2019 ISCRA Can-Am Cup Series

The **2019 ISCRA Can-Am Cup Series** season was the 47th season of the ISCRA Can-Am Cup Series, the first under its new title sponsor Can-Am, as well as the final Cup season of the 2010s. The season began on February 17th, 2019, with the Armory Digital 500, and ended on November 24th, 2019, with the ASUS Dark Knight 500. Wayne Clark, driving for Texas Motorsports, won his third driver's championship, while the manufacturer's championship was won by Toyota.

This season marked the debut of many new Cup drivers, such as Benjamin Price, Ayane Nakano, Markus Theiss, and Maxwell Johnson. However, it also marked the final season of competition for David Frazier and Corey Hawkins.

## Changes

### Teams

* On July 27th, 2018, Elwood-Orr Racing announced that the team would expand to three cars for the 2019 season. Jason Williams will drive the No. 24 for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
* With the retirement of Brad McLaughlin, Jack MacLean Incorporated announced that they would shrink to a two-car operation on August 31st, 2018.
* On October 16th, 2018, Snyder Motorsports that they would be ending operations after the 2018 season finale and would not participate in the 2019 season.
* On November 21st, 2018, Halko Brothers Racing announced that the team would expand to three cars, with Colin Spears driving the No. 14 Dodge Challenger for the team.
* On November 25th, 2018, SC Racing announced a partnership with grocery chain Kroger. The team would be renamed to SC-Kroger Racing beginning with the 2019 season; the No. 45 and No. 54 entries for the team would both carry sponsorship from Kroger.
* On December 3rd, 2018, Augusta Motorsports announced that they would expand to four cars, fielding the No. 86 Toyota Camry for rookie Pat Newford.
* On December 8th, 2018, Mark Powell Motorsports announced that they would relinquish the No. 4 to Pilot Racing for Benjamin Price. The Mark Powell entry would be renumbered to No. 59 for new driver Maxwell Johnson.
* On January 11th, 2019, Steven Merzlak Racing announced that the team would renumber its No. 40 entry to No. 7 for new driver Ayane Nakano.

### Drivers

* On January 17th, 2018, Virgil Evans announced that the 2018 season would be his last in ISCRA. Benjamin Price would replace him beginning with the 2019 season.
* On August 31st, 2018, Brad McLaughlin announced his retirement from ISCRA competition after the 2018 season.
* On November 22nd, 2018, Cole Watson announced his immediate retirement from ISCRA competition due to complications stemming from a crash during the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Maxwell Johnson would replace Watson in the renumbered No. 59 Chevrolet for the 2019 season.
* On January 11th, 2019, Steven Merzlak Racing announced that Michelle Hawthorne would not return to the team for the 2019 season. Ayane Nakano will move up to the Cup Series in her place.

### Manufacturers

* On July 27th, 2018, Elwood-Orr Racing announced that the team would switch from Chevrolet to Dodge for the 2019 season.
* On August 9th, 2018, Ford announced that they would run the Mustang for the 2019 season, replacing the Fusion as the manufacturer's entry in ISCRA competition.
* On September 1st, 2018, Steven Merzlak Racing announced that they would switch from Chevrolet to Toyota beginning with the 2019 season.
* On January 4th, 2019, GTS-Reynolds Racing announced that they would switch from Ford to Toyota for the 2019 season.

