On Saturday, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted the 26th Bandolero Nationals on the front stretch quarter-mile. Fifty-five Bandoleros arrived to compete in three divisions in the single day show, including 12 for the non-national championship division, Beginner Bandoleros. From start to finish, the Bandoleros put on exciting, competitive racing, with South Carolina’s Roman Petrino victorious in the Beginner Bandolero Division, Georgia’s Lane Christensen taking home the six-foot tall first place trophy in the Bandits Division, and becoming the first female to win in the Outlaws Division A Main Feature at the Bandolero Nationals, was North Carolina’s Alison Johnson.
The 26 Bandoleros that made up the Outlaws Division race were led to green by heat winners Ben Morabito and Penn Sauter on row one, and Alison Johnson and Jayden Johnson on row two. It took three attempts for the race to get underway, as Morabito and Sauter weren’t firing at the same time at the restart line. On the third, attempt, Sauter in his first trip to Charlotte, gave Morabito a run for his money, hanging tight on the outside. Meanwhile behind them, Brian Rundstrom, Emma Britt, and Jayden Johnson were three-wide down the back stretch while Alison Johnson was alone in third.
Sauter eventually slotted in line behind Morabito after two hard fought laps on the outside. As he moved comfortably into second, Britt was challenging Alison Johnson on the inside. Sauter bumped the rear of Morabito on Lap 4 in turn one, getting Morabito’s Bandolero loose. This allowed Sauter to the inside of Morabito down the back stretch, as Alison Johnson cleared Britt for third.
Alison closed up to Morabito as Sauter cleared him on Lap 5, but Morabito moved to the left and stuck his nose to the inside into turn three. He and Sauter were once again side-by-side resulting in Morabito retaking the lead off the corner exit of four. Alison Johnson looked to the inside of Sauter’s blue and white Bando, and he moved low to block, forcing her to turn left in reaction. One lap later, she successfully got to inside and through turns one and two but couldn’t complete the pass before a caution for a stalled car on the front stretch reset the field after six completed laps.
Sauter got the better restart and looked to maybe have the advantage through the corners. Morabito fought back on the inside and would lead Lap 7, but a red flag was displayed for a Joshua Culbreth, who flipped in turn four following contact with Jay Hemenway. He walked away from his Bandolero okay.
Morabito wrapped the bottom of turns one and two very well giving Sauter no opportunity to take control of the race. Behind them, Alison had Jayden on her outside with the rest of the field two-by-two in tow. Sauter slotted into second as the field completed Lap 8 and Alison moved ahead of Jayden on Lap 9.
Alison swiftly moved to the inside of Sauter when he bobbled in the middle of three and four and slid up the surface. She took second and set her sights now on Morabito.
Jayden’s day came to an abrupt end when Sauter’s Bandolero got loose exiting turn four. As Sauter corrected to the left, he caught the rear of Jayden, a fellow Wisconsin driver. Jayden impacted the outside wall with his right front and slid to the inside grass and his day was over. Sauter was sent to the rear for being involved in the caution per procedures.
During the Lap 15 restart, Alison fired off well enough to nearly clear Morabito into turn one, but lost control for split second. She drifted up allowing Owen Zacharias to sneak to her inside. Off turn four, she allowed Zacharias to pass her and then pulled the crossover on him into turn one. Exiting turn two with 10 laps to go, Alison cleared Zacharias, five-car lengths behind leader Morabito.
Sarah Whitesell tagged the rear of Joshua Shine, sending him around and scattering several others, drawing a caution with nine laps to go. On the restart, Alison shoved Morabito into the first corner with the pair having two-car lengths worth of breathing room down the back stretch. She stuck tight on his bumper but slipped a bit with seven to go through turn two. Within two laps, she had returned to being right within striking distance with over a two-second gap back to third-place Zacharias.
