Lapcevich, who won seven of 14 races on his way to the 2023 NASCAR Canada title, joined Chad Bryant Racing to run full-time in the CARS Tour this season and get acclimated to U.S. racing.
Once he finally wrestled the lead away from pole winner Brenden “Butterball” Queen, Lapcevich appeared to have the win in hand when a wreck with four of 125 laps remaining left fluid on the track.
Lapcevich got caught in the fluid when the caution came out, slid and nearly slammed into the stopped car of Brandon Pierce, but just squeezed past him and the wall.
The 20-year-old native of Grimsby, Ontario, then deftly held off late-charging Corey Heim on the final restart to secure his first series win.
🏁 @TreytenL is a @CARSTour winner! #carstour pic.twitter.com/4Z8dQGEi71
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 4, 2024
“It’s just unreal,” an elated Lapcevich said in Victory Lane. “I have to thank all the people that have believed in me to get me to this point. I’m so thankful. These Chad Bryant Racing guys gave me a great car.
“I’m so excited. I feel like we’ve been running pretty good but finally we were able to put one together tonight.”
Asked about his near collision with four laps to go, Lapcevich said, “I thought it over, honestly. I hit oil there. I couldn’t even tell there was oil on the track. I hit just as I got to the outside of (Turn) 2.”
Lapcevich entered Saturday night’s race – originally scheduled for NASCAR All-Star weekend in May but postponed by rain – with eight top-10 finishes in 10 races but had not yet led a lap of competition.
After starting fourth, he moved to second by the Lap 50 competition caution and after several laps of working over Queen for the lead, finally passed him with 57 of 125 laps remaining.
Saturday night’s race was stocked full of talent as among those competing was former Cup champion and now TV analyst Kevin Harvick, Xfinity Series regulars Brandon Jones and Sammy Smith, Truck Series rookie Layne Riggs as well as Heim, who currently leads the Truck standings.
A pileup on an early-race restart produced an extended red flag and knocked several drivers – including the top two drivers in series points Connor Hall and Brent Crews – out of contention.
