Many fans who came to Langley Speedway on Saturday night to cheer for local favorites in the CARS Tour’s Visit Hampton 125 got what they came to see.
Hampton native Connor Hall, 26, who has amassed four Late Model victories this season at Langley during CARS Tour off-weeks, took the checkered flag for one of the most significant triumphs of his career. He made a late-race pass of defending race winner Kaden Honeycutt, who led the most laps.
Three-time Langley Late Model champion Brenden “Butterbean” Queen of Chesapeake was the runner-up, 789-thousandths of a second behind in a race that took just more than an hour. Honeycutt was third, while series points leader Carson Kvapil was fourth.
Hall entered the night fourth in points, while Queen was second in the standings.
Some other frequent Langley competitors were sprinkled in the field, driving cars that Hall said are similar to Langley Late Models, except for 25 pounds added to the right side of CARS vehicles.
Justin C. Carroll was 13th, Terry Carroll 17th and Matt Waltz 20th. Ryley Music, who has been highly successful in Langley’s support divisions, finished last (26th) but finished 65 laps.
The CARS Tour has become a key stepping stone to NASCAR’s upper echelons — especially this season with present and past Cup Series icons Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton among the primary owners.
Harvick tweeted encouragement Saturday for fans to watch.
In other races:
Legends: Charlie Beals edged points leader Tommy Jackson Jr. by 0.309 of a second for a 25-lap victory that took slightly more than 7 1/2 minutes. Devon Courtney placed third among 14 drivers, 4.717 seconds behind Beals.
Super Street: Landon Abbott earned a 40-lap triumph, beating points leader Gordon Weeks III by 461-thousandths of a second. It was Abbott’s second victory of 2023.
Dale Nichols was third, 1.443 seconds off the lead, in a 16-driver race that took more than 18 1/2 minutes.
Bandolero: Brian Rundstrom Jr. comfortably prevailed over 15 laps to extend his season-long winning streak to three races, placing 1.429 seconds ahead of runner-up Tristan Burnelli in a field of 11.
Sarah Whitesell was third and Addison Schumann fourth in a race that took slightly less than 13 minutes.
UCAR: Christian Keller prevailed over 25 laps for his second victory in the division’s three races this year. Charlie Bryant took second, and points leader Hayden Sheldon was third.
Saturday’s leaders in Hampton:
CARS Tour’s Visit Hampton 125: (26 starters); 1. (77) Connor Hall; 2. (03) Brenden Queen; 3. (10) Kaden Honeycutt; 4. (8) Carson Kvapil; 5. (99) Layne Riggs.
Bandolero 15: (11 starters); 1. (88) Brian Rundstrom Jr.; 2. (18) Tristan Burnelli; 3. (21) Sarah Whitesell; 4. (11) Addison Schumann; 5. (1c) Tuggie Case.
Legends 25: (14 starters); 1. (5b) Charlie Beals; 2. (87) Tommy Jackson; 3. (17) Devon Courtney; 4. (11) Cody Carlton; 5. (7) Spencer Saunders.
Super Street 40: (16 starters); 1. (70) Landon Abbott; 2. (20) Gordon Weeks III; 3. (8) Dale Nichols; 4. (44) Colby Vance; 5. (95) Danny Harrell.
UCAR 25: (11 starters); 1. (6) Christian Keller; 2. (88) Charlie Bryant; 3. (13) Hayden Sheldon; 4. (7) Dwight Nikles; 5. (22) Bill Eaker.
Overton takes $5,000 first prize at Virginia Motor Speedway
Cody Overton held off Tyler Bare to win the $5,000 Commonwealth Clash on Virginia Motor Speedway’s dirt in Middlesex County.
Overton, from Evans, Georgia, took the lead in the Steel Block Bandit Dirt Lade Model Challenge on the seventh lap and turned back the efforts over Bare, from Rockbridge Baths, on the last nine laps of the 40-lap feature.
Bare passed Tyler Arrington for second place after a late restart but couldn’t get past Overton, who won by about two car lengths.
Dustin Mitchell, Overton and Robbie Emory won heat races.
Also at VMS:
Sportsman: Hunter Wright registered his first lifetime win in the division during a 25-lap race that could be remembered for a big crash in the middle laps.Points leader Tim Shelton flipped and Brett Adkins’ car climbed over top of his as they competed for the lead.Wright inherited first place, with Matt Meads finishing second and Adam Breeden third.
Modified: Chase Butler of Mechanicsville gained his second victory of the year, taking the lead from the fourth spot on the opening lap of 25. Rick Hulson was second and Bret Hamilton third.
Limited Stock: Ryan Hutchens of New Kent went ahead on Lap 9 as leader Trent Clemans spun in Turn 4.Hutchens went on to win the 20-lap race, followed by Cory Bradley and Jacob Buie Jr.
Saturday night’s leaders in Jamaica, in Middlesex County, with car numbers listed and starting positions in brackets.
Steel Block Bandits A feature 40: (24 starters); 1. 15-Cody Overton[2]; 2. B8-Tyler Bare[11]; 3. 002-Tyler Arrington[8]; 4. 3-Brent Robinson[7]; 5. 74-Derick Quade[3].
Sportsman 25: (9 starters); 1. 00-Hunter Wright[2]; 2. 23-Matt Meads[3]; 3. 01X-Adam Breeden[1]; 4. 9-Steve Causey[5]; 5. 101-Tony Breeden[6].
Modified 25: (9 starters); 1. 11-Chase Butler[4]; 2. 18-Rick Hulson[2]; 3. 1ST-Bret Hamilton[3]; 4. 7+7-Jeff Solinger[5]; 5. 40-Brent Bordeaux[1].
Limited Stock 20: (16 starters); 1. 14H-Ryan Hutchens[4]; 2. 41-Cory Bradley[1]; 3. 21-Jacob Buie[6]; 4. 25-Kevin Fletcher[9]; 5. 7-Johnny Brooks[8].
