Missed Gear – Missed Gear

ValleyStar Winner Takes The Crown

September 27, 2026September 28, 2026 Missed Gear

Tempers and exhilaration mixed with slipping hopes and fleeting thoughts of what might have been.

The scene was set for friction at the start of the main 200 lap event of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway. The race ran the first quarter incident free but the tension began to show as cautions began to fly. The heat races for starting position had set the stage with some cars starting in less than “race-ready” shape.

The latter laps brought it out with some spins and some retaliation, justified or not. Matt Cox and Tristan McKee tangled into a turn and post checkered flag contact had Corey Heim rolled up and over the hood of Treyten Lapcevich after Lapcevich drove up a bit

*…and then there was a fight behind Victory Lane and in front of the hot dog stand. Note also – Not the same fight that happened in the garage area during the heat races.

Eighty-seven or so cars, teams and drivers showed for the shot at the clock and a few were in search of the “Triple Crown”. That crown is set from the best combined finishes from South Boston Speedway and Langley Speedway with the run at Martnsville.

From qualifying to heat races, the eighty-seven were whittled down to 40 and then to one. Caden Kvapil came into the weekend riding top finishes with a bit of a cushion as well. There were other drivers that could take the trophy but the math on the racing had to work overtime.

The race did hit overtime but it was still Kvapil’s race at the finish. He took the race win and the Triple Crown for a double payday. The second and third payday spots for the Triple Crown went to Trevor Ward and Landon Pembelton.

Top five for the race at Martinsville were Caden Kvapil, Corey Heim, Treyten Lapcevich, Lee Pulliam and Jared Fryer.

Photo Gallery – ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway – September 26, 2026

2026 Race Day Showcase

Champions Wait A Day At SoBo

September 15, 2026September 15, 2026 Missed Gear

The rain won on Saturday but the racing came back big on Sunday at South Boston Speedway. The call for caution in the forecast was the deciding factor. It looked for a bit as if the push to Sunday was made too quick but mid afternoon the clouds gave up the rain with some thunder mixed in for emphasis. By 8pm(ish) the rain had faded with a quick thought of “what if” but the reality of track drying and the all else included still would have made a “too late” green flag.

It is and was what it was and is. Race day for the Farm Bureau Championship Night was now an actual race “day” moved from Saturday night to 2pm Sunday.

With rain chances forcing the day and the racing pushed there was an opportunity to “explore” the South Boston / Halifax area. The towns are working towards traffic with boutique style shopping, dining and gallery spaces. There are some interesting trinkets and crafts style stores with second hand and re-purposing outlets to be found. It’s worth a little wandering to see what is there off the track.

On to Sunday and racing. The top three contenders for the track Hitachi Energy Late Model championship were separated by less than 25 points. Trevor Ward, Peyton Sellers and Landon Pembelton were no strangers to winning coming into the weekend and all were focused on the possibilities. The reality took the checkered flag after being in the hunt for a win all season long. Conner “C-Weed” Weddell raced up front for the last half of the 100 lap feature. Trevor Ward had a points cushion and used it with a fifth place finish behind Peyton Sellers in second. It was enough to give Ward the track championship for 2026.

The same pressure was spread through other series on the track. The Budweiser Limited Sportsman class leaders were separated by only 2 points and third was not that far off. Brian Rundstrom, Tristan Brunelli and Drew Dawson have been on the edge of the points all season. A three wide crunch pushed Brunelli out of it leaving it for Brian Rundstrom Jr. to take the win and the championship.

There was also some points tension in the Dollar General Hornets Division with a 6 point separation for the top spot. Third was close enough at 19 points back. Landon Milam, Chris Penick and Cameron Moss were set up to race it out. The win, however, was rolled up by Cameron Goble. Milam came in third and Penick was ninth giving Milam the track division championship.

Johhny Layne held a good 23 point gap to Dillon Davis in the Southside Disposal Pure Stock Division. It was all but clinched coming in to race day. Layne had the points so the race win was not the challenge. He drove it in sixth with plenty on the books for the championship. Jay Hemenway actually took the race win in the division.