One lap later, the gap had grown between Morabito and Alison to two-car lengths. But suddenly the race changed dramatically for both drivers. They’d made their way to the inside of one slow car, but suddenly into turn one the next slow car appeared to be taking the low line. Morabito went high in anticipation, but the slow car drifted high and into his line. Alison, who had followed Morabito into the corner, saw what was happening out her windshield. Rapidly darting to the inside, Alison took the lead from Morabito exiting the second corner with less than two laps to go.
Alison Johnson held onto the lead to win the 2023 Bandolero Nationals Outlaws Championship, and doing so became the first female in the 26-year history of the Bandolero Nationals to win the Outlaws Championship.
“It does not seem real,” said Johnson. “It feels super cool and I can’t believe that I won.”
Wyatt Coffey scored a win in his heat race and started from pole position in the Bandits A Feature. Entering the day, he was the Bandits Division national points leader by three points over Landon Thrasher, nine points over Bentley Thompson, and 12 points over Lane Christensen.
At the drop of the green, Coffey captured clear control through the first set of corners. LaQuan McCoy spun around in turn two but no caution was thrown. He kept the car rolling as Coffey continued to lead Christensen. McCoy caught a break however when Jack Smith and Bryson Nichols spun in turn four on Lap 4.
Matthew Laprade took Coffey and Christensen three-wide to the inside off turn two on the restart. A lack of momentum pulled Christensen back from Coffey and Laprade, and Coffey wasn’t able to pinch Laprade into turn three. In fact, Coffey drifted up through turns three and four. Another twitch in turn one allowed Laprade to stay to his inside. Coffey was able to clear Laprade on Lap 6 down the back stretch but couldn’t wrap the corner in turn three. Once more, he drifted high which allowed Laprade’s black Bandolero to sneak to the inside.
Colt Johnson took Laprade and Coffey three win on the low side down the back stretch on Lap 8. Coffey misjudged Laprade’s entry into turn three, clipped his right front, and sent his car spinning. Laprade kept it straight and Johnson took to the grass to avoid Coffey. The field behind them avoided the backward rolling Bando of Coffey and he, along with Laprade, were sent to the rear as a result.
With Coffey at the rear of the field, Thrasher restarted near the rear of the 17-car field with Coffey, but Christensen was second and Thompson was third. This running order had major implications on the national championship, meaning both Coffey and Thrasher had work to do. Christensen would take the lead from the outside. By the time Coffey returned to the top 10, leader Christensen, Johnson and Thompson were 15-car lengths ahead of fourth-place Jack Smith.
Trouble struck Thrasher on Lap 15 when his Bandolero slammed into the front of the stopped Carson Cauble Bandolero, after Cauble spun on his own entering turn one. The impact lifted all four of Thrasher’s tires off the ground. Thrasher did not visit the hot pit during this caution period.
The race resumed on Lap 15, and points leader Coffey had made his way back up to sixth. Christensen rocketed ahead of Johnson but another tangle between Thrasher and Cauble immediately brought the caution back out. Thrasher had drifted up towards the wall as he crossed the finish line, but to his outside was Cauble. Both hit the wall and stopped. Cauble drove his car back to the pits and retired from the feature, where as Thrasher was pushed back to the pits and returned to the track after receiving repairs.
The second attempt at a Lap 15 restart was single file, and Christensen scooted away from Johnson. Coffey cracked back into the top five with seven laps to go but had Laprade right on his bumper. With five to go, Coffey placed his car to the inside of Thompson’s orange Bando, bringing Laprade with him. Suddenly, Thompson spun as he approached turn one.
Incidental contact between Laprade and Thompson nudged Thompson into the wall just barely. As he corrected, he spun quickly around. The caution flew with four laps remaining.
Christensen waisted no time putting distance between his car and second-place Johnson, who looked like he did not react to Christensen’s start well. Smith shot to the inside of Johnson as they crossed the finish line. Coffey was stuck on the outside with Johnson, which stalled his progress. Smith moved to second with Laprade and Johnson side-by-side for fourth and McCoy was on Coffey’s inside down the back stretch.
