Tyrrell Charges to Win in Mini's Mission 125 at Dominion

Mini Tyrrell was on a mission at the end of the Mini's Mission 125 at Dominion Raceway, vaulting to the lead late to score the victory in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car event on Saturday night.

Tyrrell moved from third to first with a three-wide move on a lap 120 restart in the race, overtaking Conner Jones and Brenden Queen. From there, Tyrrell held on to the top spot over the chaotic closing laps, fending off Queen and Parker Eatmon in the closing laps for the win.

Tyrrell admitted he didn't like his chances of scoring a win, after Carson Brown dominated the first half of the race and Jones entered the battle for the win. Still, it was Tyrrell taking his fifth career CARS Tour win.

"I didn't think we had it, man," said Tyrrell in victory lane. "Carson and Conner were the two best cars, and they were really good. I thought we were equally as good. We just didn't have the track position on them.

"They got to racing down there in one and two, and I saw my opportunity. I just knew that was the only way I could win the race, so that's what I went ahead and did, and it worked out. We just held on and fought to the end."

Last year, Tyrrell won this event in dominant fashion as one of his three CARS Tour wins during the season. This time around, Tyrrell had to fight much harder to win the race held in support of the charitable organization he founded dedicated to raising funds and providing experiences for children battling cancer and their families.

"It's so much more satisfying and hard-fought. Last year, we led so many laps and had a dominant car and won the race. This year, I really had to work for it. This just feels good to get a win this year. I got my mojo back in me a little bit."

With a string of late-race cautions, including one incident that took Jones out of competition five laps shy of the finish, Parker Eatmon quietly rose to second place in the final rundown.

"Mini had a really good car," said Eatmon. "We finished second to Mini in Mini's Mission, so we can't be too mad about it.

"We didn't fire off the best the first 50 laps. It eventually came to me, and 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, so I can't thank them enough."

Queen, Tyrrell's teammate in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, also returned to his Late Model roots on an off weekend for the Truck Series to finish third. He lined up alongside Tyrrell on a late restart with a shot at the win.

"That one was my fault," said Queen. "I just got a little hot in there and got in the fence. The other times, I got ran in the fence, if the audience saw that. That's a story for another day. Proud of these Lee Pulliam guys, proud of what we're doing, coming back and having speed not being in the car in a while.

"It's so fun to race with Lee again and have a Dodge nose on it. Thaknful I get to go live out my dream and be a race car driver for a living, but at the same time, it's always fun to fill in off weekends."

Brown finished fourth, with Chad McCumbee rounding out the top five.

The zMAX CARS Tour takes a month off before returning to action at North Wilkesboro Speedway. As part of the buildup to the NASCAR Cup Series Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro, both divisions of the CARS Tour will compete at North Wilkesboro on Friday, July 17.

-Photo credit: zMAX CARS Tour

Mini's Mission 125 Unofficial Results