Rookie Taylor Brandes snags his first TSRS Late Model victory

Taylor Brandes, who is the 17-year-old rookie driver of the #92 red Monte Carlo, claimed his first feature win in the 40-lap TSRS Late Model Race on Saturday, August 28, at Thunderhill Raceway.

Brandes started out on the outside of the third row in the 10-car field.  Following an incident that involved several cars on the first lap, Brandes went to the pits and restarted at the rear of the field.  He quickly worked up through the field, passing almost half of the remaining cars before the caution flag flew on Lap 5.  

At the halfway point, Brandes strongly challenged TSRS Late Model points’ leader Bobby Teer, Jr., and veteran race JC Umscheid for the lead.  Following a caution on Lap 23, the battle resumed on Lap 30 when the green flag was thrown again (yellow flag laps count until the last ten laps).   Brandes passed both leaders on the restart and held onto the lead for the last ten laps.

The official TSRS Late Model results are shown below:

TSRS Late Model Race
Feature Race

1. 92 Taylor Brandes Garden Ridge, TX 40 laps QT 15.630
2. 54 J.C. Umscheid Austin, TX 40 laps QT 15.604 Hard Charger
3. 2 Bobby Teer Jr. Comfort, TX 40 laps QT 15.385 Fast Time/ Hard Charger
4. 25 JT Schild Leander, TX 40 laps QT 15.849
5. 56 Joey Jenkins Del Valle, TX 40 laps QT 16.425 Hard Charger
6. 28 Jeff O’Neill Round Rock, TX 40 laps QT 16.010
7. 38 Craig Sellman Buda, TX 40 laps QT 16.035
8. 37 Mark Ackerman 32 laps QT 15.996
9. 07 Austin Self Austin, TX 0 laps QT 15.715
10. 3 Mike Reininger San Antonio, TX 0 laps QT 15.718
11. 5 Heather Ables Whitney, TX DNS  DNQ

QT – Qualifying Time
DNQ – Did Not Qualify
DNS – Did Not Start