CONCORD, N.C. – On a night dedicated to honoring U.S. Legend Car and Bandolero champions at the Cook Out Summer Shootout, a group of former Legend racers turned NASCAR stars stole the show.
Kaulig Racing drivers Daniel Hemric, Landon Cassill and Justin Haley, along with team president Chris Rice and guest driver Quentin Haley battled in a five-lap showdown that featured four-wide racing, three-wheeled slide jobs and a side-by-side photo finish. Ultimately, former Legend racer Cassill came out on top, edging Justin Haley to claim the ultimate bragging rights and a life-size trophy at the Cook Out Summer Shootout finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“It drove beautifully,” Cassill joked from victory lane. “It was on rails — had the left side planted.
“He’s (Justin Haley) a good driver. He was trying to take the gap where we he could. We made a little contact there, but I just kept in the gap.”
Hemric, who won the Legends Million – the largest purse ever for a U.S. Legend Car event – in 2010, slid through the infield grass on the race’s final circuit to finish third.
Lewis Leads the Way in Pro Division
In the Boston Reid & Co. Pro division, Landon Lewis capped a magical season with his first Cook Out Summer Shootout championship, holding off stars Jordan Black, Garrett Lowe and a host of other Pro division drivers to capture the season-long title and the champion’s belt.
On a night that saw Jensen Jorgensen claim his fifth win in just six Cook Out Summer Shootout events this season, Lewis held on for a third-place finish to claim the Boston Reid & Co. Pro division title.
“What a race,” Jorgensen said in victory lane. “I started sixth. I didn’t know if I could get it up there. I got it up there and got to mix it up with Ryan Mackintosh and Jordan Black, some of the best. This is it. This is the pinnacle of racing. This is huge.”
Woodall Offers Master Class with Third Consecutive Title
In the Masters division, the season-long battle for a championship came down to a Round 10 showdown between the top two points leaders, Robbie Woodall and Brandon McKenzie, who were separated by only two points entering the night.
The pair started the race in third and fifth place respectively in the 25-lap feature, with the title coming down to essentially who finished ahead of the other.
McKenzie raced his way around Woodall on lap 7, before Dwayne Holder spun McKenzie a lap later, bringing out the caution and giving Woodall the advantage with 17 circuits remaining. Woodall restarted in eighth place, while McKenzie started in 13th.
After a spin on the restart, McKenzie fell nearly a half a lap behind Woodall, his chances of a late-race miracle having seemingly faded. But a late caution with just four laps to go gave McKenzie fresh life.
On the ensuing restart, Woodall moved to third and McKenzie to fifth. While Canadian Kevin Foisy cruised to victory for his first win of the 2022 Cook Out Summer Shootout season, Woodall held on to for a third place finish and his third consecutive Cook Out Summer Shootout victory.