McCoy and Coffey touched doors exiting turn four as they approached four to go. This let Billy Lee III get to Coffey’s inside, putting him back to seventh. One lap later, Coffey was on Lee’s inside to reclaim sixth. Out front, Christensen held a one-car length advantage over Smith. Smith mounted a charge into the final corner and it nearly lost him second to Laprade, as Christensen took home the win and the 2023 Bandolero Nationals Bandits Championship.
In a caution filled Beginner Bandolero feature, it looked as if Pennsylvania’s Cullen Hutchison would find his way to victory lane. The first caution didn’t happen until Lap 9, which erased a 10-car length lead for Hutchison. During the restart, Roman Petrino gave Hutchison a strong fight for the lead but just as he was seemingly about to take the lead, the caution flew again after Corbin Cannon tagged the rear of Gerald White III, sending White around.
Hutchison and Petrino were put through several restarts over the course of the next several laps. Petrino was finally able to take the lead from Hutchison on Lap 13 after Hutchison drove Petrino low on the back stretch and into turn three Petrino completed the pass and was followed by White, sending Hutchison back to third.
The race’s conclusion came down to a one-lap shootout. Petrino was able to hold off White to claim the victory.
A combined eight-car Legend Car race was won by Joel Smith and was the highest finishing Pro Division. Mason Lastra finished second and was the best Semi-Pro Division driver with Neal Dulin the best Young Lions Division driver finishing third.
Three INEX National Events remain in 2023. The 27th Road Course World Finals is October 6-8 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The 32nd Asphalt Nationals will take place for the 10th time at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 19-21. The final national event will be the 27th Dirt Nationals at Fayetteville Motor Speedway, November 9-11.
OUTLAWS DIVISION
MAIN FEATURE (25 Laps): 1. 15-Alison Johnson[3]; 2. 17-Ben Morabito[1]; 3. 35-Owen Zacharias[6]; 4. 5-Hunter Morgan[14]; 5. 4-Mitchell Flater[11]; 6. 77-Ellie Gossett[9]; 7. 38-Emma Britt[5]; 8. 5P-Penn Sauter[2]; 9. 16-Finn Buckley[8]; 10. 12-Eli Russell[19]; 11. 55-Mardy Roberts III[13]; 12. 88-Brian Rundstrom[7]; 13. 21-Sarah Whitesell[18]; 14. 41-Mandi Lee[25]; 15. M00-Lily Impellizzeri[12]; 16. 9-Keaton Harbison[24]; 17. 28-Joshua Shine[20]; 18. 89-Myelih Smith[26]; 19. 14-Ryan Likens[15]; 20. 9M-TJ Moon[10]; 21. 1-Cole Gudmestad[17]; 22. 8-Jayden Johnson[4]; 23. 6-Bobby Mares[16]; 24. 06-Oliva Murray[21]; 25. 22-Joshua Culbreth[22]; 26. 12H-Jay Hemenway[23]
