The finish came in his 29th career start, was his first on the circuit since January 15, the Race of Champions at the Pocono International Raceway where he was involved in a multi-car crash after completing 11 of 25 laps, 5 races ago. In the SCRL Icebreakers Whelen Series, it's the 4 for car #3 and the 11th from a crash. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 12th for the #3 and the 203rd from a crash.
After getting his third last-place finish at Pocono, a finish of 13th at Shangri-La, 20th at Oxford Plains, 10th at Stafford and a 9th in the last round at Thompson set up a two driver battle for the SCRLASTCAR Championship between Kennedy and leader Danyal Gitirokh.
On race day, Kennedy rolled off starting 23rd while starting last was the #38 P.A.S.E. Corporation Chevrolet of Jack Lagasee rolled off from the final spot but he wouldn't stay there for long as he knocked the #4 Overland Driveshaft Chevrolet of AJ Jones into the final spot before the completion of the first lap. Jones would trail till Lap 5 when third New Egypt last-place finisher the #88 Buzz Chez Chevrolet / GT Vodka Chevrolet of Dexter Black entered the battle brief before on Lap 6 the #18 Buoy One Seafood Restaurant Chevrolet of Chakat Whitelion entered the battle. Whitelion who was fighting for hir sixth overall championship, struggled to stay caught up with the field for a few laps before rebounding, knocking AJ Jones back to last on Lap 13, only to fall back to last again the next lap. Whitelion would trail once again till Lap 17 when Jones regained the last spot.
Had Jones remained in last for the remainder of the race, it would have been the first last-place finish of his career since October 21, 2017 when he was involved in a multi-car crash after completing 2 of the 25 laps of the Season 1 SCRL CatDog Pro Series West Graham Tire 150 at the Iowa Speedway. However on Lap 23 the battle for last ended quickly when Twin State last-place finisher the #48 A-Best Forklift Chevrolet of Bafode Sacko was spun out by second New Egypt last-place finisher the #11 Marek Engineering Chevrolet of Evan Hunter while battling for 5th spot. Sacko's car spun out in Turn 1, hitting the outside wall and then came back down the track right in from of Kennedy, who hit Sacko hard, completely destroying Kennedy's car and as soon as his car was retired, it gave Kennedy the LASTCAR Championship by having more Bottom Five finishes(11) to Gitirokh's 8.
Finishing 24th and 23rd was Catamount last-place finisher the #43 Supreme Mfg. Co. Chevrolet of Marko Tellez and first Waterford last-place finisher the #1 DMC Auto Exchange Chevrolet of Anthony Lopez, both taken out in the same wreck, but where both able to cross the start/finish line before pulling into the garage to be scored higher then Kennedy.
22nd was two time last-place finisher the #42 Patterson Farm / NAPA / Spafco Chevrolet of Eddie Wycombe, the only other driver to not finish on the lead lap. Rounding out the Bottom Five in 21st was the #48 of Bafode Sacko, the last car to finish on the same lap as race winner Danyal Gitirokh, who led all but one lap, on his way to his first career win in the entire league.
The SCRL Icebreakers Whelen Series Season 1 Championship went to Chakat Whitelion, hir 6th overall championship in the entire league. Whitelion went the entire season without a last-place finish. Whitelion however did have 3 Bottom Five Finishes, and 7 Bottom Ten finishes, with hir worse finish being a 24th in the very first race of the season at Thompson.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #3 has finished last at Martinsville.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
25) #3-Nick Kennedy / 22 laps / crash
24) #43-Marko Tellez / 24 laps / crash
23) #1-Anthony Lopez / 24 laps / crash
22) #42-Eddie Wycombe / 49 laps / running
21) #48-Bafode Sacko / 50 laps / running
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