SOUTH BOSTON, VA. – There was almost noting for Caden Kvapil to stress over as he entered Saturday’s AutosByNelson.com Championship Night at South Boston Speedway.
Kvapil had locked up the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour championship by winning the most recent event at Newport Speedway. Consistency set the tone all year for Kvapil in his first full-time Late Model Stock season with JR Motorsports, as he tallied four victories, 10 top fives and completed every single possible lap in 2026.
Mason Walters held the CARS Pro Late Model Tour points lead going into the final race, but a championship was by no means guaranteed to him with a 13-point advantage. South Boston went about as perfectly as possible for Walters, who led every lap from the pole to score his first CARS PLM Tour crown and the third overall owner’s title for Setzer Racing & Development.
Unlike Walters, Kvapil did not end his championship season with a victory. That honor on the CARS LMSC Tour side belonged to Kvapil’s JR Motorsports teammate Treyten Lapcevich, who passed the series champion shortly after the halfway point to triumph in his first start with the esteemed organization.
History-making season for Caden Kvapil ends with him atop CARS Tour pedastal
Only three drivers hold the unique distinction of possessing CARS Tour titles in two separate divisions.
Caden Kvapil is now part of that prestigious group, joining Jared Fryar and his older brother in current NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitor Carson Kvapil.
The hard-working, blue-collar mindset Caden possesses stems from his father Travis Kvapil, whose accolades include the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Caden is honored to continue that proud family tradition with another CARS Tour title, especially with Travis guiding him nearly every step of the way.
“It means a lot to our whole family,” Caden said. “We have a lot of pride in doing this. My brother won his CARS Tour Super [Late Model] championship in my dad’s family-owned car with me, my dad and Carson working on it every day in the shop. It’s really fun to do it as a family.
“To be able to do it at this level together and have so much success like we’ve had, it means a lot.”
Carson’s Super Late Model championship in 2021 eventually led to him taking over JR Motorsports’ No. 8 Late Model Stock, which in turn led to two more titles and eventually a full-time O’Reilly Series ride with the program.
Caden finds himself on a similar path to his older brother; he won the PLM Tour championship in 2023 and had already visited Cook Out Victory Lane with JR Motorsports last season. The challenge bestowed upon Caden was managing the expectations that came with driving a car previously heralded by Carson and LMSC Tour all-time wins leader Josh Berry.
With so much attention on Caden as he took over JR Motorsports’ flagship ride, Travis encouraged his son to follow one key piece of advice as he prepared to embark on the opportunity in front of him.
“Have fun, enjoy it,” Travis said. “When I was NASCAR racing, you just get caught up in how you finish every week, chasing sponsors, what are you going to do next? Both of the boys are in such tremendous spots in life driving for great owners, great teams and great sponsors. Looking back on it when they get older, this is going to be the time of their lives.
“No pressure, no families, no kids, no responsibilities. Just go racing.”
Caden did more than just race with JR Motorsports; he dominated. Nobody in the LMSC Tour field could match the tone Caden set from the opening race of the season at Southern National Motorsports Park, which saw Caden climb from the 29th starting position to make the race-winning pass on Lee Pulliam with 17 laps remaining.
The efficiency Caden displayed in a Late Model Stock extended far beyond the LMSC Tour. He became the first driver in Late Model Stock history to earn a CARS Tour title, a Virginia Triple Crown championship and a victory in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway all in the same year.
Witnessing Caden’s stellar 2026 all while Carson cements himself as an O’Reilly Series title contender has been an immense source of pride for Travis. Regarding Caden, Travis said his son has been subjected to every type of challenge the Late Model Stock discipline can provide, yet Caden emerges from each one stronger and more confident.
“It says so much,” Travis said. “[Caden’s] a tremendous talent. Those are huge accomplishments. He had only been to Langley once before in a CARS Tour race, we show up and win the Hampton Heat. He had only been to Martinsville one other time, he shows up the second time and wins the 300.
“This is only the second time he’s ran a Late Model Stock [at South Boston]. We clinch the championship and finish second. He picks it up so quick.”
Both Caden and Travis are optimistic the 2026 season in Late Model Stocks will open the door for opportunities in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR. Having observed Carson’s own path into NASCAR, Caden knows a top-tier ride NASCAR is never guaranteed and that he needs to keep working hard to move forward.
Despite this, Caden knows he proved himself in 2026 as one of the best young prospects in the entire country. Being a champion in two separate CARS Tour divisions is something Caden knows is no small feat, but he plans to cherish everything he accomplished this year all while continuing to build up his growing reputation.
“It’s kind of hard to put into words,” Caden said. “Going into this year, I didn’t have this much of an expectation to have this good of a year. Being able to win the championship by that much points, four wins on the year, the Triple Crown, Martinsville all in the same season, I never really expected it. When it’s all happening, you still don’t believe it.”
