Lapcevich, who clinched the 2023 NASCAR Canada championship with seven wins out of 14 races, has joined Chad Bryant Racing to compete full-time in the CARS Tour this season, aiming to adapt to racing in the U.S.
After successfully taking the lead from pole sitter Brenden “Butterball” Queen, Lapcevich seemed poised for victory until a crash with just four laps remaining brought debris onto the track.
During the caution, he found himself sliding through the fluid left by the wreck, narrowly avoiding a collision with the halted car of Brandon Pierce, managing to squeeze between him and the wall.
The 20-year-old from Grimsby, Ontario, skillfully defended against a late surge from Corey Heim on the final restart, securing his first win in the series.
“It’s just surreal,” an overjoyed Lapcevich exclaimed in Victory Lane. “I’m grateful to all the people who have supported me to reach this moment. I really appreciate it. The Chad Bryant Racing team provided me with an outstanding car.
“I’m thrilled. We have been performing well, but finally, we managed to piece it all together tonight.”
When asked about his close call just four laps from the finish, Lapcevich remarked, “I honestly thought about it afterwards. I encountered oil on the track. I didn’t even realize there was oil there. It happened right as I came out of (Turn) 2.”
Lapcevich entered Saturday’s race—which had been postponed from the NASCAR All-Star weekend in May—with eight top-10 finishes across ten races, yet had not led a single lap prior to this event.
Starting in fourth, he quickly advanced to second by the Lap 50 competition caution. After battling with Queen for the lead, he finally made the pass with 57 laps to go.
Saturday’s race featured a talented field, including former Cup champion and current TV analyst Kevin Harvick, Xfinity Series regulars Brandon Jones and Sammy Smith, Truck Series rookie Layne Riggs, along with Heim, who is currently leading the Truck standings.
An early race wreck during a restart resulted in an extended red flag, eliminating several competitors, including the top two drivers in series points, Connor Hall and Brent Crews.
