Charlotte, NC (October 3, 2023) - The virtual dirt of Charlotte was the latest battleground for the VLR UMP Modified Series, where 43 drivers took to the grid for the fourth of six rounds in the series. All eyes were on Evan Seay, the current points leader who had already clinched back-to-back wins at Cedar Lake and Kokomo. The question was: could he make it three in a row?
Seay answered promptly, clocking in a blistering 15.913-second lap in qualifying to earn the pole position. Ethan Toedter, Tanner Tomasi, Colton Zimmer, and Conner New also put on strong performances, rounding out the top five.
In the heat races, the top four qualifiers—Seay, Toedter, Tomasi, and Zimmer — each grabbed a win, while Conner New, Robbie Buchanan, and Hagen Sorensen clinched victories in the consolation races.
As the green flag dropped, Seay and Toedter led the 24-car field. Although the leaders maintained a single-file formation, the rest of the pack took full advantage of Charlotte's wide lanes, going four and sometimes even five-wide. Toedter kept Seay honest for the majority of the race until a mistake on a restart saw him drop to fifth.
Seay, capitalizing on Toedter's error, led every lap to secure his third consecutive victory, further solidifying his status as the series' dominant force. Chase Barbara, who had been showing consistent form in previous races, earned the Hard Charger award, surging from 18th to finish second. Toedter managed to recover, rounding out the podium and maintaining his strong presence in the championship standings.
Next week, the VLR UMP Modified Series moves to Pevely, MO, home to the fastest one-third mile in the Midwest. If the first four races are any indication, the Pevely event is shaping up to be another thrilling chapter in this competitive season.
