If the first Pro Late Model race of the World Series of Asphalt was about survival, the second was about timing — and Raphael Lessard nailed it.
Restarts were the key.
Brody Monahan fended off Lessard time after time, but when it counted most — with the 60-minute time limit expired — Lessard, knowing it would be the final restart of the race, made the decisive move, leaning on the old adage ‘eight tires are better than four,’ he made a defining move, taking the lead from Brody Monahan in Turn 1. Nicholas Naugle’s crash on the frontstretch with seven laps to go froze the field and handed Lessard the victory.
It marked Lessard’s first victory since becoming a car owner. The reigning 2025 American-Canadian Tour champion rebounded from a lap one crash on opening night to park it in victory lane at New Smyrna Speedway.
“I knew I needed to do the best job I could and make the best restart possible,” Lessard told FloRacing “He pinched me down a bit going into Turn 1 — just racing deal. Everybody was going for it and he was trying to get that win. I just can’t thank all my guys enough. This car is fast. It’s awesome to win with a car from Ontario. It’s this car’s first win and my first win as a car owner.”
It’s Lessard’s first win in the World Series since winning with David Gilliland Racing in a Super Late Model a decade ago.
“It’s been 10 years since I’ve won here — 2016,” Lessard said. “When I stopped racing in the NASCAR Truck Series, I thought I’d never be able to come back and afford to race here again. To come back and win… it’s a dream come true.”
Brody Monahan wasted no time asserting control, jumping out front on the initial start ahead of Brandon Lopez. Lopez felt Monahan went early, causing Lopez to hesitate and costing him several spots.
Like Race 1, disaster struck almost immediately. On lap 7 a multi-car incident collected Lopez, Kyle Benjamin, Cole Robie, Brad May, Gabriel Casagrande, Jimmy Renfrew, and Josh Stade. Contact began when Casagrande slid across Lopez’s nose, and the stack-up behind them left several contenders with heavy damage.
Renfrew, one of the preseason favorites, saw his championship hopes take another hit. After fuel pickup issues derailed Friday’s effort, the early crash on Sunday effectively buried him in the overall standings.
Opening-night winner Cole Robie’s race went from bad to worse with 22 laps to go when his damaged left-front bodywork folded up and covered the windshield, forcing him to stop on track and bring out another caution.
The rest of the race unfolded in stop-and-go fashion, with seven cautions in just 53 of the scheduled 60 laps completed.
Through it all, it looked like Monahan’s night, leading 45 laps, but it was one restart too many for the No. 31.
“It’s definitely heartbreaking to lose it on a restart like that after leading most of the race,” Monahan told FloRacing. “We were fighting a bad push on those restarts in Turns 1 and 2. It would hang on for a lap or two, but that’s when the 48 was really good. It just didn’t play in our favor tonight.”
Gabriel Casagrande slipped past Monahan in the closing moments as well, capping a comeback night of his own after being involved in the early pileup.
“I know it hurts because we were this close to the win,” Casagrande said on the FloRacing broadcast. “But especially after the heat race and that incident early, we had to rebuild the trust in the car because it was hit. The pace was still there. My spotter did a great job and we made all the right decisions. I’m really happy with second.”
The Brazilian driver, who has limited oval experience, had two previous starts in a Pro Late Model at New Smyrna entering the night, scoring a victory last April. A strong showing in his first outing with Ben Kennedy Racing.
“They gave me the best car they could and I gave 100 percent,” Casagrande added. “It’s such a different experience racing here compared to Brazil, and I’m really enjoying it.”
A podium representing three different countries saw Raphael Lessard of Canada take the win, Gabriel Casagrande of Brazil finish second, and Brody Monohan of the United States come home third. Vito Cancilla followed in fourth, scoring his second top-five finish in as many races, while Roberge rounded out the top five.
World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model Race 2
New Smyrna Speedway
February 8 2026
- Raphael Lessard
- Gabriel Casagrande
- Brody Monahan
- Vito Cancilla
- William Roberge
- Conner Jones
- Josh Stade
- Buddy Head
- Gage Gilby
- Thomas Krasonis
- Toro Rodriguez
- Wesley Slimp
- Eric St. Gelias
- Jarrett Butcher
- Todd Delisle
- Nicholas Naugle
- Chet Monaweck
- Will Robinson
- Cole Robie
- Marco Gilbert
- Derrick Kelley
- Ben Mack
- Ryan Pawloski
- Presley Johnson
- Chloe Mazzagatti
- John Weitz
- Brandon Lopez
- Brad May
- Jimmy Renfrew Jr.
- Kyle Benjamin
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