Confidence, composure guide Mason Walters to PLM Tour title
The 2026 CARS PLM Tour season started with Mason Walters taking home a thrilling victory over Keelan Harvick at Southern National Motorsports Park.
It ended with Walters not only in Cook Out Victory Lane again, but also as the PLM Tour champion.
Nothing about the PLM Tour title was easy for Walters, who had to withstand valiant challenges from Conner Jones and Brody Monahan during the second half of the year. Yet two wire-to-wire performances at Newport Speedway and Saturday’s race at South Boston Speedway enabled Walters to close out a consistent campaign atop the standings.
“It’s really been a great year for me and Setzer Racing [& Development],” Walters said. “That win at Southern National was great. Towards the middle of the season, we needed a little bit more speed. I don’t know what we hit on these last two weeks to make us so good, but we obviously hit on something.”
Walters had established chemistry with Dennis & Brandon Setzer going into his maiden full-time PLM Tour season. He first joined their program in 2024 and already had a Pro Late Model title with them on his resume.
The PLM Tour would be Walters’ biggest challenge to date with competitive fields and a diverse schedule of tracks. Yet witnessing drivers like William Sawalich and Tristan McKee win PLM Tour events in a Setzer car only convinced Walters he could do the same on a regular basis.
Brandon Setzer, a six-time CARS Super Late Model Tour winner, was impressed by the raw speed Walters possessed when he first joined the team. Every weekend, Brandon has seen Walters mature into a composed driver, a development that was crucial towards him holding off Jones and Monahan for the PLM Tour title.
“[Walters] is really smooth,” Brandon said. “He’s got the speed now to be smooth and fast. He’s just progressed and now he makes a lot of really good decisions behind the wheel. He uses his head and he takes good cars and wins with them.”
Optimism was high for both Brandon and Walters after their initial triumph at Southern National, but replicating that performance required patience. Walters consistently ran inside the top five during the summer but struggled to separate himself in the point standings; an accident in the Throwback Classic at Hickory Motor Speedway only complicated matters.
Despite the setback, Walters never wavered and kept working with the Setzers to figure out how to maximize the performance in their No. 6. The result was Walters putting together his two best weekends of the entire year when it mattered the most; the two closing races of the year at Newport and South Boston that saw him lead every lap from the pole.
Walters’ strong conclusion to 2026 allowed Setzer Racing & Development to earn their second consecutive PLM Tour driver’s title after doing so with Ben Maier the year prior. The organization now also possesses three CARS Tour owner’s championships; they earned one in the PLM Tour in 2022 and a Super Late Model Tour title in 2017.
Brandon enjoys mentoring the talent that comes through Setzer Racing & Development and is confident Walters will follow in the footsteps of Sawalich, McKee and others. For Brandon, the key component to the success of Walters and those before him comes down to applying the knowledge he, Dennis and everyone else on the team attempt to pass down.
“We’re just lucky to get really good talent,” Brandon said. “Lorin Ranier with Chevy helps bring us top talent. That’s the biggest thing. We do what we can to help them grow and give them fast cars. A lot of it is just up to the driver. They have to put the work in themselves and get better themselves. A lot of the guys have done that.”
Because of how successful Walters was in 2026, Brandon does not envision him sticking around Setzer Racing & Development for much longer, but he is grateful for the time he has spent with the organization. All Brandon wants is for Walters to keep building on everything that worked for him in Pro Late Models as he keeps progressing up the ladder.
One mistake could have ended Walters’ PLM Tour tile hopes with Jones and Monahan applying relentless pressure. Yet Walters was never once intimidated by the circumstances; he kept his composure and added his name to the long list of CARS Tour champions
“I feel like I didn’t let the pressure get to me,” Walters said. “I knew what I had to do and I had to execute. I feel like that’s what I’m really good at; just being cool, calm and collected. When those moments come, I don’t get really excited or down on myself. I’m super level-headed all the time.”
Treyten Lapcevich capitalizes on opportunity with JR Motorsports
As Caden Kvapil formally celebrated his CARS LMSC Tour championship, Treyten Lapcevich was in Cook Out Victory Lane taking in a triumph of his own.
Shortly before Newport Speedway, Lapcevich received a call from Dale Earnhardt Jr. about an opportunity to drive his No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for the LMSC Tour finale. Lapcevich made the most of the chance at his disposal, capping off an eventful year with his second career LMSC Tour victory.
“It’s pretty unbelievable, honestly,” Lapcevich said. “A big thanks to Dale, everyone at JR Motorsports and FilterTime for coming onboard. They gave me a great piece and I just had to manage it there. It’s pretty cool to come home with the win.”
Both of Lapcevich’s full-time campaigns with the LMSC Tour have been with Chad Bryant Racing, which guided him to his first career win at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2024. Lapcevich is grateful for all the guidance he received over the years from Bryant, who fully endorsed Lapcevich’s opportunity with JR Motorsports.
