Carson Kvapil won for the third straight time at Ace Speedway, taking the 125-lap zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Car main on Friday night, his second LMSC victory of the young season.
Race: AcceleratedGFX.com 125 at Ace (N.C.) Speedway
Track Specs: .400-mile oval / 125 laps
Race Winner: Carson Kvapil
Kvapil’s finish: 1st
Coming off yet another top-five finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover the week before, Carson Kvapil returned to the zMAX CARS Tour on Friday night at Ace Speedway, driving to victory in his No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet. It was the third straight victory for the JR Motorsports driver at the racy .400-mile oval.
The 20-year-old driver qualified eighth for the 125-lap event and bided his time in the top five until about 30 laps were left in the event. Sitting third on a restart, Kvapil began to drive the low line off Turn 4, passing championship rival Brenden Queen for second with 26 laps to go and working the same pass on leader Ryan Millington a few laps later.
Kvapil, despite losing the lead on a later restart, pulled off the same move again a few laps later and raced to a convincing victory. It was his 12th career victory for JR Motorsports and the 127th in the team's history.
Kvapil qualified eighth for the 125-lap event and felt good about the handling on his No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet. As has been his habit, Kvapil settled in and saved tires for the end, eventually moving up to third with about 30 laps remaining. Fighting both Queen and Millington for the top spot, Kvapil finally edged ahead for the final time following a late restart and ran on to his second zMAX CARS Tour victory of the season. He has won three Late Model races on the season, having taken the season-opening Icebreaker 125 at Florence (S.C.) Motor Speedway back in February.
Kvapil and the No. 8 JRM Late Model team will next head to North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 15 for the annual Window World 125 at the legendary .625-mile oval.
Carson Kvapil, driver No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet team
"We just settled in at the start and tried to gain track position slowly. I thought the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet was good all day, but we had really good speed at the end of the race. We just had to be smooth and consistent, and we had a really good Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet at the end. I can't thank Bryan (crew chief Bryan Shaffer) and the whole crew enough for their hard work and dedication every week. Big thanks to Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops and JR Motorsports for letting me drive this No. 8."