Track Specs: Langley Speedway, .395-mile oval/200-lap feature
Kvapil's finish: 3rd
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 25, 2022) -- Carson Kvapil played the waiting game on Saturday night at Langley Speedway in the 200-lap 14th annual Hampton Heat on the tight .395-mile oval and nearly came away with the $10,000 winner's check. The 19-year-old driver of the No. 8 iRacing Chevrolet for JR Motorsports came up just short, finishing third in the second race of the Virginia Triple Crown.
The race, on a track that is traditionally tough on tires, would have to be one of patience, as the rules called for one set of four tires for the 200 laps. In practice, Kvapil and team manager Bryan Shaffer focused on getting a good race setup to make those tires last the entire distance.
In qualifying, Kvapil left a little on the table, but put his iRacing-backed Chevrolet ninth on the grid.
For the first 100 laps, Kvapil focused on saving his tires, falling back to 11th at the halfway break. On pit road, the decision was to focus on running green-flag laps and long runs. A spate of caution flags cut that final 100 laps to just 60 circuits run under green, and that hindered Kvapil's ability to play the race out on his terms.
When the final run began, however, Kvapil's Chevrolet came to life, and the young driver moved all the way up to third by the time the checkered flag waved. Off the final two corners, Kvapil was on the rear decklid of eventual runner-up Mark Wertz.
Jared Fryar won the race, with Wertz second and Kvapil third. Mason Diaz and Justin S. Carroll rounded out the top five.
The race, the second in the Virginia Triple Crown Series, leaves just the annual ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville for the championship. Kvapil finished 28th in the opener at South Boston earlier this month.
The JR Motorsports Late Model team heads to Hickory Motor Speedway this Saturday for the annual Throwback 276 on the .363-mile oval. Kvapil leads the CARS Racing Tour Late Model Stock Car points by a healthy margin.
Carson Kvapil, driver No. 8 iRacing Chevrolet team
"I thought the No. 8 iRacing Chevrolet was really fast all day, and we were running the leader down at the end of the race. I had a lot of drive on exit and that's what helped us come back through the field at the end. Big thanks to iRacing and JR Motorsports for letting me have the chance to drive this No. 8 Chevrolet. We'll be ready for the Throwback 276 this coming weekend, which is another extra-distance race with a big payout."