### Sponsorship

* On July 1st, 2018, Stanley Black and Decker announced that they would end their relationship with Team Cherikee after 14 seasons. On October 20th, 2018, Team Cherikee announced that McDonald's would sponsor the No. 5 entry for Duke Tillman for the next five years, and on October 24th, 2018, the team announced that Caterpillar would sponsor the No. 35 entry for Krista Noel until 2021.
* On July 14th, 2018, Peace Tea announced that they would terminate their deal with driver Lindsey Blackwell after the 2018 season, citing poor performance as the reason why. On December 10th, 2018, Burke Racing announced that the No. 1 entry would carry sponsorship from Axalta, Dell, Raven, and TaxSlayer for the 2019 season.
* On July 20th, 2018, Amazon announced that they would end their sponsorship of Wayne Clark and the No. 11 team after the 2018 season.
* On September 9th, 2018, Jack MacLean Incorporated announced that NAPA Auto Parts would sponsor the No. 2 entry of Skye Thompson full-time for the next five seasons.
* On September 13th, 2018, Team Cherikee announced that Peak Antifreeze would sponsor the No. 16 entry of Casey Dawson for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
* On November 21st, 2018, Halko Brothers Racing announced that the team's new entry for Colin Spears would be sponsored by Interstate Batteries, Cessna, and DEX Imaging.
* On December 19th, 2018, Burke Racing announced that DXC Technology would replace Zelle as the primary sponsor of Julia Kitt's No. 28 entry for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
* On December 22nd, 2018, Mark Powell Motorsports announced that Ally Financial would sponsor Shane Harvey for at least 24 races per season for the next six years.

## 2019 Season

### Can-Am Shootout

The Can-Am Shootout is a 20-lap exhibition race open to any driver that has won the pole in the previous season, as well as former champions that did not won a pole. Devin Sawyer was awarded the pole for this race.

**Top-ten results**

1. 73 - Lucas Malone

2. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

3. 16 - Casey Dawson

4. 52 - Corey Hawkins

5. 21 - Devin Sawyer

6. 41 - Alex Pearson

7. 20 - Eva Martinez

8. 70 - Craig Thornton

9. 27 - Robin McKee

10. 5 - Duke Tillman

### Armory Digital 500

The 2019 Armory Digital 500 was held at Armory Digital Superspeedway on February 17, 2019. Craig Thornton won the pole the week prior, during time trials that precede the Can-Am Shootout. The race went caution-free, the first time this has happened in this race since 1982. No driver failed to finish the race, the first time this has happened in Armory Digital 500 history. Robin McKee held off a charging Benjamin Price to win her first Armory Digital 500 by 0.067 seconds.

**Top-ten results**

1. 27 - Robin McKee

2. 4 - Benjamin Price

3. 11 - Wayne Clark

4. 20 - Eva Martinez

5. 73 - Lucas Malone

6. 15 - Jake Hartley

7. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

8. 50 - Scott Haines

9. 41 - Alex Pearson

10. 60 - Andrew McConnell

Failed to qualify: AJ Foster (No. 81), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Chris Howard (No. 66), David Frazier (No. 54), Kendall Nicholson (No. 85)

* For the first time in their history, Ross Castillo Racing failed to have a single entry make the race, following a very poor showing in qualifying.

* David Frazier, the 2007 winner, would fail to make the race in his final attempt.

### Shaw's at Binghamton

The Shaw's at Binghamton was held February 24th at Binghamton Motorsport Park. Krista Noel won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 19 - Shane Harvey

2. 5 - Duke Tillman

3. 16 - Casey Dawson

4. 7 - Ayane Nakano

5. 60 - Andrew McConnell

6. 35 - Krista Noel

7. 27 - Robin McKee

8. 2 - Skye Thompson

9. 11 - Wayne Clark

10. 15 - Jake Hartley

Failed to qualify: Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Chris Howard (No. 66), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10]], Pat Newford (No. 98)

* This race is noted as one of the coldest on record in the ISCRA's history. The air temperature when the green flag flew was at 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

* Jake Hartley would not score another top ten until the Firecracker 400 in July.

* Ayane Nakano scored her first top ten and top five in this race.

### Albertson's 400

The Albertson's 400 was held March 10th at Kentucky Speedway. Casey Dawson won the pole. This would be Benjamin Price's first career win in just his third start, tying the record set by Felix Campbell in 1994.

