John Alabama picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Grand National Series career in Race 41 at the Lakeview Speedway when his #7 Gray Ghost Oldsmobile completed all 15 laps under power.
The finish came in his 15th career series start. In the SCRL Grand National Series, it's the 1st for car #7 and the 50th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 18th for the #7 and 371st for running at the finish.
Alabama was one of many drivers making his first ever SCRL appearance by competing in a part-time schedule in the SCRL's highest division. Alabama's first ever start came in the season opener at Daytona Beach, a race he would finish a impressive 11th, scoring points in his first ever appearance. After choosing to skip the second round at Charlotte, Alabama and his team would make their second start of the season at Lakeview, a event he would finish 20th in. After choosing to skip Carrell, Alabama would finish a disappointing 33rd at Hillsborough, skipping the next round at Arizona State Fairgrounds before coming back to finish 14th at North Wilkesboro. After skipping the next eight rounds(at Martinsville, Canfield, Columbus, Columbia, Dayton, Carrell, Grand Rapids and Bainbridge), Alabama came back with another disappointing 37th place finish at Heidelberg.
After missing the next three rounds at Asheville-Weaverville, Monroe County and Altamont-Schenectady, Alabama came back with a 13th place finish at Michigan State Fairgrounds. Skipping the next three races at Fort Miami, Morristown and Air Base, Alabama would score the best finish of his short SCRL career by finishing 8th at Darlington. Skipping the next two round at Columbia and Central City, Alabama would finish back in the pack once again, finishing 37th at Langhorne. Skipping the next three rounds at Charlotte, Dayton and Wilson, Alabama would come back with redemption by finishing 10th at Hillsborough and a 16th at Thompson.
Missing the next three events at Pine Grove, Martinsville and Oakland Stadium, Alabama would come back and improve on his career best finish, by finishing 6th at North Wilkesboro, before improving on it one race later by finishing 5th at Marchbanks. Choosing to skip the race at Speedway Park, Alabama would score his worst finish with a 41st at Lakewood before finishing 22nd in the last round at Carrell.
A 15th at Morristown, 10th at Air Base and a 20th at Darlington would be followed by Tuckett scoring his first career SCRL sanctioned win at Columbia. The win at Columbia wouldn't give Tuckett much time to celebrate as a disappointing 17th at Central City, 30th at Langhorne and a 13th at Charlotte would follow before Tuckett rebounded with a 4th at Dayton and a 3rd at Wilson. A 13th at Hillsborough would keep his streak of three points finishes would end the next round at Thompson, where he struggled to finish 41st before bouncing back with another 4th at Pine Grove. A 19th at Martinsville was followed by a 20th at Oakland, 7th at North Wilkesboro before finishing 3rd in the last round at Marchbanks.
The entry list for the 15th time this season would be filled with both the full time and part-time drivers, the first time since Race 40 at the Carrell Speedway, 1 race ago.
In qualifying, Sebastian Torres scored his 5th pole of the year, with a time of 18.527 seconds. Alabama would struggle around the 0.750 dirt track, posting a time of 18.869, 0.342 seconds behind Torres's time, placing Alabama 38th. Securing the 42nd and final starting spot was two-time last-place finisher the #88 Oldsmobile of Amber Reid, who posted a time of 18.966 seconds, 0.439 seconds behind Torres's time.
When the race started, Reid would remain in the final spot for the first two turns before making a move and knocking the #17 Oldsmobile of Abby Russel into the final spot with Russel trailing for the first lap. Abby would trail for the first three circuits before knocking the #188 Oldsmobile of Luke Walker into last on Lap 4. Walker's stay in the final spot would only last one circuit before knocking Daytona Beach last-place finisher the #16 Ford of Jack Jet into last on Lap 5. Jet would trail for two laps before knocking the two-time last-place finisher the #58 Kaiser of Brent Davison into last on Lap 8. Davison would remain in last for only one lap before knocking three-time last-place finisher the #81 Ford of Sergeant Young into last on Lap 9. Young would trail for two laps before giving up the final spot to the #23 Studebaker of John Autzen on Lap 11.
Autzen would remain in the final spot for only one circuit before knocking the #91 Mobile Motor Co. Hudson of Allison Marley into the final spot on Lap 12. Marley would trail for the next two circuits and was in the final position when the field took the white flag. As the field entered their final lap, Alabama had fallen back and was trapped on the high side as the field headed down the backstretch, when Marley made her move and knocked Alabama back into the final spot coming off Turn 4, with Alabama trailing for only the final turn when the checkered flag waved.
Rounding out the Bottom Five were: 41st was the aforementioned #91 of Allison Marley, 40th was second Carrell last place-finisher the #77 Oldsmobile of McKenzie Dell, 39th was the #58 of Brent Davison and 38th was the #23 of John Autzen.
By virtue of Albama finishing last, the SCRLASTCAR award went to Brian Grigsby, who, while tied with five other drivers with the most last-place finishes, Grigsby won the tiebreaker by having one more Bottom Five finish then Josh Barker.
The Season 3 SCRL Grand National Series Championship went to Sebastian Torres, the first time a driver has won three championships not only in one series but the first driver to win three in a row. Torres had two last-place finishes - coming at Michigan State Fairgrounds and Thompson. Congratulations to Sebastian Torres for having a great year and making history once again.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #7 has finished last in a Cup race as well at Lakeview.
*This is the first time the #7 has finished last in a Cup race as well at Lakeview.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #7-John Alabama / 15 laps / running
41) #91-Allison Marley / 15 laps / running
40) #77-McKenzie Dell / 15 laps / running
39) #58-Brent Davison / 15 laps / running
38) #23-John Autzen / 15 laps / running
42) #7-John Alabama / 15 laps / running
41) #91-Allison Marley / 15 laps / running
40) #77-McKenzie Dell / 15 laps / running
39) #58-Brent Davison / 15 laps / running
38) #23-John Autzen / 15 laps / running
S3 SCRLASTCAR Grand National Series Driver's Championship
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