Racing continues at South Boston with the CARS Tour and the Ward Burton Foundation KRUSH 250.

Photos from the Farm Bureau Championship at South Boston Speedway – September 13, 2026

2026 Race Day Showcase

VIR Hosts Record IMSA Crowds

August 24, 2026September 10, 2026 Missed Gear

The drivers and teams challenged each other for late season points. The weather held beyond a handful of wet practices on Friday. There were record crowds announced for the IMSA WeatherTech weekend at Virginia International Raceway.

The show filled the Virginia hillside track with color and sound as the “international” part of the name came to life with speed. VIR is a racers’ favorite and always a great ticket for fans.

The main events ran the road course showcasing the road manufacturer sports car series. This allowed the drivers to race hard within their class without having to keep an eye out for the specialty prototypes taking up racing space.

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge featured the Grand Sport and Touring Car series while the headlining IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship showcased the Grand Touring Daytona and the Grand Touring Daytona Pro series. Also on course were the VP Racing Challenge racing the Grand Sport X series without their companion P3 prototypes for racing each day. The Ford Mustand Challenge and Mazda MX-5 Cup filled the tickets with two races each over the weekend.

The Saturday main Michelin Pilot Challenge brought racing to the wire with a one two Ford finish that flip-flopped in the final laps. The #19 Mustang of Stephen Cameron Racing got a restart edge on the #60 KOHR Motorsports Mustang to get around. Contact racing in the GS class further back brought a caution which flew for the finish.

The Michelin GT on Sunday shook the points a bit with a shrinking lead by the Paul Miller Racing BMW team and a jump into contention with the Pfaff Motorsports taking a win and a move into third in points. Ford Racing placed their #64 and #65 over the line in second and third.

Full racing results from Virginia International Raceway are online with IMSA.com. Two races remain at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. The points shaken up at VIR set the stage for hot and close racing at both.

Photos from Friday – August 21, 2026 – IMSA WeatherTech at VIR

Photos from Saturday – August 22, 2026 – IMSA WeatherTech at VIR

Photos from Sunday – August 23, 2026 – IMSA WeatherTech at VIR

2026 Race Day Showcase

Weather Forces Double-Header At Richmond

August 16, 2026September 10, 2026 Missed Gear

It was a little wet. Friday.

NASCAR weekend at Richmond Raceway started with a forecast that offered a little heat and a good chance of racing. The Craftsman Trucks practiced and qualified. The Cup practice and qualifying went off for the Cook Out 400. The track was set for the Friday scheduled Black’s Tire 250 presented by BTS Rewards.

Heavy rain and lightning came into Richmond Friday night just about at race time pushing the truck race to Saturday.

Then there was lightning and some drizzle and a hold and then some more lightning and then a drenching downpour with more lightning and a realization that, perhaps, it might not happen.

Saturday. The track was in a hustle for what had become a double-header race day. The Cup Cookout 400 was on for the evening. The Craftsman Trucks were reset with a noon start. Shane van Gisbergen (Yes, that “SVG” guy from Cup) set the front off on the green. He managed a top five across the stages and at the final.

Kaden Honeycutt was the very dominant driver with the stages and the final checkered flag. The points are winding down with one truck race remaining before the series Chase. Layne Riggs is leading the points with Honeycutt behind him. Chandler Smith, Christian Eckes and Gio Ruggiero are in the top five

With Victory Lane celebrations underway, the track and pit stalls were being torn and reset for the Cup race. Fans were scheduled to enter and track walks were a thing and what usually began early in the morning was condensed into a couple of hours to be ready for the Cookout 400 activities.

Teams tearing down the pit stalls immediately after the Trucks crossed the finish. The Cup reset was on tap before the fan track walk was open for pre-race activities.

In short order it was there. Fans were signing the start / finish line where just a few hours earlier The #11 Craftsman Truck of Kayden Honeycutt was racing over at speed. The stands filled in. The Cook Out 400 opening ceremonies set the stage and the main event hit the green flag with the #12 of Ryan Blaney out front.