**Top-ten results**

1. 4 - Benjamin Price

2. 73 - Lucas Malone

3. 20 - Eva Martinez

4. 27 - Robin McKee

5. 7 - Ayane Nakano

6. 2 - Skye Thompson

7. 59 - Maxwell Johnson

8. 70 - Craig Thornton

9. 35 - Krista Noel

10. 14 - Colin Spears

Failed to qualify: AJ Foster (No. 81), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Dakota Hartley (No. 38}, David Frazier (No. 54), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* Maxwell Johnson and Colin Spears' first top ten finishes came in this race.

* Charlotte Beliveau dominated this race, leading 125 of 267 laps, but she was forced to come in for a splash of gas with 17 laps to go, handing the lead (and the win) to Price.

### Rebel 400

The Rebel 400 was held March 17th at Darlington Raceway. Craig Thornton won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 21 - Devin Sawyer

2. 41 - Alex Pearson

3. 2 - Skye Thompson

4. 70 - Craig Thornton

5. 73 - Lucas Malone

6. 4 - Benjamin Price

7. 27 - Robin McKee

8. 59 - Maxwell Johnson

9. 5 - Duke Tillman

10. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32), AJ Foster (No. 81), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* This would be Devin Sawyer's only win of 2019, and his only top five of the season until the Overton's 400 in August.

### Food City 500

The Food City 500 was held March 31st at Bristol Motor Speedway. In a bizarre turn of events, Chris Howard won the pole after most of the field failed to pass inspection in time to qualify.

**Top-ten results**

1. 2 - Skye Thompson

2. 50 - Scott Haines

3. 70 - Craig Thornton

4. 77 - Charlotte Beliveau

5. 20 - Eva Martinez

6. 11 - Wayne Clark

7. 55 - Shawn Coleman

8. 73 - Lucas Malone

9. 30 - Tanner Walton

10. 60 - Andrew McConnell

Failed to qualify: Brett Callahan (No. 17), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Nikki Santerre (No. 86)

* This would be Shawn Coleman's best finish of the season.

* Extreme misfortune would befall Shane Harvey during this race. A caution came out around halfway through the race while Harvey was leading. After he pit under the caution, he was spun by teammate Jeff Chandler, sending his car head-on into the pit wall, where it slowly rolled over once and landed back on its wheels. Harvey only lost two laps in this comically unfortunate ordeal and rebounded to finish 20th.

* This race saw 45 lead changes between 11 drivers, the most in the track's history.

### Crown Royal 400

The Crown Royal 400 was held April 6th at Richmond Raceway. Charlotte Beliveau won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 41 - Alex Pearson

2. 52 - Corey Hawkins

3. 77 - Charlotte Beliveau

4. 4 - Benjamin Price

5. 5 - Duke Tillman

6. 92 - Kyle Slater

7. 20 - Eva Martinez

8. 16 - Casey Dawson

9. 11 - Wayne Clark

10. 21 - Devin Sawyer

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), Kara McCarty (No. 29), Kendall Nicholson (No. 85), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* Shane Harvey wrecked Bryce Lancaster for 10th place on the final lap. After the race, Lancaster wrecked Harvey back while on pit lane. The two exited their cars and got into a shoving match before they were restrained by ISCRA officials. Both drivers were placed on probation for the rest of the season.

* + Wrecking Lancaster slowed up Harvey enough that Devin Sawyer was able to get by and finish 10th.

### Goody's 500

The Goody's 500 was held April 14th at Martinsville Speedway. Jason Williams won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 16 - Casey Dawson

2. 70 - Craig Thornton

3. 36 - Katie Rhodes

4. 41 - Alex Pearson

5. 92 - Kyle Slater

6. 19 - Shane Harvey

7. 11 - Wayne Clark

8. 60 - Andrew McConnell

9. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

10. 27 - Robin McKee

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32), AJ Foster (No. 81), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Nikki Santerre (No. 86)

* This race saw twenty cautions, many of them due to over-aggressive driving on restarts. As a result, the ISCRA refused to revisit the track in the fall, giving its other date to Kansas instead.
* Skye Thompson was pushed into the pit wall on the backstretch after a pit miscue. The race was red flagged for 30 minutes to clean up the barriers and reset the scoring. Skye would finish the race 39th, 11 laps down.

