Lapcevich, who gained seven of 14 races on his method to the 2023 NASCAR Canada title, joined Chad Bryant Racing to run full-time within the CARS Tour this season and get acclimated to U.S. racing.
As soon as he lastly wrestled the lead away from pole winner Brenden “Butterball” Queen, Lapcevich appeared to have the win in hand when a wreck with 4 of 125 laps remaining left fluid on the monitor.
Lapcevich acquired caught within the fluid when the warning got here out, slid and practically slammed into the stopped automobile of Brandon Pierce, however simply squeezed previous him and the wall.
The 20-year-old native of Grimsby, Ontario, then deftly held off late-charging Corey Heim on the ultimate restart to safe his first sequence win.
“It’s simply unreal,” an elated Lapcevich mentioned in Victory Lane. “I’ve to thank all of the folks that have believed in me to get me thus far. I’m so grateful. These Chad Bryant Racing guys gave me an incredible automobile.
“I’m so excited. I really feel like we’ve been operating fairly good however lastly we had been in a position to put one collectively tonight.”
Requested about his close to collision with 4 laps to go, Lapcevich mentioned, “I assumed it over, truthfully. I hit oil there. I couldn’t even inform there was oil on the monitor. I hit simply as I acquired to the skin of (Flip) 2.”
Lapcevich entered Saturday night time’s race – initially scheduled for NASCAR All-Star weekend in Might however postponed by rain – with eight top-10 finishes in 10 races however had not but led a lap of competitors.
After beginning fourth, he moved to second by the Lap 50 competitors warning and after a number of laps of working over Queen for the lead, lastly handed him with 57 of 125 laps remaining.
Saturday night time’s race was stocked filled with expertise as amongst these competing was former Cup champion and now TV analyst Kevin Harvick, Xfinity Sequence regulars Brandon Jones and Sammy Smith, Truck Sequence rookie Layne Riggs in addition to Heim, who presently leads the Truck standings.
A pileup on an early-race restart produced an prolonged pink flag and knocked a number of drivers – together with the highest two drivers in sequence factors Connor Corridor and Brent Crews – out of competition.