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 17-Ben Morabito[1]; 2. 38-Emma Britt[2]; 3. 77-Ellie Gossett[3]; 4. 55-Mardy Roberts III[4]; 5. 21-Sarah Whitesell[5]; 6. 06-Oliva Murray[6]; 7. 41-Mandi Lee[7]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 5P-Penn Sauter[1]; 2. 9M-TJ Moon[3]; 3. 35-Owen Zacharias[2]; 4. 5-Hunter Morgan[4]; 5. 12-Eli Russell[5]; 6. 22-Joshua Culbreth[6]; 7. 89-Myelih Smith[7]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 15-Alison Johnson[1]; 2. 1-Cole Gudmestad[5]; 3. 4-Mitchell Flater[3]; 4. 14-Ryan Likens[4]; 5. 16-Finn Buckley[2]; 6. 12H-Jay Hemenway[6]
Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 8-Jayden Johnson[1]; 2. 88-Brian Rundstrom[2]; 3. M00-Lily Impellizzeri[3]; 4. 6-Bobby Mares[4]; 5. 28-Joshua Shine[5]; 6. 9-Keaton Harbison[6]
Qualifying 1: 1. 17-Ben Morabito, 00:18.682[16]; 2. 5P-Penn Sauter, 00:18.687[22]; 3. 15-Alison Johnson, 00:18.792[10]; 4. 8-Jayden Johnson, 00:18.807[11]; 5. 38-Emma Britt, 00:18.836[1]; 6. 35-Owen Zacharias, 00:18.846[26]; 7. 16-Finn Buckley, 00:18.873[2]; 8. 88-Brian Rundstrom, 00:18.902[20]; 9. 77-Ellie Gossett, 00:18.921[5]; 10. 9M-TJ Moon, 00:18.951[15]; 11. 4-Mitchell Flater, 00:18.970[4]; 12. M00-Lily Impellizzeri, 00:19.056[9]; 13. 55-Mardy Roberts III, 00:19.071[19]; 14. 5-Hunter Morgan, 00:19.108[17]; 15. 14-Ryan Likens, 00:19.110[13]; 16. 6-Bobby Mares, 00:19.115[14]; 17. 21-Sarah Whitesell, 00:19.139[25]; 18. 12-Eli Russell, 00:19.146[21]; 19. 1-Cole Gudmestad, 00:19.306[6]; 20. 28-Joshua Shine, 00:19.342[23]; 21. 06-Oliva Murray, 00:19.418[18]; 22. 22-Joshua Culbreth, 00:19.469[3]; 23. 12H-Jay Hemenway, 00:19.563[8]; 24. 9-Keaton Harbison, 00:19.622[7]; 25. 41-Mandi Lee, 00:19.754[12]; 26. 89-Myelih Smith, 00:20.086[24]
BANDITS DIVISION
MAIN FEATURE (25 Laps): 1. 46-Lane Christensen[3]; 2. 9-Jack Smith[6]; 3. 18-Matthew Laprade[4]; 4. 24-Colt Johnson[8]; 5. 26-Laquan McCoy[10]; 6. 2-Wyatt Coffey[1]; 7. 80-Bryson Nichols[2]; 8. 38L-Billy Lee[13]; 9. 21-Mason Roberts[14]; 10. 7-Harley Johnson[11]; 11. 55-Landon Thrasher[7]; 12. 04-James Monolo[15]; 13. 1J-James Behnke[16]; 14. 22-Bentley Thompson[9]; 15. 16-Amelia Suell[17]; 16. T2-Camden Truett[12]; 17. 37-Carson Cauble[5]
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 2-Wyatt Coffey[1]; 2. 55-Landon Thrasher[3]; 3. 18-Matthew Laprade[2]; 4. 26-Laquan McCoy[4]; 5. 38L-Billy Lee[5]; 6. 1J-James Behnke[6]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 24-Colt Johnson[3]; 2. 80-Bryson Nichols[1]; 3. 37-Carson Cauble[2]; 4. 21-Mason Roberts[5]; 5. 7-Harley Johnson[4]; 6. 16-Amelia Suell[6]