### Rockingham 400

The Rockingham 400 was held April 21st at North Carolina Speedway. Bryce Lancaster won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 2 - Skye Thompson

2. 60 - Andrew McConnell

3. 70 - Craig Thornton

4. 4 - Benjamin Price

5. 7 - Ayane Nakano

6. 30 - Tanner Walton

7. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

8. 77 - Charlotte Beliveau

9. 14 - Colin Spears -1

10. 58 - Connor Montgomery -2

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32),  Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Kendall Nicholson (No. 85), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* Eva Martinez dominated this race, leading 131 of the first 222 laps, but was caught up in an accident midway through the race. This caution trapped many cars a lap down, and the race would end with just eight cars on the lead lap.

### Toco 500

The Toco 500 was held April 28th at Talladega Superspeedway. Skye Thompson won the pole. The Big One struck on lap 53; a poor block by polesitter Skye Thompson took out 22 cars and sent Thompson rolling down the frontstretch. Wayne Clark held off Katie Rhodes to win his first race of 2019.

**Top-ten results**

1. 11 - Wayne Clark

2. 36 - Katie Rhodes

3. 35 - Krista Noel

4. 27 - Robin McKee

5. 41 - Alex Pearson

6. 21 - Devin Sawyer -1

7. 87 - Bryce Lancaster -1

8. 85 - Kendall Nicholson -4

9. 66 - Chris Howard -4

10. 24 - Jason Williams -4

Failed to qualify: Alan Irvine (No. 62), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Nikki Santerre (No. 86)

* Only five cars finished on the lead lap; there was a 30 second gap between second-place Rhodes and third-place Noel at the finish of the race.
* Pat Newford caused an accident on lap 1, collecting Augusta Motorsports teammate Shawn Coleman. A visibly irritated Coleman confronted Newford outside of the care center, where the two got into an argument. Neither driver was restrained or punished by the ISCRA officials.

### Astro Gaming 400

The Astro Gaming 400 was held May 5th at Auto Club Speedway. Shane Harvey won the pole and led 103 laps, but a slow pit stop handed the win to Scott Haines, his first since the 2018 Sharpie 500.

**Top-ten results**

1. 50 - Scott Haines

2. 11 - Wayne Clark

3. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

4. 19 - Shane Harvey

5. 20 - Eva Martinez

6. 27 - Robin McKee

7. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

8. 73 - Lucas Malone

9. 41 - Alex Pearson

10. 5 - Duke Tillman

Failed to qualify: AJ Foster (No. 81), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), Kara McCarty (No. 29), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* Jeff Chandler was able to qualify fourth after wrecking in practice, but the motor expired on lap 86, bringing out the lone caution of the day.
* This is Bryce Lancaster's third race in a row with a 7th-place finish.

### Pennzoil 400

The Pennzoil 400 was held May 12th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Ayane Nakano won the pole, the first of her career.

**Top-ten results**

1. 4 - Benjamin Price

2. 50 - Scott Haines

3. 11 - Wayne Clark

4. 58 - Connor Montgomery

5. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

6. 60 - Andrew McConnell

7. 9 - Robbie McCall

8. 30 - Tanner Walton

9. 27 - Robin McKee

10. 42 - Jeff Chandler

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Pat Newford (No. 98), Will Harrison (No. 45)

* In a last-gasp attempt to revitalize the racing at Homestead, track officials laid down a traction compound on the apron, increasing grip on the apron if drivers were to race down there. This led to 22 cautions and 21 retirements due to crash damage.
	+ Shane Harvey and Craig Thornton took particularly nasty hits. On lap 16, Thornton was spun in turn 4, backing the car into the wall. As he slid down the track, he was hit in the right side by Kyle Slater, then in the left side by Harvey. Harvey slid back up the track and was hit in the right side by Julia Kitt, flipping over twice. Thornton would bruise his ribs in the accident, but did not miss any races.
	+ After this race, Homestead officials gave up on working with the classic four-turn layout, reconfiguring the track and adding progressive banking in the corners.
* This would be Robbie McCall's only top ten in 2019, as well as Connor Montgomery's only top five in 2019.

