Sebastian Torres picked up the 2nd last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in Sunday's Motor City 250 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds when his #3 Plymouth completed all 25 laps under power.
The finish, which came in his 32nd career series start, was his first on the circuit since the Season 2 Race 18 at the Winchester Speedway when his #16 Plymouth completed 24 of the 25 laps under power; 21 races ago. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 2nd for car #3 and the 32nd for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 23rd for the #3 and 353rd for running at the finish.
Coming into Season 3 of the SCRL's highest division, Torres is a first ballot Hall of Famer, having scored 17 career wins in various series as well as having four overall championships in the SCRL, including two back-to-back in the Grand National Series. But this season has been different for Torres, who signed on to compete only on a part-time schedule, and while there was still a mathematical chance he could win the championship despite missing more then half the races, it would be more difficult for him. Torres's first race of the season would be at the Beach & Road Course in Daytona, a race he finished 25th, scoring no points. After missing the second race of the season at Charlotte, Torres would rebound quickly by scoring his first win of the season at Lakeview, becoming the first driver to win a race in all three seasons of the Grand National Series.
After skipping the next race at Carrel, Torres would return at Hillsborough, finishing once again outside the points in 17th. Another skipped race at Arizona State Fairgrounds would see Torres return at North Wilkesboro, a race he would score his worst finish of the season, a 35th. After missing the next eight events, Torres would return at Heidelberg, finishing in the points in 9th position, which has been his last previous start as he has skipped the last three events, including the last round at Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds.
The entry list for the sixth time this season would be filled with both the full-time drivers as well as the part-time drivers, the first time since Heidelberg, four races ago, a race in which part-time driver Nick Holiday would win.
In qualifying, Brian Fox would score his second pole of the season, the third of his career, with a time of 36.006 seconds. Torres would perform great in qualifying, posting a time of 36.007, just one-one thousandth off Fox's pole time, placing placing Torres 2nd on the grid. Securing the 42nd and final starting spot was the #24 Plymouth of David Waide, who posted a time of 21.252, 0.860 seconds off Fox's time.
When the race started, Waide's stay in the final spot lasted only the first turn as he knocked the #59 Oldsmobile of Cole O’Ash into last, with Cole trailing for the first two laps around the one mile dirt track and was trailing the field when the race's first caution came out. While racing for 33rd, the #188 Oldsmobile of Luke Walker got loose entering Turn 1 and slid up into the track, hitting two-time last-place finisher the #81 Oldsmobile of Sergeant Young, sending Walker for a spin up the track and coming to a stop right in front of Waide's car. Waide would drive past with Walker regaining control of his car and trailing when he crossed the start/finish line. Walker would trail the field under the yellow flag, and when the race went back to green on Lap 7, Walker was determined to not finish last for the first time in his career, knocking Young back to last on the very next circuit after Young was spun out battling for 30th.
Young would remain in last under the caution flag and when the green flag came back out on Lap 12, Young wasn't going to stick around, knocking the #20 Oldsmobile of Jules Notre into last for the first time in his career on Lap 13. Notre would struggle around the bumpy dirt track for the next three laps before knocking Monroe County last-place finisher the #89 Plymouth of Brent James into last on Lap 17. James's stay in last was a short one, only one lap, as he knocked Notre back to last the very next circuit on Lap 18. Norte's stay in last this time would only last two laps before he passed and knocked Torres back to last on Lap 20.
By this point, Torres was having a horrible day, having spun out battling for the lead racing back to the line after the race's first caution, and was never able to rebound, losing spots every lap and when he assumed last on Lap 20, he was unable to keep touch with the drivers in front of him, finishing more than thirteen seconds behind the race leaders when the checkered flag waved.
The remaining Bottom Five were: 41st was the aforementioned #188 of Luke Walker, 40th was the #20 of Jules Notre, 39th was Canfield last-place finisher the #50 Mercury of Christian Russel and 38th was the #89 of Brent James.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #3 has finished last in a Cup race at Michigan State Fairgrounds.
*This was only the second time the #3 has trailed a Cup Series race; the only other time it happened was in the Season 2 Race 9 at the Charlotte Speedway when Chris Henry's #3 Ford completed 29 of the 30 laps under power; 30 races ago.
*This is the first time the #3 has finished last in a Cup race at Michigan State Fairgrounds.
*This was only the second time the #3 has trailed a Cup Series race; the only other time it happened was in the Season 2 Race 9 at the Charlotte Speedway when Chris Henry's #3 Ford completed 29 of the 30 laps under power; 30 races ago.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #3-Sebastian Torres / 25 laps / running
41) #188-Luke Walker / 25 laps / running
40) #20-Jules Notre / 25 laps / running
39) #50-Christian Russel / 25 laps / running
38) #89-Brent James / 25 laps / running
42) #3-Sebastian Torres / 25 laps / running
41) #188-Luke Walker / 25 laps / running
40) #20-Jules Notre / 25 laps / running
39) #50-Christian Russel / 25 laps / running
38) #89-Brent James / 25 laps / running
S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship
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