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 46-Lane Christensen[1]; 2. 9-Jack Smith[2]; 3. 22-Bentley Thompson[3]; 4. 04-James Monolo[5]; 5. T2-Camden Truett[4]
Qualifying 1: 1. 2-Wyatt Coffey, 00:18.851[4]; 2. 80-Bryson Nichols, 00:18.860[11]; 3. 46-Lane Christensen, 00:18.887[3]; 4. 18-Matthew Laprade, 00:18.888[7]; 5. 37-Carson Cauble, 00:18.911[2]; 6. 9-Jack Smith, 00:18.936[13]; 7. 55-Landon Thrasher, 00:18.939[16]; 8. 24-Colt Johnson, 00:18.982[5]; 9. 22-Bentley Thompson, 00:19.009[15]; 10. 26-Laquan McCoy, 00:19.084[9]; 11. 7-Harley Johnson, 00:19.306[6]; 12. T2-Camden Truett, 00:19.326[17]; 13. 38L-Billy Lee, 00:19.342[8]; 14. 21-Mason Roberts, 00:19.344[12]; 15. 04-James Monolo, 00:19.493[10]; 16. 1J-James Behnke, 00:19.667[1]; 17. 16-Amelia Suell, 00:19.924[14]
BEGINNER BANDOLERO DIVISION
MAIN FEATURE (20 Laps): 1. 33-Roman Petrino[2]; 2. 38W-Gerald White III[5]; 3. 1VA-Tuggie Case[7]; 4. 8X-Addison Martinez[4]; 5. 05-Charlee Hutchins[11]; 6. 15-Rhylee Hutchins[6]; 7. 75J-Allee Johnson[3]; 8. 38-Penelope Carlisle[10]; 9. 83-Cullen Hutchison[1]; 10. 8-Jakob Peterson[9]; 11. 85P-Paisley Lawson[12]; 12. 5-Corbin Cannon[8]
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 83-Cullen Hutchison[1]; 2. 38W-Gerald White III[3]; 3. 75J-Allee Johnson[2]; 4. 1VA-Tuggie Case[4]; 5. 05-Charlee Hutchins[6]; 6. 8-Jakob Peterson[5]
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 33-Roman Petrino[1]; 2. 15-Rhylee Hutchins[3]; 3. 8X-Addison Martinez[2]; 4. 38-Penelope Carlisle[5]; 5. 85P-Paisley Lawson[6]; 6. 5-Corbin Cannon[4]
Qualifying 1: 1. 83-Cullen Hutchison, 00:20.129[6]; 2. 33-Roman Petrino, 00:20.199[11]; 3. 75J-Allee Johnson, 00:20.271[7]; 4. 8X-Addison Martinez, 00:20.332[9]; 5. 38W-Gerald White III, 00:20.417[12]; 6. 15-Rhylee Hutchins, 00:20.417[5]; 7. 1VA-Tuggie Case, 00:20.645[3]; 8. 5-Corbin Cannon, 00:20.832[1]; 9. 8-Jakob Peterson, 00:21.280[10]; 10. 38-Penelope Carlisle, 00:21.285[2]; 11. 05-Charlee Hutchins, 00:21.533[4]; 12. 85P-Paisley Lawson, 00:21.892[8]
LEGEND CAR RACE
MAIN FEATURE (20 Laps): 1. 24-Joel Smith[4]; 2. 17-Mason Lastra[1]; 3. 79-Neal Dulin[5]; 4. 4-Ryan Zima[8]; 5. 40-Dillon Thomas[3]; 6. 22-Randy Phillips[7]; 7. 38-Cameron White[6]; 8. 44-Bobby Gossett[2]
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 17-Mason Lastra[1]; 2. 40-Dillon Thomas[3]; 3. 24-Joel Smith[4]; 4. 44-Bobby Gossett[2]; 5. 79-Neal Dulin[5]; 6. 22-Randy Phillips[7]; 7. 4-Ryan Zima[8]; 8. 38-Cameron White[6]
Qualifying 1: 1. 17-Mason Lastra, 00:17.465[3]; 2. 44-Bobby Gossett, 00:17.478[2]; 3. 40-Dillon Thomas, 00:17.491[6]; 4. 24-Joel Smith, 00:17.511[5]; 5. 79-Neal Dulin, 00:17.613[1]; 6. 38-Cameron White, 00:17.634[7]; 7. 22-Randy Phillips, 00:17.635[4]; 8. 4-Ryan Zima, 00:17.678[8]