### Coca-Cola 600

The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 26th at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Benjamin Price won the pole, the first of his career.

**Top-ten results**

1. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

2. 50 - Scott Haines

3. 5 - Duke Tillman

4. 20 - Eva Martinez

5. 27 - Robin McKee

6. 35 - Krista Noel

7. 16 - Casey Dawson

8. 73 - Lucas Malone

9. 58 - Connor Montgomery

10. 55 - Shawn Coleman

Failed to qualify: AJ Foster (No. 81), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Colin Spears (No. 14), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), Kendall Nicholson (No. 85), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* This is Colin Spears's first DNQ of his career.
* For the second time this season, Charlotte Beliveau would lead the most laps and fail to finish in the top ten. She led 171 laps, but sped on her final pit stop.

### 3M 400

The 3M 400 was held June 2nd at Michigan International Speedway. Benjamin Price won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 4 - Benjamin Price

2. 20 - Eva Martinez

3. 70 - Craig Thornton

4. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

5. 11 - Wayne Clark

6. 5 - Duke Tillman

7. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

8. 21 - Devin Sawyer

9. 2 - Skye Thompson

10. 59 - Maxwell Johnson

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32) AJ Foster (No. 81), Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Dakota Hartley (No. 38), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Pat Newford (No. 98)

### Miller 400

The Miller 400 was held June 8th at the Milwaukee Mile. Lindsey Blackwell won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 87 - Bryce Lancaster

2. 41 - Alex Pearson

3. 70 - Craig Thornton

4. 77 - Charlotte Beliveau

5. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

6. 11 - Wayne Clark

7. 19 - Shane Harvey

8. 60 - Andrew McConnell

9. 35 - Krista Noel

10. 2 - Skye Thompson

Failed to qualify: Alan Irvine (No. 62), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Nikki Santerre (No. 86)

* This would be the ISCRA's final cup race at Milwaukee for the forseeable future. Poor attendance and lackluster racing forced the series to move this weekend's race to Pocono Raceway for 2020 and beyond.

### Speedway 400

The Speedway 400 was held June 16th at Kansas Speedway. Lucas Malone won the pole. Wayne Clark would win his second race of 2019 with a last lap pass on Ayane Nakano.

**Top-ten results**

1. 11 - Wayne Clark

2. 7 - Ayane Nakano

3. 19 - Shane Harvey

4. 92 - Kyle Slater

5. 70 - Craig Thornton

6. 1 - Lindsey Blackwell

7. 50 - Scott Haines

8. 20 - Eva Martinez

9. 77 - Charlotte Beliveau

10. 58 - Connor Montgomery -1

Failed to qualify: Alan Irvine (No. 62), Daniel Ellsworth (No. 10), David Frazier (No. 54), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Will Harrison (No. 45)

### AAA 400

The AAA 400 was held June 23rd at Dover International Speedway. Devin Sawyer won the pole.

**Top-ten results**

1. 4 - Benjamin Price

2. 60 - Andrew McConnell

3. 19 - Shane Harvey

4. 41 - Alex Pearson

5. 14 - Colin Spears

6. 87 - Bryce Lancaster -1

7. 50 - Scott Haines -1

8. 58 - Connor Montgomery -1

9. 27 - Robin McKee -1

10. 59 - Maxwell Johnson -1

Failed to qualify: Adam Carpenter (No. 32), AJ Foster (No. 81), Brett Callahan (No. 17), Nikki Santerre (No. 86), Pat Newford (No. 98)

* Shane Harvey was placed on probation until the end of the season for intentionally wrecking Brianna Palmer on lap 242. Unhappy with how Palmer, a lap car, was racing him, Harvey turned her into the inside wall on the frontstretch. Palmer's car briefly got on its side before spinning back into traffic, collecting polesitter Devin Sawyer.