07/27/2016
Track Specs: .375-mile oval / 100 laps
Bishop’s start/finish: 2nd/1st
ROUGEMONT, N.C. – Scott Bishop earned the first Late Model victory of his career Saturday night at Orange County Speedway (OCS) and in the process took sponsor TrueTimber® Camo to Victory Lane for the first time as well. Bishop’s victory was the eighth of the season for JRM and its Late Model program and should serve as a momentum builder for next week’s CARS Late Model Stock event at OCS.
Bishop, the 24-year-old from Boiling Springs, S.C., started second in the 100-lap race on the three-eighths-mile oval, but dropped back to fifth in the early going to save his tires. Running fourth at the halfway break, Bishop started the second half from the front row after the top five cars were inverted, and the action was fast and furious when the green flag waved.
Bishop briefly took the lead before being kicked back to second, and as the battle continued he took the top spot again when he and the leader made contact in Turn 3. On the resulting restart, Bishop chose the outside lane and led the first few laps, only to surrender the point shortly after. With five laps remaining, Bishop dived under the leader off Turn 2 and completed the pass entering Turn 3. Despite some contact from the second-place car, Bishop was able to hang on to the top spot and earn the victory.
Bishop and Christian Eckes will carry the JRM flag at Orange County this week in CARS Late Model Stock action while team leader Josh Berry is competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway. Berry, contending in the CARS point race, is making contingency plans to race at Orange County in the CARS race should the Iowa event have weather issues.
Scott Bishop, driver No. 88 TrueTimber® Chevrolet team
“It was an awesome race. We had a really fast TrueTimber Chevrolet all weekend. Hopefully we have some more great races. I want to thank everyone at JRM and TrueTimber for all the hard work and giving me this opportunity. This was my first Late Model Stock victory, and I’m planning on bringing another win home this weekend in the CARS Tour at Orange County.”
