Bailey Leigh picked up the 1st last place finish of her SCRL Short Track Division career in Friday's Season 1 Race 9 at the Langley Speedway when her #9 Coors Ford completed 19 of the 20 laps under power.
The finish came in her 9th career start. In the SCRL Short Track Division, it's the 1st for car #9 and the 6th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 11th for the #9 and the 334th for running at the finish.
Leigh was one of several drivers who would make their debut in the SCRL's brand newest series and was looking to hopefully make a good showing to one day compete in the SCRL's highest division; the SCRL Grand National Series. Leigh would struggle in his debut, starting 21st and finishing a disappointing 19th at Dayton and would following it up with a second finish of 19th at Charlotte before finishing 20th at Greenville-Pickens, a 17th at Hickory, 15th at Bowman-Gray before finally scoring points for the first time with a finish of 9th at Martinsville. Despite scoring points for the first time, the finishes just wasn't there for Leigh as another 19th place at Monroe County would be followed by a 16th in the last round at Richmond.
In qualifying, Rohan Marmot scored his second ever pole in the Short Track Division, posting a time of 18.862 seconds. Leigh would impress in qualifying, posting a time of 19.123 seconds, 0.261 seconds behind Rohan's time, which placed Leigh 8th on the starting lineup, the second best start of the season after qualifying second at Monroe County. Starting last in the race was two-time last-place finisher the #17 Carling Dodge of Rebecca Zeal, who posted the slowest time of 19.396, 0.534 seconds behind Rohan's pole winning time.
On race day, Rebecca's stay in the final lap only lasted one turn as she knocked Bowman-Gray last-place finisher the #13 Smokey's Chevrolet Chakat Blackpaw into last with Blackpaw trailing the field for the first lap. Blackpaw would struggle to stay in touch with the field around the 0.395 mile short track and was trailing the field for the first five laps when the battle for last would come to an end. Leigh, who at this point in the race had dropped back to 11th, began to suddenly slow entering Turn 1 holding up the bottom lane before pulling to the inside of the track on the backstretch and on pit road, reporting of a flat tire. Leigh's crew would quickly put four fresh tires on the Ford and sent Leigh back out on track, but already one lap behind the race leaders, with the team hoping someone else would have a problem over the final fourteen laps, but unfortunately for Leigh that wouldn't happen, as a clean caution free race would be run and when the checkered flag waved, Leigh was the only car to not finish on the lead lap.
Rounding out the Bottom Five were drivers who finished on the same lap as the race leaders: 21st was the #28 LaFayette Ford of Kaitlyn Coyne, 20th was Monroe County last-place finisher the #74 unsponsored Chevrolet of John Joseph, 19th was Richmond race winner the #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet of Austin Greenwood and 18th was the aforementioned #13 of Chakat Blackpaw.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #9 had finished last as well at Langley.
*This was the first time the #9 had finished last as well at Langley.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
22) #9-Bailey Leigh / 19 laps / running
21) #28-Kaitlyn Coyne / 20 laps / running
20) #74-John Joseph / 20 laps / running
19) #3-Austin Greenwood / 20 laps / running
18) #13-Chakat Blackpaw / 20 laps / running
22) #9-Bailey Leigh / 19 laps / running
21) #28-Kaitlyn Coyne / 20 laps / running
20) #74-John Joseph / 20 laps / running
19) #3-Austin Greenwood / 20 laps / running
18) #13-Chakat Blackpaw / 20 laps / running
SCRL LASTCAR SHORT TRACK DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
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