CUP: Flat tire at the start gives Andrew James the first last-place finish of his career

Andrew James picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in Thursday's Wilkes County 150 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway when his #92 Plymouth completed 19 of the 20 laps under power.

The finish came in his 7th career series start. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 2nd for car #92 and the 20th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 7th for the #92 and 341st for running at the finish.

Entering the third ever season of the SCRL's highest series, Andrew had competed in several series in the SCRL but had yet to find victory lane and was hoping to turn it around as he signed up to compete in his first ever season in the SCRL's highest division. A 22nd on the road course at Beach & Road Course would be followed with a career best 3rd at Charlotte, 5th at Lakeview, 4th at Carrell, before scoring his worse finish of the season so far, 41st at Hillsborough, before struggling once again by finishing 17th in the last round at Arizona State Fairgrounds.

The entry list for the fourth time this season would be filled with both full and part-time drivers as for the third time in series history, drivers would be racing at the 0.625 mile short track.

In qualifying, Brian Fox would score his second career series pole with a time of 21.595 seconds. Andrew would post a time of 27.709, 0.114 seconds off Fox's time, placing him 21st on the grid. Securing the 42nd and final starting spot was the #59 Buesink Police Special Ford of Cole O’Ash, who posted a time of 22.034 seconds, 0.439 seconds off Fox's pole winning time.

Andrew James stalls on the frontstretch.

On race day, it wouldn't take long for the battle for last to come to an end, as on the pace lap, Andrew would stall on the frontstretch, reporting of a flat tire, and would be towed back to pit road. The race start would continue as planned as Andrew's team quickly tried to replace the tire, losing a lap in the pits, before sending their driver back out on track in front of the leaders. James would fight over the remaining laps, hoping for a caution, and actually posting the second fastest lap of the race, but due to the low attrition happening during the event, no other drivers would have problems, with Andrew being the only driver to not finish on the lead lap when the checkered flag waved.

The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the same lap as the race leaders: 41st was Hillsborough last-place finisher the #83 of James Blaiser, 40th was Lakeview last-place finisher the #60 Ford of Josh Barker, 39th was the #41.5 Oldsmobile of Nick Holiday and 38th was the aforementioned #59 of Cole O'Ash.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #92 has finished last in a Grand National Series race at North Wilkesboro.
*The only other time the #92 has trailed the field was in the Season 2 Race 14 at the Langhorne Speedway when Winnie Calhoun's #92 Plymouth completed all 15 laps under power; 12 races ago.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #92-Andrew James / 19 laps / running
41) #83-James Blaiser / 20 laps / running
40) #60-Josh Barker / 20 laps / running
39) #41.5-Nick Holiday / 20 laps / running
38) #59-Cole O'Ash / 20 laps / running

S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship