The zMAX CARS Tour returned to Florence Motor Speedway in South Carolina Friday for another Labor Day weekend running of the Cookout 225.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who nearly scored a win in last yearโs South Carolina 400, was back in the field, but it was Landen Lewis who took his second-consecutive checkered flag to keep pouring on championship pressure in the Late Model Stock Car feature, while Keelan Harvick prevailed in the Pro Late Model race.
Late Model Stock Cars
Separated by just four points entering the night, Connor Hall and Lewis proved to be the class of the field in Florence, swapping the lead for much of the race. Lewis ultimately found his edge on the high line, retaking the lead after a restart with 27 to go and never looking back for a critical victory.
โWe all needed this win as a group.” an elated Lewis said afterward.
The victory marked his second straight in the series and fourth on the year. In addition to shifting the championship advantage, the win guaranteesย Lewis the pole for Novemberโs South Carolina 400.
On a night of heavy tire wear, the outside lane proved to be the winning formula for Lewis in the closing stages – a risk given the wear, but one that beared fruit. Hall had to settle for second, mitigating the loss in points. Casey Kelley, Cody Kelley and Ryan Glenski wrapped up the top-five, with Conner Jones, Carson Loftin, Kade Brown, Matt Cox and Parker Eatmon completing the top-10.
Earnhardt finished 18th after another night of battling through the field. He started 13th, a result he joked was “slightly improving my career average” on X. But the two-time Daytona 500 winner suffered left-rear quarter panel damage with with 60 laps remaining and wound up stuck in the pack through the closing stages.
Mini Tyrrell, fourth in points and a three-time series winner, had an eventful day. After qualifying poorly, he chose to stay at the back and save his tires, then attempted a late-race charge through the field. The move provided plenty of excitement, with Tyrrell often running three-wide as he battled forward, but in the end he ran out of time and had to settle for a 17th-place finish.
Late Model Stock Car Results
- Landen Lewis
- Connor Hall
- Casey Kelley
- Cody Kelley
- Ryan Glenski
- Conner Jones
- Carson Loftin
- Kade Brown
- Matt Cox
- Parker Eatmon
- Brandon Pierce
- Donovan Strauss
- Lanie Buice
- Landon Huffman
- Helio Meza
- Ronnie Bassett Jr.
- Mini Tyrrell
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Jacob Heafner
- Chase Burrow
- Tyler Reif
- Ryan Wilson
- Matt Waltz
- Chad Mccumbee
- Doug Barnes Jr.
- Tyler Matthews
- Isaac Kitzmiller
Pro Late Models
It was a promising night for Harvick from the start. After earning the pole, he surged ahead at the green flag. The teenager quickly slipped back to sixth, but regrouped and steadily worked his way back to the front forward, eventually retaking control of the race.
Once out front, his restarts remained sharp. A final one with 20 laps to go carried Harvick to his second Pro Late Model victory of the season.
Conner Jones, Tyler Reif, Isaac Kitzmiller and Brandon Lopez wrapped up the top-five.
Pro Late Model points leader Ben Maier entered the night with a 32-point cushion in the standings, but had to fight to salvage a challenging night. A wreck with 40 laps to go made it seem like his race would end in disappointment, but Maier recovered to finish sixth. While Maier remained atop the driver points, he also made gains in the owner points battle, where he trailed the No. 51 car of Rick Ware Racing by 25 points.
The No. 51, driven by Cody Ware, suffered a flat right rear tire and finished 12th, three laps down. The result allowed Maier to close the gap in owner points and salvage what had appeared to be a lost day.
Jade Avedisian, Chase Burgeon, Case James and Dylan Garner capped off the top 10.
Pro Late Model Results
- Keelan Harvick
- Conner Jones
- Tyler Reif
- Isaac Kitzmiller
- Brandon Lopez
- Ben Maier
- Jade Avedisian
- Chase Burgeson
- Case James
- Dylan Garner
- Rodney Dowless
- Cody Ware
- Dusty Garus
Next up: On September 13, the zMax CARS Tour heads to Virginia’s South Boston Speedway. The race will feature both Late Model Stocks and Pro Late Models.