Whelen: Anthony Lopez gets first last place-finish of the season at Waterford

Anthony Lopez picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Icebreakers Whelen Series career in Tuesday's M.J. Sullivan 100 at the Waterford Speedway when his #1 DMC Auto Exchange Chevrolet completed all 20 laps under power.

The finish came in his 6th career start. In the SCRL Icebreakers Whelen Series, it's the 1st for car #1 and the 4th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 10th for the #1 and the 125th for running at the finish.

Entering Season 1 of the SCRL Icebreakers Whelen Series, Lopez is one of a few drivers who have tasted success in the SCRL, having scored two wins in the SCRL V8 Supercar Series, at Queensland and later on at Road America, however that was in August of 2017, a full year ago since he has visited victory lane. At the same time, Lopez has also struggled to finish races, having scored four career last-place finishes entering the Whelen Series. In his Whelen debut, Lopez finished 20th at Thompson, and a finished of 3rd in the second event at Martinsville is his career best so far as the series visited the Waterford Speedbowl for the first time in league and series history.

On race day, Lopez would roll off starting in the 23rd spot while the #38 P.A.S.E. Corporation Chevrolet of Jack Lagasee would roll off last and would trail the field for the first lap before knocking the #09 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet of Kyle Hunter back to the final spot on Lap 2, who then passed the #88 Buzz Chez Chevrolet / GT Vodka of Dexter Black, as Black would trail till Lap 7 when the first caution came out as Kyle Hunter was spun out on the frontstretch, being forced to make a pitstop for repairs. When the green came back out, Hunter knocked Thompson last-place finisher the #59 Space Fitters / Ed Bennett Prop. Chevrolet of Zachary Fitzwater back to the final spot on Lap 14, but the very next lap, Fitzwater passed Lopez on Lap 15, who then fell nearly three seconds behind by the time the Checkered Flag flew.

The remaining Bottom Five was; 23rd was the aforementioned #38 of Jack Lagasee, 22nd was the aforementioned #09 of Kyle Hunter, 21st was the aforementioned #59 of Zachary Fitzwater and finishing 20th was the A-Best Forklift Chevrolet of Bafode Sacko.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #1 has finished last in a Whelen race as well as at Waterford.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
24) #1-Anthony Lopez / 20 laps / running
23) #38-Jack Lagasee / 20 laps / running
22) #09-Kyle Hunter / 20 laps / running
21) #59-Zachary Fitzwater / 20 laps / running
20) #48-Bafode Sacko / 20 laps / running