Nobody thought that last year’s crazy race at Dominion Raceway would ever be topped in the excitement category, but the CARS Tour did it again on Saturday night at Langley Speedway. Connor Hall barely beat Brent Crews and Carson Kvapil to the checkered flag in a three-wide photo finish that will be talked about for years to come.

The wild ending was set up when Brandon Pierce and Katie Hettinger came together to bring out the caution while Hall was cruising to the checkered flag with one lap to go.

That set up a green-white-checkered finish with Hall lined up on the inside of row one with two-time and defending series champion Kvapil to his outside, and rookie sensation Crews behind Hall inside row two. 

Kvapil appeared to get the better jump on the restart, but Hall pulled ahead coming back to the white flag. Kvapil immediately dove to the inside of Hall’s No. 22 coming out of turn two and he slid into Hall’s door entering turn three. That move opened the door for Crews to make a hail-Mary to the inside of both of them.

Hall powered to the line from the outside lane. Crews powered up from the inside lane. They squeezed Kvapil in the middle. Side-by-side. Three-wide. Seven one-thousandths of a second. That’s all that separated Hall from Crews at the checkered flag, and all Hall needed to score his first CARS Tour win of 2024 and first CARS Tour win with his new Nelson Motorsports team.

“I just kept it wide open and I knew I was going to meet the concrete or not. I looked and saw the 29 was super close. It was a really good finish and I’m sure it was a great race for the fans. But, your track favorite can’t always win every week, now can they,” said Hall in victory lane as his home track fans rained down boos.

Speaking of the track favorite, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen came to his home track as the new points leader and riding a wave of momentum following his stellar NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut two weeks ago and his first CARS Tour win of the season last week at Tri-County Speedway.

Queen started seventh and methodically worked his way to the front before he pounced for the lead on a restart with 25 laps remaining. That move got him the lead, but it also got him some nose and tail damage as well.

After dragging the rear bumper bar on his No. 03 machine, Queen was eventually issued a black-flag from CARS Tour race control. But before he could serve his penalty, Queen went for a spin after Crews appeared to make contact with that loose bumper bar. Queen finished 14th.

The CARS Tour will now take a well-earned week off before returning to action on June 15 at Dominion Raceway.

CARS Tour at Langley Speedway Unofficial Results