Blaney kept his Ford up front for stage 1. Joey Logano drove his Ford in for stage 2 and the race win. Chase Briscoe drove his Toyota up front for the most laps. In total, Ford and Toyota were carrying the Cookout as Chevy was only there with Kyle Larson for 2 laps of the 400.

Logano had the win. Briscoe was second. Austin Cindric, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott rounded the top five. The win for Logano is a kick forward in points to 9th overall with two more races before the Chase field of 16 is set. Denny Hamlin has the current points lead 115 points in front of Ryan Blaney. Ty Gibbs is currently 3rd in points with Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe in the top 5.

Photo Galleries from Saturday, August 15, 2026 at Richmond Raceway.
Craftsman Trucks Black’s Tire 250 presented by BTS Rewards
NASCAR Cup Cook Out 400

2026 Race Day Showcase

The Radford Beat The Rain At Pulaski

August 8, 2026August 12, 2026 Missed Gear

The racing at Pulaski County Motorsports Park went dark for a couple of seasons. Management plans faded out and the track went unattended until a new deal was struck. Currently, the IHRA association has hit some snags around the region. The racing for the rest of the season with IHRA events is hanging on a re-organization for 2027.

None of that seems to really be holding current manager, NASCAR veteran Stacy Compton, from working to keep the laps and lights on at the track. For the most recent event, even rain by the buckets a few hours before green flag could not stop the running of “The Radford Race” with the SMART Modified Tour.

Paul Radford was a grassroots racing legend at Pulaski and took over 200 wins at tracks up and down the region. The race has been honored to carry the name forward for several Modified events at Pulaski, including this last one on Friday, August 7, 2026.

With an eye on radar and weather by the hour, Compton and race officials determined that the race would go as the rain, heavy as it was, would pass in time. They were correct but just enough to get a few practice laps in and a cancelled but then un-cancelled “pit party” autograph session. It pushed racing back almost an hour but there were enough fans and families that came to meet and see these racers they put the “meet and greet” back in.

NASCAR veterans Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray were there with SMART regulars such as Burt Myers, Jake Crum, Justin Bonsignore, Danny Bohn and more. Holding the start for autographs was a good move.

Carolina Crate Modifieds were also on track. Pulaski regulars Late Model, Street Stock and Legends filled the ticket. Fans were treated to a full evening of action with an invitation to return the next day for an “open house” style opening of the drag strip for the first time of the season.

For Friday, once the rain passed and the fans were back in the seats, the racing went green for 99 laps with the SMART Mods, 35 laps of Super Street, 62 laps of Carolina Crates, 50 laps with the Late Models and the Legends closed out with 20.

SMART Top 5
Jake Crum
Ryan Newman
Cayden Lapcevich
Luke Baldim
Carter McMurray

Super Street Top 5
Jimmy Mullins
Greg Story
Taylor Ransom
Robert Coc
Hank Turman

Carolina Crate Top 5
Annabeth Crum
Dean Lambrose
Dale Ogburn
Rylan Lowder
Toby Grynewicz

Late Model Top 5
Kyle Dudley
Mike Looney
Karl Budzevski
Daniel Silvestri
Cory Dunn

Legend

1. Gary Smith
2. Andrew Hund

____________

Photo Gallery – The Radford Race Night – SMART Modified Tour

2026 Race Day Showcase

Weather Math At Oak Level

July 25, 2026July 25, 2026 Missed Gear

All week was hit or miss rain. The forecast for percentages was divided by the number of days until race day with the addition of miles distance to the race track. Multiply that by the number of tracks that had cancelled their Friday activities.

The conclusion…? Why not?

The folks at Oak Level Raceway rolled the dice with the open time that was forecast which looked like enough time to get the program in. It looked good on paper and on radar. It even remained so driving through rain just 8 miles from the track. It looked good for hot laps practice and qualifying. It looked good as the Hornets took the green flag and raced to the checkers.

