In Week #7 of the RB Performance Super Late Model series, the division took to the darkness in Braselton, Georgia for the Lanier One-Fifty event, and the race would see 28 official starters with Ty Majeski taking the pole position. Points leader Cody Kelley came in with a 2nd place starting position, just ahead of runner-up in the points, Ty Spearman.
As the race started Majeski jumped to the lead right away and the front half of the field would quickly fall into the lower primary groove, while the back half of the field still battled for position. Kelley ran in Majeski’s tire tracks at the front of the field until the first caution came on lap 4.
Ty Majeski (91) and Cody Kelley (75) lead the field to the green flag.
A couple quick and early cautions bunched the field back up and set them up for a restart on lap 23. Majeski jumped ahead on the restart which allowed Kelley to find a hole on the bottom to challenge Majeski once again. On lap 25, Kelley would make the move to take the lead as Majeski was slowed up by a car entering the tricky turn four pit entry, forcing him up the track and getting himself a little loose. But, it only took Majeski 2 laps to pull a crossover move to find a hole and return to the lead.
The field began to spread out as the green flag run continued on with battles throughout the field. James Linkiewicz was able to get move up to 3rd, dropping Spearman back to 4th, with David Krikorian running in 5th during the run. Just outside the top five, Ricky Arbeau, Mickey Kudlicki, and Matt Rolfe were all able to keep pace with the front group of cars, separating themselves from Ryan Borges in 9th and the first on track battle back for the 10th position.
One battle for 10th between Darren Daves and Derek Robinson would see the drivers side-by-side for several laps before Robinson was forced backwards by lapped traffic. Only a few laps later Daves would find himself struggling as he was forced into the outside lane and was passed by several drivers, including Robinson pushing him as far back as 17th place after starting the battle in the top ten. The outside groove was anything but friendly at Lanier.
Ty Majeski (91) showed his strength early as others battle for positions behind him.
After several hard battles the yellow would fly on lap 42 from a misjudged corner entry by Joshua Kotten catching Mike Belanger by surprise and sending both drivers into a spin. Both were able to recover and continue on with very minimal damage. This brought the field in for their first round of pit stops led by Majeski and Kelley. Some pit strategy saw Matt Rolfe stay out on old tires to inherit the lead with Robinson following suit and deciding to stay out as well. They were not alone as several other drivers decided to stay out including Daves, Matt Eddy, Belenger despite his spin, and Martin Daviau. Kudlicki would be the first off pit road with a two tire stop followed by Spearman. Former top two, Majeski and Kelley would now find themselves back in 9th and 10th positions, but the question was, how long before they picked their way through the field?
On the lap 48 green flag, Rolfe would take a strong lead with Robinson ready to challenge. Despite the outside starting spot further back, Kelley found himself moving forward on the outside while Majeski was trapped in traffic. The yellow flag would fly shortly after the green flag on lap 51 as Nick Morton looped it in turn four.
The race restarted on lap 57 but this time it was Robinson who would take the lead away from Rolfe, but Rolfe wasn’t letting him pull away as he stayed on his bumper. But the battle was short lived as another quick caution fell only a few moments later when Kudlicki would check up but got tagged from behind. At this point the drivers who had stayed out on old tires saw the new tires picking their way through the field very quickly and all decided to pit. This gave the lead upon the next green, to Spearman.
Mickey Kudlicki (08) gets a slight bump from behind in the middle of the corner, sending him around.
That lead however was short lived as Majeski was there to pounce and took the lead back on lap 67. Following in his trail Linkiewicz had made his way back into the 2nd position, though Kelley was there ready to pounce on the position, and by lap 70 he took it away. As the green flag run extended lapped traffic starting to play a role on the leaders for the first time in the race. Majeski extended his lead with Kelley in 2nd trying to reclaim the top spot. Linkiewicz was running a comfortable 3rd followed by Spearman and Rolfe rounding out the top five positions.
