Track Specs: Southern National Motorsports Park, .400-mile oval/125-lap feature
Kvapil's finish: 2nd
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 13, 2023) -- Carson Kvapil kicked off the 2023 Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car season by winning the pole for the season-opening event at Southern National Motorsports Park and was closing on the leader when the checkered flag waved. The 19-year-old defending series champion posted a second-place finish in the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet.
During practice, Kvapil and team manager/crew chief Bryan Shaffer focused on the balance of the No. 8 Chevrolet, as rotation in the center of the corner was going to be important once the 125-lap feature got under way. In qualifying, Kvapil set fast time to earn the first pole of the season.
At the waving of the green flag, Kvapil took off in the lead and held the top spot for the first handful of laps before allowing both Ryan Millington and Deac McCaskill to pass and settling into third place. Pacing himself and saving tires, the young driver rode there until lap 105, 10 laps after a caution flag slowed the field. Kvapil made his move at that point, going after Millington for second place.
It took a few laps for Kvapil and the Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet to get past Millington, which left only the veteran McCaskill ahead of him. Despite having a better-handling car than the leader, the laps ran out before Kvapil could get close enough to make a winning move, and he crossed the line just behind McCaskill for second. Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Hall and Millington rounded out the top five in the 32-car starting field.
Carson Kvapil, driver No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team
"Our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet was really fast all race long and at the end we were able to get up to second to end the first race of the season. I'm happy with how we ran, and I honestly thought we were a little better than Deac at the end, but couldn't get around Millington fast enough and couldn't work lapped traffic like he could. We were just looking to have a good run and kick off the season with some confidence, which we did. It's going to be about having days like this. I got an extra point for winning the pole and leading a lap. You can't have any races where you wreck out, so you've got to have good consistent finishes. If you can do that, it'll show at the end of the year. I'm super excited to work with these JR Motorsports guys again in 2023, chasing another championship. Big thanks to Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops and JR Motorsports for letting me drive this No. 8 car."