Mason Walters delivered a statement to open the 2026 zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model season.
With four laps remaining at Southern National Motorsports Park — the series’ first visit to the Lucama oval since 2024 — Walters tracked down Keelan Harvick, made the move off Turn 4, and drove away to score his first career CARS Tour victory.
Methodically working forward, Walters kept Harvick within reach as the laps wound down. As the leaders navigated traffic and tires began to fade, Walters’ long-run speed came alive.
“I just waited until I saw some lap cars in the distance,” said Walters”I just didn’t wanna try to pass him and catch a lap car there — Keelan had to go in and chop his entry a little bit to get by them and got tight up off and I was just able to just drive underneath him. (It was) just an easy clean move.”
The victory marks Walters’ first CARS Tour Pro Late Model win and an immediate payoff in his first full-season effort with Setzer Racing Development, the reigning Pro Late Model championship-winning team after capturing the 2025 drivers title with Ben Maier.
There’s a lot of expectations,” said Walters. “You know it’s a championship winning team, you know it’s a contending team so there’s gonna be a little pressure. You know you can always do (well) and if you don’t you’re gonna be like well that was probably my fault.”
Max Reeves started from the pole and set the early pace, but Harvick, making his first start with Toyota backing, wasted little time charging to the front. He worked past Reeves in the opening stages and quickly established himself as the car to beat.
Once out front, Harvick controlled the race. He built a steady advantage through the middle portion of the event and appeared poised for victory until they hit lapped traffic.
“I just over adjusted on my car with my brake bias,” said Harvick “Just my fault — the Rackley W.A.R. put a lot of effort in and im just bummed out that I couldn’t get the win for them”
London McKenzie, Max Reeves, Treyton Lapcevich and Case James round out the top six who will compete for the $10,000 Flodium bonus.
The CARS Tour Pro Late Model season picks back up at the Nashville Fairgrounds on April 11th.
CARS Tour Southern National Motorsports Park
February 28 2026
- 6 Mason Walters
- 62 Keelan Harvick
- 95 London McKenzie
- 18 Max Reeves
- 67 Treyton Lapcevich
- 15 Case James
- 20 Evan McKnight
- 51 Carson Ware
- 29 Cole Robbie
- 8 Jayden Johnson
- 12 Colton Hale
- 5 James Seeright
- Rodney Dowless Jr.
- 22 Chase Burgeson
- 31 Brody Monahan
- 97 Dylan Garner
- 17 Brody Gunter
- 82 Taylor Hull
- 49 Jeff Batten
- 22 Dusty Garus
- 46 Landon Huffman
- 9 Ashton Higgins
- 11 Tony Consentino
- 44 Conner Jones
- 77 Logan Jones
