Thursday Night “Under The Lights” Round 2: A Battle of Skill on the Tight Esses!

⚠️ This report was primarily generated by an AI model.

Event Date: July 16, 2026

What a night of exhilarating slot car racing at Stewart Raceway! The atmosphere was electric for Round 2 of “Under The Lights,” delivering a high-octane spectacle of competitive driving. Racers pushed their machines to the limit on the newly configured SR3 Road Course with its challenging “Tight Esses” sector, providing thrilling close-quarters action. The debut of the MegaG+ 1.7 Modified class also added an extra layer of excitement and speed to the evening. Beyond the fierce competition, participants brought a fantastic array of food and drink, making the event a truly memorable and fun gathering for everyone.

The evening was largely dominated by the incredible performance of Dustin Jolley (Team Jolley) from Scotts Valley, who, after seemingly cracking the code on his nuclear-powered controller, almost achieved a clean sweep across all four races. However, John Rogers (Team Jolly Rogers) provided a stunning upset in the final race, breaking Dustin’s winning streak by just one lap and five points. This level of competition truly highlights the skill and dedication of our Masters drivers.


Overall Event Standings

The cumulative results across all four classes highlight the consistent performance and intense competition witnessed throughout the night.

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 318 235 2979.202
2 John Rogers 317 222 2857.529
3 Steve Stewart 305 201 2965.516
4 Dean Donaldson 303 190 3018.825
5 Andy Gersh 299 170 3011.689
6 Cece Caro 296 176 2872.676
7 Kevin Webster 273 122 2973.448

Race 1: MegaG+ 1.7 Modified 2026

The first race of the evening introduced the exciting new MegaG+ 1.7 Modified class on the SR3 Road Course Tight Esses. Dustin Jolley set an early precedent, demonstrating masterful control to secure victory. John Rogers and Cece Caro showed strong form, rounding out the top three. This race saw several new track records, indicating the high performance of this new class and the drivers quickly adapting to the demanding layout.

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 80 59 617.867
2 John Rogers 79 56 518.441
3 Cece Caro 78 47 540.400
4 Andy Gersh 74 48 604.239
5 Steve Stewart 72 44 617.922
6 Dean Donaldson 71 47 640.624
7 Kevin Webster 64 28 533.599

View Detailed Race Report: RaceReport_ 180_Jul-16-2026_SR3RoadCourseTightEsses.html

Event Photo for Race 1


Race 2: OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified

The OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified class brought a different challenge, emphasizing consistency and control. Dustin Jolley once again showcased his exceptional talent, clinching his second consecutive victory. Steve Stewart put in a strong performance to take second, just one point behind Jolley, while John Rogers secured third place. The competition in this class was incredibly tight, with just laps separating the top finishers.

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 79 59 1040.318
2 Steve Stewart 79 58 979.134
3 John Rogers 78 52 974.218
4 Andy Gersh 77 44 1065.981
5 Dean Donaldson 75 48 1047.595
6 Cece Caro 71 40 985.633
7 Kevin Webster 71 28 1062.369

View Detailed Race Report: RaceReport_ 182_Jul-16-2026_SR3RoadCourseTightEsses.html

Event Photo for Race 2


Race 3: Viper Jet SG+ Team Jolley Rogers (i)

The Viper Jet SG+ class proved to be another stronghold for Dustin Jolley, who powered his way to a third consecutive victory. It was a close battle with John Rogers, who also completed 80 laps but finished second on points. Steve Stewart and Dean Donaldson were hot on their heels, highlighting the fierce competition in this class.

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 80 61 719.664
2 John Rogers 80 53 772.283
3 Steve Stewart 79 52 772.703
4 Dean Donaldson 79 48 736.937
5 Cece Caro 76 51 770.083
6 Andy Gersh 73 32 755.392
7 Kevin Webster 69 32 769.757

View Detailed Race Report: RaceReport_ 184_Jul-16-2026_SR3RoadCourseTightEsses.html

Event Photo for Race 3


Race 4: Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies Team Jolley

The final race of the night in the Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies class delivered the drama everyone was waiting for! After three dominant wins, Dustin Jolley faced his toughest challenge yet from John Rogers. In a nail-biting finish, John Rogers (Team Jolly Rogers) broke Dustin’s streak, taking first place by a single lap and five points! This was an incredibly impressive drive from John, ending the night on a high note and denying Dustin the clean sweep. Dean Donaldson secured a respectable third place.

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 John Rogers 80 61 592.587
2 Dustin Jolley 79 56 601.353
3 Dean Donaldson 78 47 593.669
4 Steve Stewart 75 47 595.757
5 Andy Gersh 75 46 586.077
6 Cece Caro 71 38 576.560
7 Kevin Webster 69 34 607.723

View Detailed Race Report: RaceReport_ 185_Jul-16-2026_SR3RoadCourseTightEsses.html


New Track Records

The challenging SR3 Road Course Tight Esses proved fertile ground for new records, with drivers pushing the limits across multiple classes. Congratulations to all who set new benchmarks!

Class Lane Driver Time (sec)
MegaG+ 1.7 Modified 2026 2 John Rogers 4.969
MegaG+ 1.7 Modified 2026 3 Andy Gersh 4.081
MegaG+ 1.7 Modified 2026 4 John Rogers 5.062
MegaG+ 1.7 Modified 2026 5 Cece Caro 5.054
OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified 2 Dustin Jolley 10.451
OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified 3 Steve Stewart 10.026
OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified 4 Dustin Jolley 9.863
OS3 TFX Box Stock Modified 5 Steve Stewart 9.941
Viper Jet SG+ Team Jolley Rogers (i) 2 Cece Caro 7.443
Viper Jet SG+ Team Jolley Rogers (i) 3 Steve Stewart 7.346
Viper Jet SG+ Team Jolley Rogers (i) 4 Cece Caro 5.916
Viper Jet SG+ Team Jolley Rogers (i) 5 Steve Stewart 7.334
Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies Team Jolley 2 Steve Stewart 5.940
Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies Team Jolley 3 Dustin Jolley 5.839
Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies Team Jolley 4 John Rogers 3.692
Viper V-SPEC L4 NASCAR Hardbodies Team Jolley 5 Steve Stewart 5.830

A huge thank you to all the participants for a wonderfully fun night of racing and for supporting our newest racing platform, the MG+ 1.7 Modified class! Your enthusiasm, incredible driving, and the fantastic food and drink you brought made “Thursday Night Under The Lights” Round 2 a resounding success! We look forward to seeing you at the next event.

Overall Series Points Standings by Division

Master Division

Place Name Total Laps Total Points
1 John Rogers 578 443
2 Dustin Jolley 547 401
3 Steve Stewart 551 421
4 Dean Donaldson 538 393
5 Cece Caro 539 349
6 Joe Clarke 213 121
7 Kevin Webster 273 122

Advanced Division

Place Name Total Laps Total Points
1 Andy Gersh 299 170

Amateur Division

Place Name Total Laps Total Points
1 Trakker Clay 148 74
2 Rad Raca 123 68
3 Bobby Graham 118 70

⚠️ End of AI‑generated content.

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Author: Race Director

Just an old slot car racer and Race Director at Stewart Raceway.

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