Landen Lewis picks up the CARS Tour late model win at North Wilkesboro Speedway

The first race in zMAX CARS Tour history to be broadcast on FS1 showcased Landen Lewis's natural driving talent and the impressive speed of Kevin Harvick Inc.'s No. 29 Chevrolet.

Despite never having raced at North Wilkesboro Speedway before Friday’s Window World 100, Lewis approached the historic track like an experienced professional. From the start, he set a dominant pace that allowed him to distance himself from the competition and secure a start-to-finish victory.

Lewis' win at Ace Speedway a few weeks earlier had already brought him within four points of Connor Hall in the CARS LMSC Tour standings before arriving at North Wilkesboro. Now, with two consecutive wins to his name, Lewis carries significant momentum into a busy summer season.

The crucial nature of track position at North Wilkesboro Speedway underscored the significance of qualifying on Thursday for Landen Lewis.

A scorching lap of 17.769 during time trials secured Lewis the pole position, giving him ample clean air to start the Window World 100. Encountering slower traffic later highlighted the challenges of navigating through dirty air for Lewis, who expressed appreciation to Kevin Harvick Inc. for providing such a well-prepared car.

“We were really good yesterday,” Lewis said. “We set a strong lap [in qualifying] and managed to secure that track position early on. Passing was difficult, even with the lapped traffic. Having a good race car in [qualifying] trim was crucial. All my team members have worked so hard, and it’s even more special to be part of this.”

In recent weeks, Lewis and Kevin Harvick Inc. have emerged as one of the top contenders in the CARS LMSC Tour garage. After achieving three consecutive top 10 finishes, Lewis and KHI found their rhythm at Ace with a dominant performance, leading 94 of 125 laps.

With confidence and the backing of 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief Rodney Childers, Lewis was eager to continue the momentum at North Wilkesboro. Dominant for most of the night, Lewis’ main challenges were dealing with slower cars and refining his restarts.

Lewis recalled the advice given to him by car owner Kevin Harvick and his mentor Ron Hornaday Jr., both known for their restart prowess. The guidance Lewis received from legends like Harvick, Hornaday, and others during his development helped him remain composed during his first start at North Wilkesboro.

“Talking to Kevin [Harvick] was the most important thing,” Lewis said. “I spoke with him [Friday morning] and a few days ago about this track. He assists me greatly with driving and off the track. He’s a huge part of my career, as is Ron [Hornaday Jr.]. North Wilkesboro has been good to me so far.”