CUP: Flat Tire gives Sergeant Young second last-place finish in three races at Bainbridge

Sergeant Young picked up the 2nd last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in the November 8th Race 15 at the Bainbridge Speedway when his #81 Oldsmobile completed 14 of the 15 laps under power.

The finish, which came in his 15th career series start, was his first on the circuit since Race 12 at the Dayton Speedway when he was involved in a two-car wreck after 3 of the 20 laps; 3 races ago. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 2nd for car #81 and the 27th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 6th for the #81 and 348th for running at the finish.

After trailing the field at Dayton, Young would continue to struggle, finishing 21st at the second Carrell event before rebounding in the last round at Grand Rapids.

The entry list for the eleventh time this season would be filled with only the full-time drivers.

In qualifying, Chris Kyle would score his second pole of the year with a time of 34.177 seconds. Young would fair decently in qualifying, posting a time of 34.353, 0.176 seconds off Kyle's time, placing him 10th on the grid. Securing the 22nd and final starting spot was the #4 of Austin Line, who posted a time of 34.646 seconds, 0.469 seconds off Kyle's pole winning time.

Chris Kyle suffers brake failure on the pace lap.

As the field began their lone pace lap, pole sitter Chris Kyle pulled to the inside of the track and would follow the pace car down pit road as the field took the green flag, when Kyle got to his pit stall, he informed his team that the brake pedal had gone all the way to the floor and resulted in no brakes. Kyle's team would quickly try to solve the problem and sent their driver back out, just seconds in front of the race leaders. Kyle was determined to not trail for the first time in his Grand National Series career, and the racing gods would appear to answer his and his team's prayers, as Young, who at that point had worked his way into 7th, suffered a flat tire on Lap 5 and had to come to the pits.

Young's team would struggle on pit road, being passed by Kyle and then put a lap down. Young would get back on track and with fresher tires was hoping to run down the leaders and possibly get his lap back when a caution came out, and while one did come out on Lap 8, Young hadn't caught the leaders and was trapped a lap down. When the green came back out, Young's only hope was for another driver to have problems, but it didn't happen, and as the leaders took the checkered flag, Young, while running at the finish, was the only car not on the same lap.

The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the same lap as the race leaders: 21st was the #93 Plymouth of Roger James, 20th was the #42 Petty Special Plymouth of Ty Westner, 19th was Charlotte last-place finisher the #8 Fry Motors Lincoln of Chris Tuckett and 18th was the aforementioned #22 of Chris Kyle.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #81 has finished last in a Cup race at Bainbridge.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
22) #81-Sergeant Young / 14 laps / running
21) #93-Roger James / 15 laps / running
20) #42-Ty Westner / 15 laps / running
19) #8-Chris Tuckett / 15 laps / running
18) #22-Chris Kyle / 15 laps / running

S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship