Amber Reid picked up the 2nd last place finish of her SCRL Grand National Series career in Monday's Wilkes 200 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway when her #88 Plymouth completed all 20 laps under power.
The finish, which came in her 36th career series start, was her first on the circuit since Race 6 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds when she completed all 15 laps under power; 30 races ago.
In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 2nd for car #88 and the 46 for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 18th for the #88 and 367th for running at the finish.
After trailing in Arizona, Reid would continue to struggle, finishing 32nd in the next round at North Wilkesboro, before finishing 8th in three straight races at Martinsville, Canfield and Columbus. An 11th at Columbia, would be followed by an 11th at Dayton, 13th at Carrell, 17th at Grand Rapids, 8th at Bainbridge before scoring a career best runner up spot at Heidelberg. A 16th at Asheville-Weaverville would be followed by a 16th at Monroe County, 7th at Altamont-Schenectady, 4th at Michigan State, 18th at Fort Miami, 3rd at Morristown, 14th at Air Base before finishing 34th at Darlington.
After trailing in Arizona, Reid would continue to struggle, finishing 32nd in the next round at North Wilkesboro, before finishing 8th in three straight races at Martinsville, Canfield and Columbus. An 11th at Columbia, would be followed by an 11th at Dayton, 13th at Carrell, 17th at Grand Rapids, 8th at Bainbridge before scoring a career best runner up spot at Heidelberg. A 16th at Asheville-Weaverville would be followed by a 16th at Monroe County, 7th at Altamont-Schenectady, 4th at Michigan State, 18th at Fort Miami, 3rd at Morristown, 14th at Air Base before finishing 34th at Darlington.
A 7th at Columbia, 14th at Central City, 20th at Langhorne, 12th at Charlotte, 12th at Dayton, 5th at Wilson, 41st at Hillsborough, 5th at Thompson, 10th at Pine Grove, 9th at Martinsville before finishing 5th in the last round at Oakland.
The entry list for the 11th time this season would be filled with both the full-time and part-time drivers, the first time since Race 32 at the Thompson Speedway, 4 races ago.
In qualifying, two time and defending champion Sebastian Torres scored his third career pole, with a time of 21.423 seconds. Reid would fair decent around the 0.625 mile dirt track, posting a time of 21.594, 0.171 seconds behind Torres's time. Securing the 42nd and final starting spot was three-time last-place finisher the #22 Hudson of Chris Kyle, who posted a time of 21.868 seconds, 0.445 seconds behind Torres's time.
When the race started, Kyle was determined to not trail for the second race in a row as he would quickly knock second Martinsville last-place finisher the #93 Plymouth of Roger James into the last spot as the field entered Turn 1, with James trailing for the first two laps, before he would knock the #20 Oldsmobile of Jules Notre back to last on Lap 3. Notre would trail for just one lap before knocking second Carrell last place-finisher the #77 Oldsmobile of McKenzie Dell into last on Lap 4, a position she would hold for two laps as well before knocking points leader the #64 Plymouth of Chase Abbott into last on Lap 6, but his stay was also just for two laps before he knocked the #23 Studebaker of John Autzen into last on Lap 8.
Autzen would trail for three circuits before he knocked Kyle back to last on Lap 11, but Kyle's stay was once again brief, knocking the #17 Ford of Abby Russel to last on Lap 12, a spot she'd hold for two laps before Abbott took the final spot for a second time on Lap 14.
Autzen would trail for three circuits before he knocked Kyle back to last on Lap 11, but Kyle's stay was once again brief, knocking the #17 Ford of Abby Russel to last on Lap 12, a spot she'd hold for two laps before Abbott took the final spot for a second time on Lap 14.
Abbott would fight back and knocked Asheville-Weaverville last-place finisher the #58 Kaiser of Brent Davison into last on Lap 16, a spot he held for three laps before knocking Autzen back to last as the field entered their final lap. As the field made their way around the track for the final time, Autzen would move to the inside in Turn 1 and raced side by side with Reid as they entered Turn 3, with Autzen pulling the pass off Turn 4 and beating Reid back to the start/finish line by half a car link.
The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the same lap as the race leaders: 21st the aforementioned #23 of John Autzen, 40th was the #17 of Abby Russel, 39th was the #58 of Brent Davison and 38th was the #64 of Chase Abbott.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #88 has finished last in a Cup race at North Wilkesboro.
*This is the first time the #88 has finished last in a Cup race at North Wilkesboro.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #88-Amber Reid / 20 laps / running
41) #23-John Autzen / 20 laps / running
40) #17-Abby Russel / 20 laps / running
39) #58-Brent Davison / 20 laps / running
38) #64-Chase Abbott / 20 laps / running
42) #88-Amber Reid / 20 laps / running
41) #23-John Autzen / 20 laps / running
40) #17-Abby Russel / 20 laps / running
39) #58-Brent Davison / 20 laps / running
38) #64-Chase Abbott / 20 laps / running
S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship
