VLR_18, of Brookfield, WI., earned $20,000 for his second VLR win of the season – both of which have come in the Midwest. He won the second week of the season at Attica (Ohio), and now in Illinois at the famous Farmer City Raceway for the Illini 40.
“It’s fun to win at this track that's new to the game,” said VLR_18, whose victories this season have helped increase his popularity. “It feels good to win in Illinois at this track that I wasn't a big fan of coming into, and it's the next state down from me so I have a lot of fans here.”
VLR_18's latest victory was easily his most difficult. He had to out duel a couple of the top drivers in sim dirt racing – BLS Champion BLS_F1yer of Hickory, NC., and second place points man VLR_JW – in a rousing shootout over the race’s final laps to preserve his series record 34th career VLR win.
VLR_18 never relinquished the lead after driving his NOS Energy/Team VLR Mastersbilt Dodge to the front only 10 laps in, but both F1yer and JW made aggressive bids to overtake him throughout the race, with F1yer coming up just short in the end by a car length.
18 used the extreme high side of the one-fourth-mile to move up from sixth to take second early on, as most of the racers were fighting for the bottom, while 18 showed that he could make the high side work even better.
VLR_JW lead the first few laps, but BLS_F1yer mounted a quick charge from fourth to move into second. WFO_ICE was battling for the race lead early on as well, but got distracted and took a brief ride off the track on the back stretch which allowed several of the drivers to pass under him.
Completing the top five finishing order was BLS_F1yer, in his National Guard Mastersbilt, VLR_JW in his new Team VLR sponsored Chevy Camaro, who started from the pole and led laps 1-5. WFO_BLAZE of National City, MI. picked up his best finish of the season after starting eighth, bringing home a fourth place finish as he edged fifth place finisher VLR_Faschek by 0.001 at the line.
The seasons top rookie so far, WFO_BLAZE talked about his run after the race and how he was able to move up through the field so well and pick up a top five.
“It sounds simple but we basically just went where there was a hole at the beginning. It seemed like the guys up front were all battling, and we just found the empty spots on the track and took advantage of it. It's a good track to pass on and we're happy to get out of here with a good points day."
In victory lane, VLR_18 talked of strategy and what it took to get the win after starting towards the back. "Man we had the #18 NOS Energy drink Dodge hooked up tonight, I'm glad we were able to make it to the front. I was a little worried once we got single file because I wasn't the quickest on the high side but I made it work. I would like to thank my sponsors NOS Energy drink and the US Army for all their support and the other drivers for a great race, hope the fans enjoyed it."
"Feels good to take a 10 point lead into next week at Cowtown, and we'll see if we can come from sixth again and pick up the win."
F1yer, who started fourth, nearly pulled off a memorable run to victory in the closing laps.
"We tried to make a run on Wheel there, but he used the top up there in turn four and kept getting the momentum off the turns. He drove a good, hard race and I knew it was going to be hard to get by him. He's tough to pass when he's leading. We gave it everything we had without wrecking, though, and I'm proud of the guys. It's about time we had some luck over here at VLR and got a good finish."
“The top was there all along, but it was like messing with fire. You can’t run more than two or three laps in a row real good, but when you’ve got a chance (late in the race) you just give it all you got.”
F1yer was virtually on 18's rear bumper heading down the backstretch for the final time, but his momentum was slowed by VLR_18's race-savvy move.
“I didn’t know what he was gonna do on that last corner,” F1yer said of 18. “I followed him down the backstraightaway and he was all the way on the high side, so I thought he was gonna stay up there. But then he dove all the way down to the bottom, and I couldn’t go under him. "
Coming off his third pole in his last three starts at VLR, JW was a solid pre-race favorite. But he only led a few laps early before beginning to fade.
“They were just a little better than us,” said VLR_JW after the race. “I was kinda frustrated because I should’ve run first or second, but we messed up to much there at the start and lost a lot of time.
“It would’ve been awesome to win tonight. I’ve never won at this place before, and it’s always real nice to get a win anywhere – but it would have been even better to beat Wheel and gain some in points."
WFO_BLAZE advanced from the eighth starting spot to finish fourth, but he was confident he left a little bit of speed on the table.
“We jumped up there real quick and go to third and was right with the leaders,” said BLAZE. “I just couldn't hold JW off there at the end when he started charging back towards the front."
VLR_Faschek, who started from the 7th spot, brought home a fifth place finish even after nearly getting wrecked three laps into the race.
“We had a fast car all night long, it was hooked up in the A, and felt good everywere I put it. I ust ran outta laps when it come in. Overall it was a good run for the 4H machine!"
Finishing in positions 6-10 was 3rd starting WFO ICE of Tahlequah, OK. who won here Friday in his return to dtr2 in the VLR Crates; VLR_Shock of Crossville, TN. who faded late and finished seventh; VLR_6! of Kokomo, IN.; Doit 87 of Topeka, KS; and VLR_KP of Omaha, NE, who just couldn't find a rhythm in the A Main.
A field of 25 cars comprised the event, which was run on a beautiful late-spring evening as the sun went down.
BLS_F1yer earned the SuperClean Fast time award in the feature by turning an 11.12 second lap in the A Main.
Heat winners were VLR_JW, VLR_18, and WFO ICE, and the B-Mains were captured by VLR_4, and WFO_BLAZE.
The VLR tour heads to newly made Cowtown Speedway next Sunday for the first ever Cowtown Nationals 50 in Kennedale, TX. Meanwhile, the VLR Crates tour will be racing this Friday night under the hot sun in Bakersfield, CA. at Bakersfield Speedway v4. Both races start at 8pm eastern time. Special Note: The Cowtown race will be ran on 47 wet all the way from Qualifying through the A Main due to issues on other wetnesses.
For more information on the VLR series, visit www.teamvlr.com
Top 10 Results of VLR Late Model series Illini 40 (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed):
1. (6) VLR_18/40
2. (4) BLS_F1yer/40
3. (1) VLR_JW/40
4. (8) WFO_BLAZE/40
5. (7) VLR_Faschek/40
6. (3) WFO ICE/40
7. (2) VLR_Shock/40
8. (5) VLR_6/40
9. (9) Doit 87/40
10. (10) VLR_KP/37
Time of Race: 7 Mins., 32.79 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.009 Secs.
Rookie of the Race: WFO_BLAZE
SuperClean Fast Time Award: BLS_F1yer 11.12
SuperClean Hard Luck Award: VLR_KP