NASCAR
Carson Kvapil Takes First O’Reilly Series Win in JRM 1-2-3-4
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – O’Reilly Series start number 64 was the lucky one for Carson Kvapil. The second generation star finally claimed a first NASCAR victory on the revered Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The pavement short track ace who cut his teeth on bullrings around the south stood out on one of global racing’s biggest stages. Kvapil’s No. 1 Chevrolet also led a very historic charge. JR Motorsports swept the top four positions for a unique first in series history. Kvapil’s long-awaited win also puts him up to second in points, as the Chase nears for Saturday’s drivers.
Pit strategy plays saw a few new stage winners in this race – Jeremy Clements and Rajah Caruth, respectively. The day was largely dominated by Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain, however, who led until lap 78. This point saw Kvapil cut underneath the Cup veteran and make the pass stick. The 23-year-old then held off a hard-charging No. 7 from Allgaier, adding his name to the NASCAR winner’s club. The oldest son of 2003 Craftsman Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil, Carson celebrated big across the iconic Yard of Bricks.
NEW LEADER! đź‘€@Carson_Kvapil gets the lead from his @JRMotorsports teammate! pic.twitter.com/Wh5BhbVNwa
— NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts (@NASCAROReillyAP) July 25, 2026
“It means the world to me,” Kvapil said. “It’s very emotional. I rode around on that lap backwards and I sat there just thinking about all the hard work I’ve put in—me and my dad Travis—to get to this point.”
“And the faith Dale Jr., L.W. Miller, and Kelley Miller put behind me to give me this opportunity—a second chance, I guess you could say, to come back at it this year. I’m going to try not to cry too much. I’ve already shed a few tears—just trying to hold it together right now.”
Kvapil led a perfect top-four sweep for JR Motorsports. The No. 1 beat out Allgaier, Chastain, Chase Elliott, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s William Sawalich. The rest of Indianapolis’ top-10 were: Brent Crews, Corey Day, Sheldon Creed, Brandon Jones, and Austin Hill.
Allgaier’s championship lead now over Kvapil has ballooned to a mammoth 265-point gap. The six-time winner this season has already secured the regular season championship. Also locked into the chase now are: Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, Corey Day, and Brandon Jones. Two regular season races remain with six postseason berths left up for grabs.
Following a well-deserved off week, O’Reilly teams will be back in action from Iowa Speedway. The HyVee 250 will go green Saturday, August 8 at 5 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Justin Casterline/Getty Images
