Cole O'Ash picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in the April 1st Race 30 at the Wilson Speedway when his #59 Buesink Police Special Ford completed all 20 laps under power.
The finish came in his 30th career series start. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 2nd for car #59 and the 41st for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 7th for the #59 and 362nd for running at the finish.
Cole was part of nearly half of the field that was not only making their Grand National Series debuts, but also their overall SCRL debut, and with no past experience, Cole would be tackling the challenge head on, driving full time in a attempt at winning a championship. Cole's career got off to a rocky start by finishing 31st at Daytona Beach, 21st at Charlotte, 28th at Lakeview, 20th at Carrell, 40th at Hillsborough before finally finishing a points paying finish, a 10th, in his sixth career start at Arizona Fairgrounds.
Success wouldn't be long as Cole would struggle to a 38th place finish at North Wilkesboro, before rebounding with a career best 5th at Martinsville and a 9th at Canfield before struggling to a 18th at Columbus, 12th at Columbia, 10th at Dayton, 8th at Carrell, 15th at Grand Rapids, 11th at Bainbridge, 10th at Heidelberg, 8th at Asheville-Weaverville, 21st at Monroe County before in just his 19th career start, Cole would visit victory lane for the first time in his career by winning at Altamont-Schenectady. A 30th at Michigan State Fairgrounds would be followed by a 9th at Fort Miami, 6th at Morristown, 2nd at Air Base, 4th at Darlington, 10th at Columbia, 9th at Central City, 4th at Langhorne, 18th at Charlotte before scoring win #2 in the last round at Dayton.
The entry list for the 22nd time this season would be filled with only the full-time drivers, with the part-time drivers not scheduled to make an appearance until Race 31 at Hillsborough.
In qualifying, Austin Abilene would win the pole, with a time of 20.882 seconds. Cole would fair decent around the bumpy half mile track, posting a time of 21.112 seconds, 0.230 seconds behind Abilene, placing Cole 8th on the starting line up. Securing the 22nd and final starting spot was current SCRLASTCAR Championship leader the #120 Hudson of Brian Grigsby, who posted a time of 21.422 seconds, 0.540 seconds behind Abilene's time.
When the race started, Grigsby would trail for the first lap before knocking two-time last-place finisher the #60 Plymouth of Josh Barker into last on Lap 2. Just like with Grigsby, Barker was determined to not be in last for long as he knocked the #2 Ford of Bronson Minnick into last on Lap 3 before the next circuit around it was second Carrell last place-finisher the #77 Oldsmobile of McKenzie Dell who had fallen to last. Dell would trail for two circuits before knocking two-time last-place finisher the #81 Oldsmobile of Sergeant Young into last on Lap 6, with Young also trailing for two laps before knocking Dell back to last on Lap 8. Dell would once again remain in last for two laps before knocking Cole, who had struggled during the first half of the race, to last for the first time on Lap 11.
Cole would remain in the final spot for the next three laps before he knocked two-time last-place finisher the #69 Oldsmobile of Chakat Duskwatcher to last on Lap 15. Duskwatcher would trail the first as the last few laps would tick by and was trailing when the field took the white flag, but would make hir move entering Turn 1 and knocking Cole back to last, but entering the backstretch Cole would make a move and attempted to knock Duskwatcher back to last in Turns 3 and 4 but would run out of time, falling a car length behind when the checkered flag waved.
The remaining Bottom Five were: 21st was the aforementioned #69 of Chakat Duskwatcher, 20th was the #77 of McKenzie Dell, 19th was two-time last-place finisher the #22 Hudson of Chris Kyle and 18th was Asheville-Weaverville last-place finisher the #58 Kaiser of Brent Davison.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #59 has finished last in a Cup race at Wilson.
*The only other time the #59 has trailed a Cup race was in the Season 2 Wilkes 200 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway when Zachary Fitzwater's #59 Lincoln fell out with header issues without completing any of the 40 laps; 34 races ago.
*This is the first time the #59 has finished last in a Cup race at Wilson.
*The only other time the #59 has trailed a Cup race was in the Season 2 Wilkes 200 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway when Zachary Fitzwater's #59 Lincoln fell out with header issues without completing any of the 40 laps; 34 races ago.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
22) #59-Cole O'Ash / 20 laps / running
21) #69-Chakat Duskwatcher / 20 laps / running
20) #77-McKenzie Dell / 20 laps / running
19) #22-Chris Kyle / 20 laps / running
18) #58-Brent Davison / 20 laps / running
22) #59-Cole O'Ash / 20 laps / running
21) #69-Chakat Duskwatcher / 20 laps / running
20) #77-McKenzie Dell / 20 laps / running
19) #22-Chris Kyle / 20 laps / running
18) #58-Brent Davison / 20 laps / running
S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship
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