Caden Kvapil’s Wish: A Win at South Boston Speedway
Triple Crown Champion Seeks First SoBo Victory in October 17 CARS Tour Finale
By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway
SOUTH BOSTON, VA (October 9, 2026) – Caden Kvapil smiles as he talks about his history-making season.
He’s the first driver to win the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour championship, win at Martinsville Speedway and win the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown in one season, after all.
One other thing he consistently mentions – wishing he had won the Triple Crown opener at South Boston Speedway.
“Now that I won the Hampton Heat and Martinsville, I thought it would be really cool if I could have won the 200 at SoBo too and won all three of them in the same year,” Kvapil explained. “I’m pretty sure that has never been done before, and it would be really tough to do. I did not think we were going to win at Langley. At South Boston, I thought we were going to run really good, which we did.”
Kvapil, who finished sixth in the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 in his first career start at the track in a Late Model Stock Car, gets another opportunity at a South Boston Speedway victory on October 17.
The 125-lap Late Model Stock Car race capping off the zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Championship Night, Kvapil gets the chance to cap off his championship campaign with the one elusive win at the top of his list.
Now that the Mooresville, North Carolina resident has wrapped up the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car championship, he can focus all of his energy on a checkered flag at SoBo.
“There’s a lot less pressure on me, and now I can just go out there and do everything I can to win the race,” Kvapil pointed out. “Obviously, that’s the goal at every track, but at the same time, you’re thinking about points and not wanting to hurt yourself there. Since the championship is already locked up and is a done deal, I can go out and race as hard as I can just to win.”
Expectations were high for Kvapil entering the 2026 season. The 2023 CARS Pro Late Model Tour champion was stepping into a JR Motorsports Late Model Stock previously driven by his older brother, Carson Kvapil and current NASCAR Cup Series competitor Josh Berry, the Tour’s all-time career race winner.
Caden Kvapil picked up a couple of wins in a partial 2025 schedule and proceeded to win two of the tour’s first three races to kick off his first full-time season in a Late Model Stock Car. The success continued to play out throughout the season.
He’s made quite the impression on the Late Model world, and perhaps none bigger than on his car owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“Caden has had a great year,” said Earnhardt. “He’s coming off of his win at Newport that secured the CARS Tour championship, a big win at Martinsville, and won the Triple Crown. It’s just been a tremendous year for Caden. I am biased, but Caden is a top-three prospect of guys that are available and deserves an opportunity.”
When asked what has made Kvapil so good, crew chief Brian Shaffer remarked, “he's aggressive enough, but still doesn't tear stuff up. He's come a long way since he's come here when he talks and he's matured a lot as a driver.”
One of the motivating factors riding with Kvapil in the zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Championship Night event on Saturday, October 17 is that his older brother is a former South Boston Speedway winner.
Carson Kvapil won a CARS Tour Super Late Model race in 2021 and scored wins in CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Division races in 2022 and 2024 at South Boston.
“My brother has won there in the car we’re bringing,” Kvapil noted. “At the Thunder Road 200 this year, my first time there, I felt like I ran really well. I’m really looking forward to the race. I think we’re going to have a good car and hopefully we can end the CARS Tour season with another big win.”
Kvapil will face an all-star field of drivers and teams in the 125-lap Late Model Stock Car race including Texan Kaden Honeycutt who has won the last three races he has entered at South Boston Speedway including the 2026 Thunder Road Harley Davidson 200, the Krush 250 in November of last year, and the zMAX Cars Late Model Stock Car Tour race in October of last year.
“Kaden’s hard to beat there, he wins all the time, and it seems like South Boston is one of his best tracks in Late Model,” Kvapil pointed out. “He makes it hard for the competitors to run well and try to outrun him, but, at the same time, I think if you can race against him and race him for the win it just makes you feel a lot better about your confidence in your abilities.
“Kaden really killed us all in the 200 and dominated that race, but going for the CARS Tour win might be a little different,” he continued. “The experience I got in the 200 and the notes we got from that race are being put toward the CARS Tour race. I’m going to be a lot more experienced at South Boston, know what to expect and know more about what I need in the car. I’m feeling confident we can compete against him.”
Kvapil said there will be other drivers that will provide tough competition as well.
“Everyone that runs at South Boston locally is really good,” he said, “so I’m expecting a lot of good local competition to be there. Obviously, the CARS Tour regulars are tough on a weekly basis. It’s going to be a tough race for sure, but I’m really looking forward to another challenge, and I’m really excited to get on track there.”
The zMAX CARS Tour AutosByNelson.com Championship Night event on Saturday, October 17 at South Boston Speedway is one of the special events of the season as the series’ Pro Late Model and Late Model Stock Car champions will be crowned following their respective races.
Two big races are set for the AutosByNelson.com Championship Night event. The zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour competitors will be featured in a race that will go for 100 green-flag laps, and the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Tour drivers and teams will battle it out in a race that will go for 125 green-flag laps.
Not only will there be plenty of exciting racing action for the fans there will be an on-track driver autograph session from 3:45 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. After the race fans will see a colorful fireworks show sponsored by Italian Delight Family Restaurant of South Boston, Virginia.
On-track activity gets underway on Friday, October 16 with an open practice for the Pro Late Model and Late Model Stock Car teams slated from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.
The Saturday, October 17 event day schedule has pit gates opening at 8 a.m. Practice will go from 9:25 a.m. until 11 a.m. Qualifying is set to begin at 2:40 p.m. The on-track autograph session is set from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Driver introductions are slated for 5 p.m. Pre-race ceremonies will begin at 5:20 p.m. and the first race will get the green flag at 5:30 p.m.
Adult advance tickets are priced at $25 each. Adult tickets at the gate on race day are priced at $30 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, veterans and military personnel, first responders, healthcare workers and students with ID may purchase tickets for $25 each at the gate on race day. Kids ages 12 and under are admitted free. Suite passes for the event are not available as they are sold out.
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