The next yellow would fly on lap 85 as Arbeau in 6th place would find himself facing the wrong direction after a hefty bump from behind from the Alex Bergeron machine entering turn one. The leaders would stay out on this caution except for Spearman and many drivers at the back of the field who took the caution as an opportunity to get fresh rubber to try to make up some ground on the drivers ahead of them.
As the green flew once again the battle returned to being Majeski and Kelley for the top two spots. This round would see Majeski start to pull away from Kelley while earlier in the race the drivers seemed much more evenly matched. While still close, Majeski appeared to have the advantage. Behind them Rolfe, Krikorian, and Linkiewicz were not too far off.
Another lengthly green flag run would ride on which brought Ryan Borges back near the front of the field showing some muscle in the 6th place, slowly reeling in Linkiewicz. His drive forward would be halted though as the yellow would fly on lap 104 as Kyle Wood and Jason Batis would make contact on the front stretch, sending them both into the inside wall.
On lap 107 the leaders took to the pits for the second and final round of pit stops led in by Majeski and Kelley once again. With some drivers taking pitstops earlier in a previous caution when the leaders didn’t, several cars once again stayed out to gain track position. As the pit stops came to a close it would see Daves inherit the lead with Reggie Evans to his outside, and Michael Rennebu also stayed out to move into the 3rd spot. Linkiewicz and Kudlicki would round out the top five. Former leader before the pit stops, Majeski would restart back in the 7th position, with Kelley in 9th.
When the green flew on lap 110, Linkiewicz wasted absolutely no time at all moving past the cars on older tires from his 4th place to the lead just in time for another caution to fly. On the next restart on lap 119 the drive was clear once again for the leaders as the previous cars who decided not to pit had gone down to pit road for some fresh rubber. Spearman at this point returned to 2nd position with Majeski already making his way into 4th followed closely by Kelley in 6th. On lap 121 Majeski took 2nd place away from Spearman just a lap before another caution flew.
James Linkiewicz (7) held the lead late in the race and hoped to hold off Ty Majeski (91) and others.
With only 22 laps to go Linkiewicz found himself in a prime position with the fastest cars to the outside groove. As the green flew he held majeski off as Kelley moved into 3rd position but was helplessly stuck behind them as he watched the two battle it out. But, Kelley didn’t have to wait long as yet another caution was brought out.
The battle was heating up as the laps were slowly ticking away. Linkiewicz would have to try once again to hold off a strong charge behind him. The race would return to green on lap 135. This time around Majeski & Linkiewicz would get a big jump on the field allowing Majeski the room to move behind and dive under Linkiewicz to take over the top position. As a result Linkiewicz was now trapped on the outside and was unable to get in line until dropping all the way back to 5th position. The caution flew again.
Ty Majeski (91) retook the lead late, and David Krikorian (66) moved up to take a shot at the lead.
The final restart on lap 144 would have Majeski jump to the lead with Kelley stuck to the outside groove. The lucky drivers starting on the inside would move forward following in Majeski’s tracks. Krikorian for the first time found himself in the 2nd position with Linkiewicz following closely behind. On lap 147 Krikorian would get loose exiting turn two which opened the door moving the Linkiewicz machine back into 2nd place. Krikorian now stuck on the outside wouldn’t find a hole to get back in line again until dropping all the way to 5th.
As the race came to a close, it was Ty Majeski with a clear track and drivers battling behind him which allowed him to come away with the easy victory in the closing laps. The win was his first Super Late Model win of the season and his 30th career SARA victory. The win also completed the trifecta for the week as he picked up the win the previous two nights. Following him to the finish was James Linkiewicz, Cody Kelley, Matt Rolfe, and David Krikorian rounding out the top five. Second place in points driver Ty Spearman would come home with a 6th place finishing position.
Ty Majeski (91) wheels it out of the corner late in the closing laps of the race before picking up the victory.
Cody Kelley continues to lead the points with a strong 54 point lead over Spearman. The drivers will be heading into an off-week this week for some rest and relaxation. The charge for the championship will return on March 19th at the oldest paved race track in the United States, The Milwaukee Mile where Kelley would look to continue his strong runs and protect his lead in the points battle.