05/19/2026
RACE RECAP: Doubleheader Championship Series #4 & #5
Summary: New JUNIOR HONDA TRACK RECORD for Brayden, with an absolutely BLAZING lap in qualifying! Extremely pumped about that with all the time we put into our setups and line. Fast qualifier for all four of our races, but punished by the invert and could âonlyâ turn it into one win on the day. Overall happy with our results given our starting spots and how difficult the track was and how fast our competitors were. Details below!
Junior 160 Race 1:
Qual: P1
Feature: P5 -> P2
Brayden worked from the back on this one and did really well. The car we gave him was fast, but it was too tight and did not want to turn down the track. Passes were difficult but he fought his way to second, but ultimately didnât have anything for our best buddy Lawson Restivo Racing who has been improving every week, and was an absolute speed demon in this race, earning his first competitive class Win at NCQMA. Congratulations, Lawson, you earned it!
Junior Honda Race 1:
Qual: P1
Feature: P5 -> P3
Our starts and restarts in this car areâŚ.terrible. I think that is the right word, lol. Got moved to the outside before the start, and due to another terrible start, again essentially started in the back of a full field. Track tightened up and we didnât adjust enough from our qualifying run, so while we had some speed and hustled back to 3rd, between the car being too tight and B struggling on restarts, 3rd was the best we could do and we will take it! Congrats to Mac MBMC Racing on his first competitive class win (and first of 2 on the day!!). As Brayden is working on his sportsmanship when he does not perform as well as he would like, one of our brightest moments of the day was B taking an extra lap after the finish so he could drive by Mac and give him a couple celebratory fist pumps
Junior 160 Race 2
Qual: P1
Feature: P4 -> P1
Again starting outside, again fell to the back on the start, and then went to work. Again car didnât want to turn, but driver adjusted and managed to muscle it up to the front and take the checkers in this one! It felt good, and gave us some confidence going into the final race of this long, hot day.
Junior Honda Race 2
Qual: P1
Feature: P4 -> P4
The finish doesnât tell the story here. We FINALLY had our first good car since qualifying. It was a rocket. Unfortunately, early in the race Brayden locked up the brakes to avoid an incident in front of him and spun and got t-boned and destroyed the whole front end of the car. Of the 8 things that were bent or broken, we had time to fix only one in the pits (thanks Henry Albright Racing and Little E Racing among others for all your help, without it weâd still be in the pits). I told him the car was perfect and sent him back and out told him to drive to the front. Well, he drove it to 4th and that is a damn miracle once we saw the extent of the damage after the race and the fact that the steering wheel wouldnât even turn. I am still a bit mystified about how he did it, but we have never been more proud of a 4th place finish, and Brayden continuing to show perseverance which is something that did not come naturally to him earlier in his racing career.
Back to the highlight of the day real quick, and Braydenâs new track record. Huge thank you to Raptor Racing Engines and Ryan Freeman for building us rocket engines, and also building confidence in our driver. Also to Ultimate QM for building us these incredibly fast and safe X-wing chassis, and for fielding our incessant and annoying questions. Lastly, on that same note, no one fields more incessant or annoying questions from us than Case James Racingand C**t James. A genuine thank you for your patience with us over the last 4 years while we learn, and always making time for us no matter how busy you are.
Thanks ymphotography25 for capturing Mom handing out the checkers to our racer.
Next up, Dixie Shootout Series at the famed Daytona International Speedway