil for second and went to challenge polesitter Ward for the lead. The two made contact in Turn 1, resulting in Ward spinning out of the lead, putting Kvapil back in position to race for the win.
Over the final 30 laps, there were a handful of cautions, and Kvapil was forced to restart from the top lane on all of them. Abusing his tires by running out of the preferred line, Kvapil eventually ran out of rubber, falling back to third behind season-long points challenger Connor Hall, and finished third.
It was the 13th top-five finish of the season in 14 CARS Tour starts for Kvapil, who missed one race late in the season. The only series event where he did not finish in the top five came at Dominion Raceway in Virginia, where he was 15th.
Fryar took the race ahead of Hall, Kvapil, Ryan Wilson and Bobby McCarty.
Carson Kvapil, driver No. 8 iRacing Chevrolet team
"I thought our No. 8 iRacing Chevrolet was fast all race long, but at the end we just didn't have enough tire left to make it happen. We had another great run to finish out our championship season for iRacing and the JR Motorsports team. Winning here at Caraway to start the season was huge and a confidence booster for the entire team. It told us we could go out and win, and we did. Now that we know we can be champions, there's so much confidence heading into next season. Hopefully everything goes smoothly like they did this year, and we get us another title. Big thanks to iRacing for being great partners and to my JR Motorsports team. It's been a fantastic season."