Stewart Raceway’s primary mission statement is to foster fair, balanced, and competitive slot car racing. This “Under The Lights” event proves that this can be accomplished. The final race of the night, with our MegaG+ 1.7 Modified platform, wasn’t the closest race ever recorded here, but it was amazingly close for a 120-lap fuel race. See Race 2 below for more.
Up-and-coming Sportsman driver Dustin Jolley showed up with two Junior drivers, his son Rye and Rye’s friend Austin Brentmar, both 14 years old. Across the spectrum of skill levels, the racing was some of the closest and most competitive we’ve seen in quite some time. Oh, and way fun, too!
Short Story
| Place | Name | Laps | Points | Total Time |
| 1 | Steve Stewart | 230 | 160 | 1963.954 |
| 2 | Dean Donaldson | 224 | 135 | 2020.333 |
| 3 | Dustin Jolley | 226 | 127 | 2003.490 |
| 4 | Joe Clarke | 208 | 106 | 2088.158 |
| 5 | Austin Brentmar | 204 | 100 | 2060.362 |
| 6 | Rye Jolley | 187 | 68 | 2147.751 |
Race 1: Viper V-SPEC F1/Indy 1.7 (i) Lexan Eric Lane Set
This one was also a 120-lap fuel race, using Eric Lane’s set of very predictable, fast Viper V-SPEC L4 cars across all six lanes.
Very likely, our next Expert advancer, Dustin Jolley, upset Expert Dean Donaldson for the second podium step. Primarily because Dean struggled in the two “gutter” lanes, Red and Yellow. This was also the debut race on the new “Bus Stop” SR3 road course layout, which made those two lanes much more of a challenge than the “Fast Esses” course.
Sportsman driver, Joe Clarke, of Scotts Valley, returned to the raceway after a long layoff supporting his other “sport”, duck hunting. Joe had a good run in his first race back, holding onto 2nd place through the first two segments, then locking in a 4th overall.
Dustin, Austin, and Home Cook’n got the honors of setting all six new lap records on this new course layout. The time to beat right now is 4.990 in White. Details
| Place | Name | Laps | Points | Total Time |
| 1 | Steve Stewart | 117 | 91 | 995.363 |
| 2 | Dustin Jolley | 114 | 66 | 1007.032 |
| 3 | Dean Donaldson | 111 | 66 | 1040.297 |
| 4 | Joe Clarke | 103 | 49 | 1110.750 |
| 5 | Austin Brentmar | 95 | 40 | 1067.309 |
| 6 | Rye Jolley | 97 | 36 | 1056.856 |
Race 2: MegaG+ 1.7 Modified
As mentioned above, this race was a barn-burner! The two Experts were separated by just 12 seconds after 120 laps of racing.
While Home Cook’n had his hands full with Joe Clarke in the first three segments, Dean Donaldson and Dustin would both struggle with their Red and Yellow lane segments. To make things even more interesting, Home Cook’n had a horrible run in the Blue lane with a tire problem, and our newest Junior phenom, Austin Brentmar, was picking up points as the old guard nervously struggled to remain in or step up to the podium positions.
Halfway through the race, neither Dustin Jolley nor Dean Donaldson had recovered from their difficulties in the gutter lanes and were sitting in 5th and 4th. Home Cook’n was still holding onto the lead, but his grip on it was loosening. Austin Brentmar would win the fourth segment with a perfect run of 20 laps, and Dean and Dustin also had great runs, Dean 2nd, Dustin in 3rd.
In the 5th segment, things got even more interesting as Dustin would win the segment, Dean would bag 2nd, and Austin would bag 4th, tying Expert Dean Donaldson in points and sitting 3rd overall going into the final segment. This is slot car racing at its best!
At the end of Segment 5, you could have heard a pin drop on the floor (if the music hadn’t been so loud) as the intensity and apprehension peaked. Home Cook’n still had a 10-point lead, but he would finish in the dreaded Red lane while Dean would finish in Blue, and Dustin in Orange. The only good thing about Home Cookin’s situation was that phenom, Austin Brentmar, would finish in the Red lane. It sure got quiet from then on as the “sharks” smelled blood in the water.
In the end, Dean Donaldson would win (in Blue, no less), which was exactly what he needed to have a shot at overtaking Home Cookin’ for the overall win. To make things even more tense for Home Cookin, first-segment winner Joe Clarke had a great run in the White lane, finishing 2nd and narrowly missing the podium behind the speedster Austin in 4th overall!
So, there you have it. One of the closest races ever, and segment wins by five drivers! Junior driver, Rye Jolley didn’t have a great showing, but considering he’s only visited the raceway twice, and the incredible level of competition in this one, he did pretty well.
One again, Dustin, Austin, and Home Cook’n got the honors of setting all six new lap records with the MG+ 1.7 Modified platform on this new course layout. The time to beat right now is 5.324 by Dustin Jolley in Orange.
| Place | Name | Laps | Points | Total Time |
| 1 | Steve Stewart | 113 | 69 | 968.591 |
| 2 | Dean Donaldson | 113 | 69 | 980.036 |
| 3 | Dustin Jolley | 112 | 61 | 996.458 |
| 4 | Austin Brentmar | 109 | 60 | 993.053 |
| 5 | Joe Clarke | 105 | 57 | 977.408 |
| 6 | Rye Jolley | 90 | 32 | 1090.895 |
Okay, shut up and drive!
