Mini Tyrrell earns second straight victory

Prior to Saturday’s Mini’s Mission Burn Rubber to Help Another 125, no driver had claimed a second victory in the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour at Dominion Raceway over nine previous events.

Appropriately, it was Mini Tyrrell who broke this pattern. Saturday marked the fourth consecutive year that Tyrrell’s charity, Mini’s Mission, sponsored the Dominion CARS Tour event. This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was founded by Tyrrell to raise awareness about childhood cancer following the diagnosis of his childhood friend, Ella.

Much has changed for Tyrrell since his first CARS LMSC Tour win at Dominion last year. He is now a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver with Kaulig Racing, having secured his position by winning RAM’s Race For The Seat. An off weekend allowed Tyrrell to participate in an event that has become a cherished CARS Tour tradition.

Tyrrell spent nearly the entire 125-lap feature on Saturday working his way to the lead, ultimately succeeding with a bold three-wide pass on Conner Jones and his Kaulig teammate Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen with just five laps remaining. A flawless restart thereafter secured Tyrrell his second consecutive win at Dominion and his fifth overall in the LMSC Tour.

Mini Tyrrell’s Determined Drive Leads to Victory at Dominion

Throughout most of the Mini’s Mission Burn Rubber to Help Another 125, Mini Tyrrell observed as Carson Brown and Conner Jones battled for the lead.

Several late-race cautions kept Tyrrell’s hopes for a repeat victory alive, culminating in his decisive move for the win. This victory was a welcome surprise for Tyrrell, who was determined to succeed in his home race with his special guest, ‘Scout,’ in attendance.

“I didn’t think we had it,” Tyrrell admitted. “Carson [Brown] and Conner [Jones] had the best cars. We were just as good, but lacked track position. When they started racing hard in [turns] one and two, I saw my chance and took it. We held on and fought to the end.”

Winning at Dominion also alleviated some of the frustration Tyrrell faced during his first CARS LMSC Tour start of 2026 at Wake County Speedway. Despite leading a race-high 95 laps, contact with Doug Barnes Jr. while leading relegated him to 21st place.

Due to his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series obligations, Tyrrell has limited opportunities to compete in LMSC Tour races. This made Saturday’s event at Dominion particularly special, as it allowed him to return to his roots and enjoy a tradition he helped establish.

Even without a win on Saturday, Tyrrell would have taken pride in the efforts he and the CARS Tour made to support families like Scout’s. Now, as Dominion’s first two-time LMSC Tour winner, the achievement is even more meaningful due to the hard work both on and off the track.

“It’s so much more satisfying because it was hard-fought,” Tyrrell said. “Last year we led so many laps, had a dominant car, and won the race. This year we really had to work for the win. It feels good, I got my mojo back. It means the world to me [that everyone] comes out here to support this mission, this race, and I’m so blessed to have Scout here with me.

“This is the strongest girl I know; she’s so inspiring and she has no idea. That’s why we do this.”

Further information about Mini’s Mission Burn Rubber to Help Another and Tyrrell’s efforts to combat childhood cancer can be found here.

Parker Eatmon Narrowly Misses First LMSC Tour Victory

If one more restart had occurred during Saturday’s Mini’s Mission Burn Rubber to Help Another 125 at Dominion Raceway, Parker Eatmon believed he had a strong chance of securing his first CARS LMSC Tour victory.

Eatmon advanced to second place during the final stretch but ultimately ran out of time to close the gap to Mini Tyrrell. Despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a trip to Cook Out Victory Lane, Eatmon felt that finishing second at Dominion demonstrated that he and Matt Piercy Racing are on the brink of a breakthrough.

“[We needed to] be a little faster at the end,” Eatmon noted. “Mini [Tyrrell] had a really good car. We finished second to Mini in Mini’s Mission, so you can’t be too upset about it. [We’re] just one step closer to the win.”

Dominion marked the second time Eatmon finished as the runner-up in an LMSC Tour race this year, with the other occurring at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. That race was particularly heartbreaking for Eatmon, as he led 115 of the 125 laps from the outside pole, only to lose to Caden Kvapil following a poor restart.

The bitter defeat at Nashville Fairgrounds fueled Eatmon’s determination to claim his first LMSC Tour checkered flag. However, he and Piercy have been striving to recapture that form over the past two months. After lackluster performances in the two races following Nashville Fairgrounds, Eatmon finally secured another top 10 finish at the most recent LMSC Tour event at Langley Speedway.

Although the circumstances of his runner-up finish at Dominion differed from those at Nashville Fairgrounds, Eatmon was proud of the perseverance shown in the closing stages. He is confident that with consistent speed in their Late Model Stock, he and Piercy will soon celebrate their first victory together.

“We didn’t fire off the best in the first 50 laps,” Eatmon said. “It eventually came to me, but we clawed and scratched there at the end. Overall, a really good car brought by Matt Piercy. These guys are the best in the business, and I can’t thank them enough. On to [South Boston Speedway] in two weeks to go get another.”

Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen Secures Third in CARS Tour Return

The initial CARS LMSC Tour event for 2024 series champion Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen was more eventful than he anticipated.

Despite several encounters with the outside retaining wall, Queen positioned himself to potentially win the Mini’s Mission Burn Rubber to Help Another 125 before ultimately finishing third. Queen expressed some frustration with how he was raced on Saturday but was pleased to achieve a strong finish in his LMSC Tour return.

“[The early incident] was my fault,” Queen acknowledged. “Got a little high and got in the fence. The other times I got ran in the fence. A story for another day. I’m proud of these Lee Pulliam guys and what we’re doing, coming back and having speed after not being in the car for a while. It was so fun to race with Lee again with a Dodge nose on [the car].”

Queen aspired to make history as the first repeat LMSC Tour winner at Dominion Raceway. His first Dominion victory came during his championship campaign in 2024, where he led all 125 laps from the pole, avenging a narrow defeat to Bobby McCarty the previous year.

The accolades Queen achieved not only on the CARS Tour but in Late Model Stock competition propelled him to his current role as a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver with Kaulig Racing. Queen’s rookie Truck Series season has produced mixed results, though he is only 36 points shy of the Chase cutoff line with two top 10 finishes.

Dominion provided a refreshing change of pace for Queen, as he reunited with Lee Pulliam Performance, the team with which he won his LMSC Tour title, and came close to another victory. Queen does not intend to take any upcoming LMSC Tour starts for granted, but he hopes to claim at least one more checkered flag before the year concludes.

“I’m thankful I get to go live out my dream of being a race car driver for a living, but at the same time, it’s always fun to fill in an off weekend,” Queen said. “Thanks to Kaulig Racing for allowing me to do this. We had a lot of fun. It was a super cool weekend for everybody with Mini’s Mission and I’m happy to be a part of it.”