CUP: Sebastian Torres goes for a roll at Thompson; still able to finish the race

Sebastian Torres picked up the 3rd last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in Wednesday's Race 32 at the Thompson Speedway when his #3 Plymouth completed 19 of the 20 laps under power.

The finish, which came in his 44th career series start, was his first on the circuit since the Motor City 250 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds when he completed all 25 laps under power; 12 races ago. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 3rd for car #3 and the 43rd for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 24th for the #3 and 364th for running at the finish.

After trailing the field at Detroit, Torres would skip the next three races at Fort Miami, Morristown and Air Base before scoring a runner up finish at Darlington, a race he had won one season previously, and also a race that allowed Torres to jump 27 spots in points, from 31st to 3rd. Torres would skip the next two rounds at Columbia and Central City before returning at Langhorne, where he finished runner up once again. Torres would then sit out the next three events at Charlotte, Dayton and Wilson, before returning to finish outside the points, a 19th, in the last round at Hillsborough.

The entry list for the 10th time this season would be filled with both full time and part time drivers, the first time since Race 31 at the Occoneechee Speedway, 1 race ago.

In qualifying, Brian Fox scored his third pole of the year, with a time of 21.753 seconds. Torres would struggle around the half mile paved track, posting a time of 22.039 seconds, 0.286 seconds behind Fox's time, placing Torres 28th on the starting line up. Securing the 42nd and final starting spot was the #64 Plymouth of Chase Abbott, who posted a time of 22.218 seconds, 0.465 seconds behind Fox's time.

When the race started, Abbott's stay in the final spot lasted only two turns as he knocked two-time last-place finisher the #22 Hudson of Chris Kyle into the final position, with Kyle trailing for not only the first lap but also the two after, before knocking second Hillsborough last-place finisher the #4 Ford of Austin Line into last on Lap 4. Line would trail for two laps before he knocked the #43 of Nathan Ormond into last on Lap 7, but Ormond was determined to not trail for the first time of the season and would knock the first Hillsborough last-place finisher the #83 Ford of James Baiser into last on Lap 8, a position he would hold till the battle for last came to an end three laps later.

Torres, who had fallen back to the 36th position, was battling with Ormond entering Turn 1 when Torres cut down at the same time Ormond was making a move for the position, causing Torres to spin out in Turn 1 and up the 26° banking of the track right in front of first Charlotte last-place finisher the #8 Fry Motors Lincoln of Chris Tuckett, with Tuckett hitting Torres in the driver's door, it caused Torres's car to flip one time before landing on all four wheels. Torres would make it to pit lane for repairs, taking last on Lap 11, and he would lose a lap in the process, before being sent back out to see if he could recover anything. When the field went back to racing, Torres limped around the track at half speed, hoping that someone else would have problems, but it never came, with Torres being the lone driver to not finish on the lead lap when the checkered flag waved.

The remaining Bottom Five finished on the same lap as the race leaders: 41st was the aforementioned #8 of Chris Tuckett, 40th was the #83 of James Blaiser, 39th was the #93 Plymouth of Roger James and 38th was the #4 of Austin Line.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #3 has finished last in a Cup race at Thompson.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #3-Sebastian Torres / 19 laps / running
41) #8-Chris Tuckett / 20 laps / running
40) #83-James Blaiser / 20 laps / running
39) #93-Roger James / 20 laps / running
38) #4-Austin Line / 20 laps / running

S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship