NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. – The last time the zMAX CARS Tour visited North Wilkesboro Speedway in May, Landen Lewis took the renowned elevator ride to Cook Out Victory Lane.
While he did not repeat that trip in Saturday’s Crossroads Harley-Davidson 125, Lewis ended up obtaining another prestigious honor, a CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour championship.
Lewis’ first full season on the LMSC Tour saw him accumulate four victories, more than any other driver in the series. The consistency Lewis showed throughout 2025 also enabled him to give Kevin Harvick Inc. their first LMSC Tour owner’s championship.
A night of celebration for the CARS Tour also saw Ben Maier lock up the PLM Tour driver’s championship, all while Luke Baldwin secured the owner’s title in the series for Rick Ware Racing. Caden Kvapil and Keelan Harvick took home season-ending victories in the LMSC Tour and PLM Tour, respectively.
Landen Lewis relishes in being a CARS Tour champion
As Landen Lewis celebrated the CARS LMSC Tour championship with Kevin Harvick Inc., he thought about everything that guided him to that moment.
Despite his dominance, Lewis still dealt with his fair share of obstacles throughout 2025, any one of which could have deterred his championship momentum. Instead of letting the adversity rattle him, Lewis relied on Kevin Harvick Inc.’s sturdy foundation and his own confidence to close out the season atop the CARS Tour pedestal.
“It’s been a year for sure,” Lewis said. “We won four races and a championship. There’s definitely races that I missed out on. We can go back to Caraway, go back to Hickory, go back to Langley, that’s six, seven wins. I’m so thankful to be here in this spot. We weren’t as good as we needed to be [on Saturday], but we were good enough to win [the title].”
The composure that defined Lewis’ 2025 LMSC Tour campaign stems from his time competing in Legends cars. Among the accolades Lewis obtained in the discipline include a championship in the Cook Out Summer Shootout Pro division in 2022.
Lewis’ consistency carried over into full-bodied stock cars. He surprised many in the motorsports industry by winning in his second ARCA Menards Series start at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in 2021, which he later followed with two more victories in the ARCA Menards Series West.
When it came time for Lewis to embark on a serious effort in Late Model Stocks, his team owner Kevin Harvick knew he would be ready. From the time Lewis first joined his program, Harvick has observed many championship-caliber qualities from him and was determined to help refine his race craft ahead of a part-time LMSC Tour campaign in 2024.
Harvick felt Lewis’ 2025 was an improvement in every regard from year one, particularly with how he handled himself in longer events. The wins were only one part of Lewis’ title campaign for Harvick, who also praised his driver’s maturity and the natural leadership skills he displays off track.
“The thing about Landen is that his passion and his work ethic is not like a normal kid who drives these race cars,” Harvick said. “He came here because I love him to death and he’s been a great mentor for our kids. Every step of the way, he’s been right there with Keelan. It’s become one big family, and I feel like it’ll lead to good things for him.”
Harvick is the not only influential figure in Lewis’ corner, as he also receives guidance from Rodney Childers and four-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., among others. Whenever he has a question, Lewis considers himself grateful he can call any of them for advice on a given topic.
All the knowledge at his disposal was crucial for Lewis as he enjoyed a quiet but solid night at North Wilkesboro to wrap up the LMSC Tour title. Even then, Lewis still had to put in plenty of extensive work throughout the year to learn from his mistakes and understand all the key fundamentals towards becoming a CARS Tour champion.
“With how hard this series is, building relationships with the drivers, the crew chiefs and the owners, along with how to put a season together, that’s 90 percent of it,” Lewis said.
“It’s so hard to put a season together for anybody. Yes, it’s Late Model racing but it’s still freaking hard. To put together a [whole] season was the biggest thing for me.”
Consistency guides Ben Maier to CARS PLM Tour championship
While Ben Maier would have loved to earn a victory during his rookie CARS PLM Tour season, he was more than happy to claim a championship.
Driving the No. 6 owned by short track veterans Dennis and Brandon Setzer, Maier put together a solid 2025 campaign that saw him six top fives, including two runner-up showings. That consistency enabled Maier to become a PLM Tour champion just by starting Saturday’s Northwest Automotive 100 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Maier took immense pride in delivering the Setzers their first championship on the CARS Tour platform. He said the advice provided by Dennis, Brandon and the rest of the organization was crucial towards him finding a comfort zone in a Pro Late Model.
“It’s amazing,” Maier said. “The guys at Setzer Racing & Development put in so much work to get us here. We struggled a little bit on long run speed at most of the tracks and there were a lot of opportunities to get a win, but very unfortunate things would happen. It was an amazing season and getting a fourth place finish is a good way to end it.”
Entering 2025 with two years of Trans Am TA2 Championship experience to his name, Maier knew there would be high expectations placed upon him climbing into the Setzers’ No. 6. Among the drivers to find success with the Setzers include Tristan McKee and current NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor William Sawalich.
The year opened on a stellar note for Maier with the Setzers, as he won the SpeedFest Pro Late Model 100 at Cordele Motor Speedway in January against drivers like Stephen Nasse, Luke Baldwin and others. With momentum on his side, Maier was eager to tally more victories in his maiden PLM Tour campaign.
Maier was a constant presence at the front of the field all year, immediately establishing himself as the frontrunner for the PLM Tour title. Every weekend only made Maier more confident behind the wheel, especially when it came to figuring out all the necessary fundamentals to put down a solid qualifying lap.
Although a checkered flag ended up eluding him on the PLM Tour, Maier was proud of everything he accomplished in his first full short track season. No matter what he ends up driving in 2026, Maier believes the experience acquired on the CARS Tour platform will be crucial towards his long-term development.
“There’s only been a few [CARS Tour] champions and I’m one of them,” Maier said. “[I’ll always remember] the race craft [I learned from the CARS Tour] along with the laps around ovals, since I didn’t have many of those in a car before [this year]. This is incredible and I have to thank all my guys.”
Luke Baldwin secures PLM Tour owner’s title for Rick Ware with runner-up finish
Saturday’s Northwest Automotive 100 at North Wilkesboro Speedway did not end in a victory for Luke Baldwin, but there was still plenty for him to celebrate after the checkered flag.
By placing second to Keelan Harvick, Baldwin ended up securing the CARS PLM Tour owner’s championship for Rick Ware Racing. Baldwin recorded two of RWR’s three PLM Tour victories in 2025, with the other one belonging to Carson Ware at Ace Speedway.
With several drivers alternating in RWR’s No. 51 for 2025, Baldwin commended the collaborative effort it took to sustain the program’s speed through all 13 events. All Baldwin needed on Saturday was to maintain solid track position from the pole to formally wrap up the PLM Tour owner’s title.
“This means a lot, especially for everyone at RWR,” Baldwin said. “We brought a fast car, so shout out to Carson [Ware], Cody [Ware] and Mason [Maggio] for keeping us up there. It’s special for them for what I think is their first oval track championship. It’s great to be the one that finishes it off for them.”
Although this is RWR’s first season in the PLM Tour, the No. 51 had existed in the series beforehand. Mavrick Page Motorsports previously fielded that car number and earned two victories with current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and 2024 PLM Tour champion Kaden Honeycutt.
When Rick took over, he initially planned on contesting half the PLM Tour schedule before focusing on a full-time effort in 2026. Baldwin’s triumph at Orange County Speedway in April, which was immediately followed by Carson’s Ace win, was enough to convince Rick that his team could go for the owner’s championship.
Rick is no stranger to success in motorsports, having won titles in the Asian Le Mans Series, FIM World Supercross Championship and the AMA Flat Track Championship. Obtaining his first stock car title as an owner carried plenty of significance for Rick as he continues to build up RWR on all fronts.
“We’re chasing championships every year, but they’re hard to come by,” Rick said. “We ran the [NASCAR Canada] Series back in [2021] and missed it by [eight] points. Any time you can win a championship that has some credibility, it’s pretty amazing. This is a great organization and I’m excited to be part of where [the CARS Tour] is going.”
The PLM Tour owner’s title was only one part of an amazing day for Baldwin at North Wilkesboro, as he also claimed his second consecutive SMART Modified Tour championship.
Baldwin was a key component towards RWR’s owner title, finishing either first or second in four of his starts inside the No. 51. Despite the consistency, Baldwin admitted the PLM Tour tested him in many regards but plans to utilize those experiences to keep refining his race craft across several different disciplines.
“There’s a lot of confidence,” Baldwin said. “I had a couple of up and down moments this year and sometimes I questioned myself. Moments like these definitely help. We’ll move on and hopefully we’ll carry this momentum to hopefully get some more good finishes to finish out this year and next year.”
Last lap pass propels Caden Kvapil to first LMSC Tour win
The Kvapil family has been one of the most successful on the CARS Tour platform over the past several years, with brothers Carson and Caden both having championships to their name.
Caden added a CARS LMSC Tour victory to his resume in Saturday’s Crossroads Harley-Davidson 125 by muscling his way around Landon S. Huffman on the last lap. With a trip to North Wilkesboro Speedway’s victory lane on the line, Caden was determined to find his way around Huffman in an aggressive but fair manner.
“This is really cool,” Caden said. “I messed it up a little there in qualifying and that put us behind the 8 ball, but I knew we had a really good car all race. I got to [Huffman] and tried making moves, but he was holding me really tight like he should. On the last lap, I got to his inside and I had to do it.”
In five previous LMSC Tour races with JR Motorsports, Caden had endured mixed results with no top fives. One of the events in which he placed outside the top 20 came during the first North Wilkesboro race back in May, where his night ended after 45 laps due to a blown engine.
