VRC Next Series
The VRC Next Series is the second league of the OMA, and it is basically the middle-man division between the Pros and Amateurs. Usually, up-and-coming drivers are found here. The VRC Next was created in June 2018.
Masser Uses Late Run To Win Title
VRC Next Championship Preview
Drew-JT Racing Ready to Rock
This Saturday night, VRC Next season 2 will come to a close at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Four drivers enter with a chance at the title, and they seem pretty evenly matched.
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With his three wins and astounding ten podiums, Jarrett Tallmadge appears to be a favorite. After all that he's gone through, adjusting his attitude, three different suspensions, and countless penalties, it would be a feel good story to see Tallmadge come out on top for Thunderbolt Racing, before his move to the VRC in May.
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JT Sipes might be setting records with 9 poles in 11 starts, but despite the good qualifications, he often doesn't get the finishes he'd like. With a win last time out at the Roval, and Colombia Autosport having just won the TMG Truck Series title, Sipes should have a good shot at winning the title.
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Casey Masser also has three wins on the season after coming into the league with 6 races already complete. Masser has burst onto the scene strong with Hoffman-Gee Motorsports, and would love to get that team their first OMA crown. Masser has been a force at the mile and a halfs this season, and Saturday should be no different.
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Narrowly beating out Jose Suarez for the last spot in the final 4, 9 year-old JoJo Simz comes in as an underdog. Obviously, if the youngster can pull out the win it would be a monumental upset, but don't brush him off to the side; a win, 7 podiums, and 10 top 5's in 10 starts is nothing to look down on. After their bitter defeat in the TMG Truck Series championship race with Dunavan David, aspirations are sky-high for McGuines Motorsports as they go for their first ever OMA title.
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It will definitely be a fun race to watch, and maybe the most competitive championship race in OMA history. Four drivers with a good shot at glory, but only one will bask in it.
After fourteen races, it was down to four drivers (Jarrett Tallmadge, JT Sipes, Casey Masser, and JoJo Simz) to battle for the title at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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The four drivers were accompanied by Jose Suarez for the race that turned into quite the wreckfest. JT Sipes claimed his OMA-record tenth pole of the season, but saw constant competition from all of the contenders. Pack racing was prevalent, but it led to countless accidents. Specifically, a bold three wide move for the lead once by JoJo Simz took out the entire field.
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The meaningless halfway bonus went to JT Sipes, and the second half of the race continued the trend of wrecks. There was a spurt of about 20 clean laps but that was all. Nonetheless, a key restart was set with 10 laps to go. Casey Masser, who had improved his car all race long, past JT Sipes. JoJo Simz and Jarrett Tallmadge surged past them both. Then, Jose Suarez made contact with Sipes, sending the 2 into the wall and bringing out another caution.
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With that, it was a 3 lap shootout for the VRC Next title. Casey Masser excelled ahead off the restart, but Jarrett Tallmadge came in striking distance. Unfortunately, a bump from Sipes would loosen Tallmadge in turn 4, and he and JoJo Simz would collide, spinning out and ending their championship aspirations. Sipes had a run at Masser on the final lap, but just didn't have enough. Casey Masser, a midseason series edition, won his fourth race in 8 starts and claimed the VRC Next season 2 title, followed by Sipes, Simz, and Tallmadge.
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With the VRC Next season in the books, Masser now prepares for his title defense, while Sipes, Simz, and Tallmadge prepare to go full time in the VRC starting in May.
In addition to the driver moves this offseason, this May will see a whopping six new OMA organizations. Of them all, the one that has the greatest chance at success has to be Drew-JT Racing in the VRC Next division.
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The team was obviously founded by now teammates Drew Jewah and JT Sipes, who will be running the team as Chevrolet, even though they'll be driving Toyotas in the VRC for Thunderbolt Racing. As for their drivers, they might have found two of the best rookies out there.
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Jonah Ylhainen has burst onto the scene with two endurance challenge victories at Gateway and then his hometrack of Kansas to open his OMA career. An experienced league racer on Heat 3 and Forza, he will pilot the 93 in the Next division. While he will certainly have some tough competition from drivers like Downey, David, Labonte, Miller, and Greene, the speed he's shown makes him seem like a championship favorite. Also, he shows dedication, blowing the minds of countless drivers with his detailed formatted rundowns of his practice sessions, the setups he ran, and how he fared with them. He's at committed and fast as anyone.
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To counter that, the team hired another rookie, Skye McGuirk, to drive the #39 Lombard Bros Gaming Chevrolet. Like Ylhainen, this rookie also utilized an endurance challenge to show his stuff, outrunning VRC season 3 finalists Cucalon, Jewah, and Switzer in a last lap battle to get the win. He doesn't seem as fast as Ylhainen, but still seems like a heavy championship favorite.
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With just five weeks until cars will be on track at the World Center of Racing, this pair of teammates will be as fun as any to watch.