Race: Orange Blossom 250 at Orange County (N.C.) Speedway
Track Specs: .375-mile oval / 125 laps
Race Winner: Brent Crews
Kvapil’s finish: 3rd
Carson Kvapil drove from the back of the field in Saturday night’s Orange Blossom 250 event for zMAX CARS Tour presented by SoundGear machines at Orange County Speedway, eventually crossing the finish line with a stellar third-place finish.
After an uncharacteristic performance in qualifying that saw Kvapil send his No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet off from 21st position, the two-time and defending CARS Tour LMSC champion used the early laps to test the low line around the Orange County Speedway oval. Moving up to the cusp of the top 10 near the halfway point of the race, Kvapil was able to use the short way around to make time..
As the laps clicked away, Kvapil continued to use the low line—which he had worked on in practice--to advance, cracking the top five late in the going and eventually cresting in third. The low-line strategy came with a price in increased tire wear, and he would finish there at the checkered flag.
For Kvapil, it was his third straight finish in the top five in the CARS Tour, following his season-opening win at Southern National Motorsports Park and his fifth-place run at New River All American Speedway. He missed the April 6 event at Hickory Motor Speedway to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where he finished fourth.
With the zMAX CARS Tour Presented by SoundGear off this coming weekend, Kvapil will make his second NXS start at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware.
Brent Crews earned his first CARS Tour victory on the night, topping Kaden Honeycutt and Kvapil, with point leader Connor Hall and Chase Burrow the rest of the top five.
Kvapil and the zMAX CARS Tour will return to action on May 3 Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C.
Carson Kvapil, driver No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet team
“We were a little nervous after practice, but at the start we focused on running the inside, making up ground. I felt like our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats & ATVs Chevrolet was very positive, and we were able to make up ground and pass them on the bottom. I felt like we had a really good piece and by the midpoint of the race we were running around the top 10 to 15. Towards the end we were able to make up more track position but also came out good on some cautions and ended up third on the last run. It just felt like we just didn’t have enough tire left at the end to go hunt the leader. All in all, we had a really good car tonight.”