Jade Avedisian makes history as the first female to win a CARS Tour race after TJ DeCaire failed post-race tech in the Pro Late Model race at New River All-American Speedway.
DeCaire made a late race charge to take the checkered flag on CARS Tour opening night, scoring what was going to be his first career win. Unfortunately for the Land O’ Lakes, Florida native, they failed tech for left side weight, handing the win to rookie sensation Jade Avedisian.
“It’s really cool,” Avedisian said. “Obviously I wanted to cross the finish line first, but a wins a win and we’ll take it. We’ll just keep our head down, keep going, and see how many more we can get.
“I feel like it started at the first of the year with New Smyrna. We logged our laps and now it’s time to deliver. Obviously I’m still learning, but I feel like I have a great group of guys behind me and great partners with everyone believing in me at Toyota and Mobil 1. I’m excited to have my first win under my belt and I’m going to stay hungry and try to win as much as I can.”
With 10 laps to go, she caught a dominant McKee after a hard charge, but a caution came out befrore she could pounce. After several more late yellows, DeCaire, McKee, and Avedisian would be in a three-wide battle for the lead that saw DeCaire get the top spot, Jade take second, and McKee fall to third before the DQ.
Even though the last 10 laps were chaotic, the race was anything but.
It started out tame, with McKee leading to the first competition yellow on lap 40 and the second competition yellow on lap 80. Right as Avedisian got to his bumper with 10 laps left, a caution came out. McKee would hold solid on the restart, but Avedisian was using every lane to try to get around him. Tyler Reif spun in turn 4 with three laps remaining, drawing a yellow.
The field re-stacked for a four lap shootout, with McKee on the bottom and Avedisian on the top. Jade appeared to have the pass made in turn 4 on the outside, but McKee would run them both up the track and nearly into the wall, allowing DeCaire to sneak by on the bottom. Before the field could complete the lap, however, Joshua Horniman would go spinning on the backstretch and clobber the inside wall, setting up a three lap sprint.
McKee would get the lead back for the restart, but going into turn 3, DeCaire would use his muscle to get to the inside of both McKee and Avedisian to make a three wide pass for the lead.
Right as the leaders took the white flag, Brody Monahan came to a stop in turn 2, drawing yet another caution. The field lined up for a green-white-checkered finish, with DeCaire now leading and Avedisian in second.
Avedisian gave it her all on the restart, but could not get past DeCaire, who crossed the line first, with Avedisian right behind, and McKee in tow.
With the disqualification, Avedisian wins, with McKee finishing runner-up, and Isaac Kitzmiller completing the podium. Ben Maier finished fourth with Tyler Reif in fifth.
The full finishing order can be viewed below.
CARS Pro Late Model Tour
New River All-American Speedway
March 1, 2025
- Jade Avedisian
- Tristan McKee
- Isaac Kitzmiller
- Ben Maier
- Tyler Reif
- Dyan Garner
- Rodney Dowless
- Brandon Lopez
- Logan Jones
- Brody Monahan
- Garrett Hall
- Joshua Horniman
- Mason Maggio
- TJ DeCaire