Then the breeze kicked up a little and there was a noticed drop in temperature. An intermission was called to pack out the track using service vehicle traffic while also, maybe, to sell hot dogs…

Perhaps the intermission with a threat of moisture hanging overhead was ill timed. The Ridge Runners Steel Block Late Models did go green and did race but could not go the distance. Some caution and false starts set the laps a bit but rain over time won out. The only full race in was the Hornets. The Ridge Runners were interrupted by the inevitable weather.

The best variables in the equation still resulted in rain and a couple of hundred bucks in “free” hot dogs.

There were winners. TJ Smith won that Hornets race. The fans on hand, even with rain and caught out half way out, were still winners as the show they were given was a good one. Yes, it was cut short but there was plenty of what was there. Oak Level has some momentum and some controversy and some good racing so do the math.

Photos from Oak Level Raceway, July 24, 2026

2026 Race Day Showcase

Dirt Math at Natural Bridge

July 12, 2026July 13, 2026 Missed Gear

The math never plays out. The tracks are all different – Especially the dirt tracks. Pavement can be somewhat predictable for grip and speed but dirt is just not the same. The dirt over there is not the same dirt as over here or over at that place where the dirt isn’t even the same color.

For the math of the “Freedom 40” at Natural Bridge Speedway you would think it would be simple. The race is forty laps. Practices had them turning, loosely, 16 seconds. That’s just shy of 4 laps per minute, so, to be generous tag it with 3 laps per minute. That works out to 13.5 minutes for a 40 lap race.

It never is. That’s not a bad thing but for planning from a logistical point there are things like water, food, restrooms…

As a rule, perhaps, do the math as a base, then multiply it by three and add another 10. That puts a 40 lap race at about 51 minutes. That is a little long, perhaps… Maybe add 9 instead of 10…

That does, however, help to absorb the hot lap practice and the heat races. It doesn’t necessarily cover the estimate on the line at concessions or the restrooms.

Hot laps to heats and features with four races of 40, 20, 20 and 15 laps with some fireworks in the mix and the kids out on the “Mini Wedge” course took about 4 hours… Give or take a notch… Or a wheel…

The wheel broke at the axle and took on it’s own “freedom flight” during the Pure Stock event

For Natural Bridge, time is not really the point. It is the racing and the staff there that takes it all quite seriously. They also had to make the call early on for a possible weather scenario. It’s a tough call that they did make on July 4 to not race. For the 11th, they braved the odds that gave them a favorable window and combined the “Freedom 40” racing and July 4 fireworks for an American celebration.

Consider also, if you’re feeling frisky, the “other” track that has come back up on the hill. The drag strip is running again. It is a little irregular but they are working hard to keep a schedule open so folks know it’s on. Their Facebook page (Natural-Bridge-Dragstrip-Offcial-2026) is currently the best way to stay up to date on the schedule and events.

To be clear – The drag strip and the dirt oval are run independently. There is likely some coordination for parking logistics but they are not operating on the same ticket. To check out both on the same day it will take two tickets.

For the speedway, the “Freedom 40” brought in the racers with really good numbers on the track for tight competition and tangles. It took a few laps of start and stop cautions to get the 22 Pure Stocks moving in a rhythm. The Late Model and the Mid-East 602 Late Models had 19 and 15 cars on the track and a few cautions on each extended the “race math” a bit. Six Crown Vics took the nightcap around after a couple of starts.

Race Top Five Results and Photo Gallery – Freedom 40 – Natural Bridge Speedway (*Drag Strip) – July 11, 2026
*Also earlier afternoon images from the drag strip

Pure Stock (Top 5)	Late Model (Top 5)	602 Late Model (Top 5)	Crown Vic (Top 5)
1 – David Brogan 2 – Parker Flint 3 – Mac Ayres 4 – Bradick Wheeler 5 – Kaden Cunningham	1 – Justin Williams 2 – Tyler Bare 3 – Joe Leavell 4 – Russell Erwin 5 – Samuel Bryant	1 – Biscuit Williams 2 – Jacob Leavell 3 – Stephen Harrison 4 – Dylan Warden 5 – Samuel Hamilton	1 – Rob Favre 2 – Brian Newton 3 – Randall Gibson 4 – Chris Amos 5 – James Campbell

