New Richmond, WI (September 26, 2023) - As the VLR UMP Modified Series arrived at Cedar Lake, all eyes were on frontrunners Evan Seay and Logan Rumsey. Both drivers have established themselves as the forces to reckon with early in the season.
Seay, coming off his second World of Outlaws Late Model Championship in a row, clocked the fastest lap in qualifying with a 13.847 and further stamped his authority by winning his heat race. This earned him pole position for the 50-lap main event, with Rumsey starting right next to him.
Talan Willis, fresh off a strong performance last week, continued to impress by qualifying in 3rd, while Scott Fritz sought redemption after earning the pole last week and not making the A Main, qualifying 10th.
The main event saw Seay and Rumsey lead the pack, with Rumsey pushing Seay hard in the early stages of the race. The duo dazzled the fans exchanging the lead multiple times with slidejobs lap after lap, midway through the race. This intense battle raged on until the track conditions began to change, favoring Seay's driving style and setup, allowing him to establish a clear lead in the latter stages of the race.
Tanner Tomasi, who was second in points entering the race, had a rough night. While running in the top 5, he and Keith Hackney tangled, resulting in Tomasi spinning around in front of the field on a restart. In a moment of frustration, Tomasi retaliated under caution, but the move damaged his car, relegating him to a 23rd place finish and hampering his chase for a VLR Championship.
As the laps wound down, Seay demonstrated his prowess, leading every lap and taking the checkered flag. Rumsey followed in 2nd, with Colton Zimmer climbing from 7th to complete the podium. Kyle Moyer and Craig Swartz both made significant moves during the race, each advancing 14 positions to finish 9th and 10th, respectively.
Looking ahead, the VLR Modified Series will venture to the Dirt Track at Charlotte next week. The 4/10 mile track promises another thrilling race. Given the great racing we've experienced every week in the series so far, the Charlotte event is shaping up to be a must watch race at one of the top tracks on the iRacing service.
Driver (Start Position)
1 Evan Seay (1)
2 Logan Rumsey (2)
3 Colton Zimmer (7)
4 Chase Barbara (5)
5 Ethan Toedter (6)
6 Hagen Sorensen (11)
7 Scott Fritz (10)
8 Cody Nevin (17)
9 Kyle Moyer (23)
10 Craig Swartz (24)
11 Conner New (13)
12 Keith Hackney (8)
13 Tyson Pankow (18)
14 Robbie Buchanan (14)
15 Josh Elee (22)
16 Kyle Sirratt (21)
17 Clay Debban (16)
18 Matthew Selby (12)
19 Loic Bernier (4)
20 Talan Willis (3)
21 Tristan Ladouceur (20)
22 Bryce Dickenson (19)
23 Tanner Tomasi (9)
24 Jacob Harberts (15)