Conner Jones Overcomes Late Fuel Crisis to Secure Dramatic CARS Tour Victory at Wake County

Conner Jones overcomes running out of fuel to win a wild CARS Tour race at Wake County Speedway after leaders Barnes and Tyrrell clash.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 8:44 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Late Model News

A Miracle Recovery After Late-Race Attrition

The closing stages of the Wake County 175 appeared to be a disaster for Conner Jones when his No. 44 machine coasted to pit road for emergency refueling with only eight laps to go. Jones believed his chance at victory had evaporated, but a rapid sequence of attrition among the leaders kept him on the lead lap. As the cars ahead of him suffered a variety of mechanical and procedural setbacks, Jones was able to return to the track and navigate a chaotic final restart. He powered past Landen Lewis in the closing moments to secure a win he admitted was fueled as much by luck as it was by a fast race car.

The Collapse of the Front-Runners

The victory was made possible by an unprecedented wave of misfortune for the race leaders. Caden Kvapil initially appeared poised for a strong finish before a mechanical issue sidelined his entry. The drama intensified when Treyten Lapcevich and Landon Huffman both lost power while battling for the lead, handing the top spot to track champion Clay Jones. However, Clay Jones was immediately black-flagged by officials for a dangling right-front fender, forcing him to the pits and clearing the way for the late-race scramble that ultimately favored Conner Jones.

Chase Burrow and Landen Lewis Survive the Scramble

Amidst the carnage, Chase Burrow emerged with a career-best second-place finish. Burrow credited his success to maintaining a clean car throughout the 175-lap duration and staying out of the mid-race incidents that claimed many of the tour's heavy hitters. Landen Lewis managed to salvage a third-place podium finish despite being involved in an earlier wreck. Lewis expressed frustration with the aggressive nature of the racing but praised his crew’s "never give up" attitude that allowed them to keep a damaged car competitive enough to stay in the top three.