A hotly contested penultimate night of Bojangles' Summer Shootout racing presented by Cook Out saw championship battles tighten up after seven division features and the ever-popular Little Luggies 600 power wheels race presented by Farm Bureau on the Charlotte Motor Speedway frontstretch quarter-mile.
"The Dragon" was stirred but not stopped in the Cabarrus Brewing Company Masters feature, as Carl Cormier roared to an impressive win and assumed the points lead in the process. Cormier's third victory of the season vaulted him to the top spot in the standings with Robby Faggart - who finished third behind Cormier and Mark Green - second in points heading into the season finale.
"This was for the championship, it's about beating everyone," Cormier said. "I didn't want to create some opportunity there at the end."
Sam Mayer executed the "bump and run" to perfection in Monday's Legend Car Pro feature. Mayer chased down leader Hudson Halder in the final four laps and used a last-lap tap in Turn 4 to slide under Halder and beat him to the checkered flag by 0.056 seconds. Mayer's fourth win of the season sets up the final Pro race of the season with Mayer leading Halder in points.
"I was just going after it and getting all I could get," Mayer said. "Farbo Motorsports gave me a great car. It was tough starting seventh but we were able to get up there and win."
Connor Mosack and D.J. Canipe locked horns during the K1 Speed Young Lions feature, which saw Mosack take the point from Canipe and pull away in the closing stages to win by 0.706 seconds.
William Robusto dominated the first two third of the VP Racing Fuels Semi-Pro feature, but Isaak Love roared past Steven Chapman - who passed Robusto for the lead with nine laps left - to pull off his fourth victory of the season.
Love's triumph also put the driver of the black No. 6 in the driver's seat for the division title.
"With a few laps to go there was a tire on the track and I wasn't sure if I'd hit it," Love said. "The last couple of weeks we've been struggling, but we were just on it tonight."
Justin Gareis returned to his winning ways in Monday's Charter Schools USA Bandolero Outlaw division makeup feature from Round 4. Gareis - the division's winningest driver this season - made a daring move to take the lead in the early stages and sped to the win in the 15-lap race.
Cameron Murray dominated the Outlaw nightcap before running over a tire and losing the lead. Gareis pounced, recording his second victory of the night and his sixth of the season.
"There was a lot of luck involved in that race," Gareis said. "When the Bo flag was out, there was no more being patient. We needed a little bit of luck and the racing took care of it."
Kade Brown held off Parker Eatmon and Landon Rapp to score the win in the Bandolero Bandit makeup feature from Round 4. The second Bandit feature saw Rapp rebound for a victory with Zack Miracle and Bobby Elder in tow.
The Beginner Bandit feature saw Michael Boyles and Skyler Chaney duel for the victory over the final two laps of a neck-and-neck battle, but an aggressive move from Boyles entering Turn 3 gave him the win by a scant 0.117 seconds over Chaney.
"I was just so worried right there but I was so happy when I crossed that checkered flag," Boyles said. "It's amazing. This is Charlotte Motor Speedway."
The Bojangles' Summer Shootout season concludes on Tuesday with Champions Night presented by Cook Out, featuring a fireworks show, driver autograph session and Faster Pastor school bus slobberknocker presented by Farm Bureau.
Monday's Unofficial Results:
Cabarrus Brewing Company Masters (25 laps): 1. Carl Cormier; 2. Mark Green; 3. Robby Faggart; 4. Craig Bruce; 5. Rodney Tharp; 6. Todd Midas; 7. John Craig; 8. Dwayne Holder; 9. Jan Ingram; 10. Danny Cisson; 11. Chip Ferguson; 12. Brian McElearney; 13. Joel Carlyle; 14. Dwayne Rumsey; 15. Jamie Smith; 16. Scott Wessel
K1 Speed Young Lions (25 laps): 1. Isaak Love; 2. Steven Chapman; 3. Ryan Rackley; 4. Tyler Chapman; 5. William Robusto; 6. Bryson Ruff; 7. Tommy Good; 8. Jason Alder; 9. Tyler Letarte; 10. Holt Halder; 11. Justice Calabro; 12. Austin Macdonald; 13. Isabella Robusto; 14. Molly Lindner; 15. Trent Dockery
VP Racing Fuels Semi-Pro (25 laps): 1. Connor Mosack; 2. Dj Canipe; 3. Gracie Trotter; 4. Tristian Love; 5. Drew Dollar; 6. Sammy Smith; 7. Ryo Ogato; 8. Caleb Day; 9. Garrett Lowe; 10. Adam Berberich; 11. Craig Biryla; 12. Cole Dockery; 13. Ryan Heim; 14. Kaylee Bryson; 15. Daniel Knight; 16. Joshua Plummer; 17. Dacin Roberson; 18. Cole Brown; 19. Carson Poindexter; 20. Harrison Halder; 21. Faron Laney; 22. Dustin Rumley; 23. Hayden Swank; 24. Jordan Welch; 25. Brandon McKenzie
Legend Car Pro (25 laps): 1. Sam Mayer; 2. Hudson Halder; 3. Garrett Manes; 4. Dawson Cram; 5. Daniel Wilk; 6. Nick Sanchez; 7. Derek Lemke; 8. Noah Korner; 9. Tyler Lester; 10. Carson Ferguson.
Bandolero Bandits Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Kade Brown; 2. Parker Eatmon; 3. Landon Rapp; 4. Sean Abell; 5. Lucas Vera; 6. Truett Miranda; 7. Alex Meggs; 8. Carter Russo; 9. Stanley Hayes; 10. Wyatt Philyaw; 11. Zack Miracle; 12. Kaleb Bradley; 13. Luke Morey; 14. Jacob Bradley; 15. Bobby Elder; 16. Adam Eades
Bandolero Bandits Race 2 (12 laps): 1. Landon Rapp; 2. Zack Miracle; 3. Bobby Elder; 4. Parker Eatmon; 5. Kade Brown; 6. Alex Meggs; 7. Jacob Bradley; 8. Lucas Vera; 9. Wyatt Philyaw; 10. Carter Russo; 11. Stanley Hayes; 12. Luke Morey; 13. Truett Miranda; 14. Kaleb Bradley; 15. Sean Abell; 16. Adam Eades
Charter Schools USA Bandolero Outlaws Race 1 (15 laps): 1. Justin Gareis; 2. Garin Mash; 3. Zac Fowler; 4. Santiago Hill; 5. Luke Akers; 6. Jadyn Daniels; 7. Josh Speas; 8. Jake Tretow; 9. Carson Ramsey; 10. Trevor Wester; 11. Cameron Murray; 12. Jordan Plummer; 13. Kenneth Henderson; 14. Jacob Gantz; 15. Ethan Norfleet; 16. Whitney Meggs; 17. Caleb Williams; 18. Emily Hedstrom
Charter Schools USA Bandolero Outlaws Race 1 (7 laps): 1. Justin Gareis; 2. Garin Mash; 3. Ethan Norfleet; 4. Josh Speas; 5. Zac Fowler; 6. Jordan Plummer; 7. Santiago Hill; 8. Emily Hedstrom; 9. Jacob Gantz; 10. Carson Ramsey; 11. Caleb Williams; 12. Whitney Meggs; 13. Jake Tretow; 14. Cameron Murray; 15. Jayden Daniels; 16. Trevor Wester
Beginner Bandits (15 laps): 1. Michael Boyles; 2. Skyler Chaney; 3.Adam Boyles; 4. Sean McElearney; 5. Natasha Elder; 6. Kenton Case 7. Hunter Jordan 8. Johnathan Speas 9. Laney Meggs; 10. Tristian McKee; 11. Josh Horniman