Tackling South Boston with a different team presented plenty of challenges for Lapcevich, who had not competed at the facility in two years. Despite this, Lapcevich had complete trust in his veteran crew chief Bryan Shaffer and the rest of the team, who got his car dialed in for Saturday despite losing a planned practice that day due to inclement weather.
Lapcevich was thrilled he got to help JR Motorsports cap off Kvapil’s LMSC Tour title conquest with a one-two finish, especially since he was the one celebrating the victory. The deal between the two is currently just for one race, but Lapcevich hopes to use the South Boston win to build momentum in 2027 regardless of who he ends up driving for.
“It was a whirlwind of a year,” Lapcevich said. “All things happen for a reason, but we had a lot of great runs. We came so close with Chad [Bryant] and the No. 77. Definitely a crazy year, but really encouraging to end it off in Victory Lane.”
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Caden Kvapil is the ninth different driver to win a CARS LMSC Tour championship during the series’ lifespan, while Mason Walters is the fifth CARS PLM Tour champion in the division’s fifth year.
Walters was happy to continue a proud winning tradition at Setzer Racing & Development with a title season that saw him earn three victories, two poles and seven top fives. The reliability and experience the Setzers are known for are what Walters attributed to him being able to add his name to the CARS Tour record books.
“[Setzer Racing & Development] is a good group of guys,” Walters said. “I feel like they really deserve it. They work their butts off in the shop every week and bring fast race cars to the track. I’m lucky enough to drive them.”
For Caden, a part of him felt winning the LMSC Tour championship was imperative towards him keeping his NASCAR ambitions alive. Caden met the moment and then some, as he enjoyed an incredible season that enabled him to join Carson as a champion in two CARS Tour divisions.
Continuing to put in that hard work is something Caden knows will be crucial to following Carson’s footsteps in another regard; as a NASCAR driver.
“[I’ll always remember] the effort we put into this year,” Caden said. “[This] was a big opportunity at hand and I [didn’t] really want to fail myself and this be the end of the road. When you get this opportunity, you have to make the most of it. That’s ultimately what my brother did and that’s how he’s at the next level.
“To have the year like we’ve had and make history is something not many people get to say they did. I’m very appreciative of these opportunities and I’m glad we made the most of them.”
With the 2026 zMAX CARS Tour season officially in the record books, attention now turns to the offseason where both Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model competitors will look to have their cars ready in time for next year’s opener. That will take place at the Freedom Factory in Bradenton, Florida, which marks the first time the platform has visited the Sunshine State.
FloRacing will carry live coverage of every CARS Tour event in 2027 starting with the Freedom Factory on Feb. 6, 2027.
For more information on the zMAX CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the zMAX CARS Pro Late Model Tour, visit www.carsracingtour.com. Be sure to stay active and social with the tour by liking “CARS Tour” on Facebook, following @CARSTour on X (formerly known as Twitter) and scrolling through photos on Instagram at cars_tour.
Additional series information can be obtained by calling the CARS Tour series office, located in Mooresville, NC at 704-662-9212.
LMSC results:
- 8 Treyten Lapcevich
- 88 Caden Kvapil
- 4H Connor Hall
- 44 Conner Jones
- 17 Kaden Honeycutt
- 77 Landon S. Huffman
- 12 Jared Fryar
- 4 Parker Eatmon
- 5B Carson Brown
- 62 Keelan Harvick
- 04 Ronnie Bassett Jr.
- 7 Ty Frederickson
- 26 Peyton Sellers
- 75 Landon Huffman
- 22 Conner Weddell
- 95 London McKenzie
- 20 Carson Loftin
- 5 Chase Burrow
- 15 Jace Hale -1
- 16 Chad McCumbee -1
- 6 Brandon Lopez -1
- 05 Mason Bailey -1
- 77K Cody Kelley -1
- 37 Chase Robertson -1
- 8F Tate Fogleman – OUT
- 88B Doug Barnes Jr. – OUT
- 22B Chase Burgeson – OUT
- 57 Rodney Dowless Jr. – OUT
PLM results:
- 6 Mason Walters
- 54 Kaden Honeycutt
- 31 Brody Monahan
- 30 Treyten Lapcevich
- 1 T.J. DeCaire
- 74 Ryan Moore
- 27 Vito Cancilla
- 11 Jack Baldwin
- 20 Evan McKnight
- 47 Trevor Ward
- 25 Rodney Dowless Jr.
- 12 Colton Hale
- 23 Landon Pembelton
- 8 Jayden Johnson
- 97 Dylan Garner
- 09 Sylas Ripley
- 15 Case James -3
- 44 Conner Jones – OUT
- 49 Jeff Batten – OUT
- 18 Mike Scorzelli – OUT
