Doug Welch turned Round 4 of the Modified National Tour into a statement night at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway Dirt Track, leading all 25 laps and collecting a maximum 13 points to take over the Season 3 championship lead. Welch started from the pole, earned the qualifying fast time bonus point, and never surrendered the top spot as the 21-race tour continued its early-season stretch.
Welch’s victory was especially important because of what it did to the standings. He entered Kern fourth in points with 21, but the perfect 13-point night vaulted him three positions to the top of the championship with 34 points. With 17 races still remaining, the title fight is nowhere near settled, but Welch now owns the advantage over Tanner Riedel and Darren Diggs after four rounds.
James Lucas4 made Welch work all the way to the finish. Lucas started second and stayed within striking distance throughout the 25-lap feature, ultimately finishing just 0.161 seconds behind the winner. He also turned the fastest lap of the race at 14.502 seconds, slightly quicker than Welch’s 14.506. Lucas’ runner-up performance was worth 11 points and immediately moved him into a tie for eighth in the championship despite making only one start this season.
Richie Gaines was the hard charger of the night. After starting eighth, Gaines drove forward five positions to finish third, joining Welch and Lucas on the podium. Alex Galloway advanced from fifth to fourth, while Steven Schroetlin completed the top five after starting third. Cade Woods and Neil Stratton2 followed in sixth and seventh.
The toughest position swing among the top portion of the field belonged to Jensen Pray2. Jensen started fourth but finished eighth, costing him four positions on the night. Even with that result, he remains fifth in the Modified National Tour standings with 15 points and is still well within reach of the drivers ahead with so much racing remaining.
The championship picture changed significantly at Kern. Welch leads with 34 points, but Riedel is only one point behind at 33 despite not adding to his total in this round. Diggs sits third with 31, giving the top three just a three-point spread. Aidan Strawberry remains fourth with 24, followed by Jensen Pray2 at 15. Brayden E Carter and Kenny Douglas are tied with 13, while Dion Kovar and James Lucas4 are tied at 11. Joey Ancona rounds out the current top 10 with 10 points.
Four rounds into a 21-race Modified National Tour season, the championship is beginning to take shape without giving anyone room to relax. Welch’s Kern victory moved him from challenger to points leader in a single night, while Riedel and Diggs remain close enough to retake the lead immediately. With 17 races still ahead, every qualifying point and every finishing position will continue to matter.
What’s Next
The Modified National Tour continues with Round 5 at Cedar Lake Speedway.
Full Race Results
- Doug Welch
- James Lucas4
- Richie Gaines
- Alex Galloway
- Steven Schroetlin
- Cade Woods
- Neil Stratton2
- Jensen Pray2
- Kolten Harper
- KV Harper
Top 10 in Standings
- Doug Welch — 34
- Tanner Riedel — 33
- Darren Diggs — 31
- Aidan Strawberry — 24
- Jensen Pray2 — 15
- Brayden E Carter — 13
- Kenny Douglas — 13
- Dion Kovar — 11
- James Lucas4 — 11
- Joey Ancona — 10
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