Vito Cancilla’s breakthrough moment finally arrived Tuesday night, winning Race 4 of the Pro Late Model portion of the World Series of Asphalt, and unlike the first three races for him, it wasn’t pretty.
After three straight podium finishes to start the week, the 14-year-old came into race 4 as the points leader. Cancilla started from pole, but after an opening lap yellow, he slipped in Turn 1 on the re-start of the race and the loss in track position would begin his uphill climb.
As he had done all week, Vito was a mainstay in the top 5 all night long and while running third inside 10 laps to go, the two leaders of Jones and Monahan, Cancilla inherits lead. Lined up against Race 2 winner, Raphael Lessard, Cancilla buried it into Turn 1 but like the start of the race slipped up, giving the lead to Lessard.
Cancilla, now 2nd, falls into the clutches of Jimmy Renfrew Jr. Renfrew uses Cancilla up entering Turn 1 as Cole Robie spins behind them but before Renfrew and Cancilla could slow for the caution, the two collide again off of turn 2, sending Renfrew into the wall. Renfrew took exception to the contact, showing his displeasure to the No. 27 under caution.
“I mean, in my eyes, it can always be different, but I have nothing against them, really,” Cancilla said on the FloRacing broadcast. “He’s an amazing driver. Really felt like we went a little wide and it was just bad timing… Brakes and gas don’t mix. I’m just sad to end his night that way. But we have a great car. It may not be clean anymore, but we’re fast and we’re here.”
Renfrew declined to comment.
Lessard had an issue and didn’t come up to speed on the next restart, and Cancilla took off with the lead with just a handful of laps remaining. Able to hold off a charging Jayden Johnson, Cancilla held on to score his first World Series victory and extend his point lead.
“It was a big fight, especially with all these good guys up front,” Cancilla told FloRacing. “Rackley gave me this great car and really predicted how the track was gonna come in. Amazing to have a good car at the end. – This means great things for me. Hopefully we stay atop of the points and finish this out P1.”
Before the late-race chaos, the night had belonged to Brody Monahan. After slipping past Vito Cancilla and Josh Stade on an early restart, Monahan picked up where he left off in Race 3 immediately putting distance between himself and the field.
By halfway, he had built a comfortable advantage, while the battle for second raged behind him between Conner Jones and Cancilla.
With 10 laps remaining, Monahan held a commanding four-second lead. After a tough start to the World Series this felt like a another dose of redemption, then came the caution with seven laps to go.
Mia Lovell slammed the outside wall setting up a restart, and Monahan made what he believed was the smart call, choosing the inside lane to protect his left side, a lesson learned from his loss in Race 2 against Lessard. He got a solid launch, but Jones carried momentum on the outside, crossed over off Turn 2, and Jones made contact with the back of the No. 31 entering Turn 3. Monahan spun, bringing out the caution and ending what had been another near-perfect drive. Jones was penalized for the contact and sent to the rear.
Jayden Johnson came from deep in the field to finish second in a strong rebound effort.
“It took a lot,” Johnson told FloRacing. “The car came in late and I finally learned how to drive it like they’ve been telling me all week. We’ve had a fast car but hadn’t been able to finish the first couple races, then fourth yesterday and second today — so yeah, definitely a relief.”
Josh Stade completed the podium after a long haul from up north.
“Man, it feels unbelievable,” Stade said on the FloRacing broadcast. “Just a small ragtag team coming down to Florida. We drove 22 hours with one car and have had to piece it together, but we’ve had some good results. Couldn’t be happier — and yeah, I don’t miss pushing snow back home.”
With two races remaining in the Pro Late Model portion of the World Series, Cancilla has been the model of consistency and now sits firmly in control of the standings.
World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model Race 4
New Smyrna Speedway
February 10 2026
- Vito Cancilla
- Jayden Johnson
- Josh Stade
- Jarrett Butcher
- Gage Gilby
- Thomas Krasonis
- William Roberge
- Brody Monahan
- Wesley Slimp
- Cole Robie
- Toro Rodriguez
- Conner Jones
- Will Robinson
- John Bolen
- Chet Monaweck
- Ben Mack
- Raphael Lessard
- Jimmy Renfrew Jr.
- Eric St. Gelias
- Mia Lovell
