
**Cash Culp Steals Round 1 Despite Bruce Clingan's Dominance** The story of the opener: Bruce Clingan ran the show for much of the feature, leading 15 laps and looking like the car to beat. But it wasn't enough. Cash Culp, starting third, found his moment and led the final stretch of the 30-lap main, crossing the line with a 1.2-second cushion over Gavin Chatham to take the checkered. Clingan's performance was real—he won Heat 2 and spent the bulk of the race out front. But on a clean night with zero cautions, there was nowhere to hide. Culp's late aggression seized the advantage when it mattered. Chatham made the race a showcase for his own talent. He set quick time in qualifying, won the consolation race, then charged seven spots from ninth to finish second. Jeremy Christensen brought home the final podium spot. Greg Keppel, your pole sitter and Heat 1 winner, slipped to sixth as the night wore on. Nicholas R Lowe climbed from 12th to seventh. Richard Yannetta grabbed eighth. Nobody spun out, nobody needed a red flag—just clean, hard racing at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Culp takes the first trophy and sits atop the championship after night one.