Roanoke Drifting In Jappalachia

It is a fine thing when conditions lead to continuity. This particular continuity is also an automotive conundrum in several ways considering the current condition of the existence of the automobile. What….?? The trend that has taken hold, especially here in these United States, is the popularity of the SUV, the crossover variations of five door hatches, the automatic transmission and front wheel drive. All of these would point to a humorless and drab driving culture of A to B with a soccer game or a grocery store on the agenda. The days of fun behind the wheel are drying up. Or are they…? There are a handful of new rear drives out there. Of those, fewer still have a manual transmission. This leads to the continuity of cars of the past being rebuilt and re-born by people who seek the slides and the sideways. Yes, America, drifting may be the saving grace of the manual, rear wheel drive car. On a warm Wednesday tucked in the back corner of an industrial park I was there to bear witness to a mixture of car cultures. The recipe was a good mix of classic British “Top Gear”, American Motor Trend “Roadkill” and a heavy helping of the Japanese origins of drifting. The cars were budget sourced from the pre-owned market and rapidly made “drivable” over the past several days. Now they were here in this slightly barren environment to be compared on a mapped rally / drifting course by (can you guess…?) the same “tame” racing driver. For the sake of a little background… This group of guys have a mission which is building on their combination of talents. What is the mission…? Loosely defined it is a mixture of Japan’s origin culture of drifting and the extreme styling of it with the back roads mountain attitude of American muscle cars. They call it “Jappalachia”. There have been trips to Japan with driving study in the origins of the legendary Daigo Saito drifting style. Japan is distinguished as the genesis of drifting even as the sport has expanded worlwide. The “Jappalachia” handle has been vetted during these visits with positive approvals. The drift is no stranger to these men. A recent visit to NASA Haltech Hyperfest at Virginia International Raceway had a Nissan going tandem on the drift pad competition. On this Wednesday, they have two cars ready to take on the course. These are not their “pro builds” but side projects for the practice and fun of it. One is a late ’80s Corvette and the other is a Nissan 240sx (’89…? ’90…? give or take…) Both of them had less than “garage kept” history. Both put up sideways and dusty shows. I think the Corvette took the time even with bottom scrapes, fuel delivery issues and a lost ass bumper. It was also driven after the 240 so one could say the previous lap in the Nissan gave a nudge of “practice” to the ‘Vette. The “real” cars involved…? These guys are looking ahead to extreme builds in their shop. They are working up another C4 series Corvette and a 3rd generation Ford Mustang. The cars are being treated as homage to the extreme Kaido or Bosozoku style of Japanese drift builds. Big fenders, shovel forward in front of the wheels and wide body wings over the back. These are American muscle cars treated with anime angles. Engines are being built. Chassis and suspensions are being tuned and going into place. A rough timeline has turns on the calendar for the newly re-opened Southampton Speedway later this year as that track is running a drift schedule. This is Jappalachia. Connections…? Roanoke, Charlottesville, Japan, backgrounds in design, mechanics, fabrication, travel… They have formed a friendship from chance encounters, childhood history and love of fun in cars. The “tame” racing driver…? 2016 F4 Champion / 2021 EFO F3 Champion – Cameron Das, visiting from the UK with friends connected through common and crossed paths. His 2016 F4 is in the Jappalachia shop. 2016 USA F4 Champion, Cameron Das, with the season winning car in the Jappalachia shop Das is currently doing a social media series of video showcases of kart racing and tracks. Cameron Das: YouTube InstagramTay Whiteside – Lift Arc StudiosGresh Chapman (Instagram): Jackson WalkerConnor Shupe Visit the Jappalachia Website Photos – A visit to Jappalachia – Industrial Drifting *The dog is “Pickles” – an Alaskan Malamute. He’s a sweetheart in a sweet spot.
Movie Truck Throwback

Hanging out with long time friend from stage and screen who happened to be in a famous truck movie by Stephen King
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Benoit Pigeon

Elite commercial photographer has a fast eye for drag racing
RoVA-Drive Showcase: Bryan Reedy

Late Model Driver (#17) based in Roanoke

Author: Missed Gear