Caden brushed off the inconsistency by rocketing to the front from 13th before settling into second behind Huffman, who led most of the 125-lap feature. With Huffman playing efficient defense by staying in the superior top groove, Caden remained within striking distance until finally powering his way around Huffman.
With his last lap maneuver, Caden joins a small list of drivers who have won CARS Tour races in more than one division, which includes his brother Carson. Although he is proud of all his previous achievements in the PLM Tour, Caden admitted the North Wilkesboro triumph will always carry a special place in his heart.
“This win is definitely the highest for me,” Caden said. “I’ve been looking for my first Late Model Stock win and to do it on this big of a stage is awesome. There’s no better place to win I don’t think [than North Wilkesboro], as this place has a whole lot of history. This is going to give me a lot of confidence for sure.
Keelan Harvick ends first PLM Tour season in Cook Out Victory Lane
The final race of Keelan Harvick’s rookie CARS PLM Tour season ended with him taking the iconic elevator ride to North Wilkesboro Speedway’s victory lane.
Keelan was tasked with chasing down and then passing Luke Baldwin during the final green flag run to the finish before finally overtaking him with less than 15 laps remaining. It took plenty of poise and patience for Keelan to earn his fourth PLM Tour win of 2025, something he attributed to the support system around him.
“This is really cool,” Keelan said. “I can’t thank the Rackley W.A.R. guys enough along with all my sponsors. This wouldn’t be possible without them and all the hard work they put in to get this car ready because we had a little bit of unfortunate luck [at The Bullring]. This is a really fast car they’ve built me, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Every restart in the Northwest Automotive 100 saw Keelan line up to Baldwin’s inside, a precarious position with less grip available on the bottom. Keelan successfully avoided a major collision with Baldwin while applying constant pressure, ultimately saving enough tire to make the race-winning move.
Keelan’s triumph at North Wilkesboro was his sixth overall in a Pro Late Model this year, having also won twice in the Spears CARS Tour West Pro Late Model Series. With his father in 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick sidelined by early mechanical trouble, Keelan also took another win in the ongoing Harvick Cup.
Only 13 years old, Keelan knows there is still a lot for him to learn in a Pro Late Model but feels he made great progress in 2025. With an expanded schedule on the horizon for the following year, Keelan intends to remain a diligent student on how to maintain his efficiency against stellar competition.
“[This first year] was really cool,” Keelan said. “I have to thank everybody that’s helped me get to this point. I’m racing with all the right people, and they’ve helped me a lot with my learning curve. We’re going to try and do better next year.”
There were times when Lewis believed the CARS LMSC Tour title was in doubt, but he found wisdom in many different areas during his journey, including from the 2017 champion Josh Berry.
The path Berry embarked on towards the Cup Series is one Lewis wants to follow one day himself. It will take more time for Lewis to reach a similar goal, but by sticking to the guidance Berry and so many others provided, he is now forever immortalized as a CARS Tour champion.
“I’m so happy to join that club,” Lewis said. “Josh [Berry] has been super helpful in my career. When we were kind of going through that slump midseason, I gave him a phone call. He talked me through it and told me what to do. It’s one thing to talk about [a title], it’s another thing to do it. To be able to do it is even more special.”
LMSC Results:
- 8 Caden Kvapil
- 28 Landon S. Huffman
- 71 Parker Eatmon
- 88 Connor Hall
- 6B Brandon Lopez
- 12 Trevor Ward
- 29 Landen Lewis
- 4 Kade Brown
- 03 Lanie Buice
- 22 Carson Loftin
- 44 Conner Jones
- 88B Doug Barnes Jr.
- 50 Jamey Caudill
- 7 Tyler Reif
- 81 Mini Tyrrell
- 18 Alex Meggs
- 1 Andrew Grady
- 00 Chase Burrow
- 2 Brandon Pierce
- 57 Landon Huffman
- 9 Darrick Coomer -1
- 4S Donovan Strauss -2
- 01 Thomas Beane -3
- 7H Blayne Harrison – OUT
- 16 Chad McCumbee – OUT
- 4W Dylon Wilson – OUT
- 8F Tate Fogleman – OUT
- 04 Ronnie Bassett Jr. – OUT
PLM Results:
- 62 Keelan Harvick
- 51 Luke Baldwin
- 44 Conner Jones
- 6 Ben Maier
- 6L Brandon Lopez
- 61 Evan McKnight
- 68 Aidan Potter
- 88 T.J. DeCaire
- 17J Jake Johnson
- 7 Treyten Lapcevich
- 24 Jade Avedisian
- 25 Isaac Kitzmiller
- 97 Dylan Garner -1
- 22 Dusty Garus -1
- 8C Terri Crider -1
- 47 Tyler Reif – OUT
- 74 Rodney Dowless – OUT
- 4 Trey Burke – OUT
- 9 Ashton Higgins – OUT
- 82 Taylor Hull – OUT
- 97K Jason Kitzmiller – OUT
- 17M Taylor Mayhew – OUT
- 29 Kevin Harvick – OUT