The 33rd Cook Out Summer Shootout closed out in thrilling fashion as Champions Night delivered a fitting finale to the summer season. The night featured championship-clinching performances, thrilling racing and an electric School Bus Slobberknocker victory by Tyler Young behind the wheel of Baby Beluga.
Giovanni Anderlini (Beginner Bandoleros), Roo Reaves (Bandits), Carson Sherman (Outlaws), Gerardo Peralta (Chargers), Turner Brown (Young Lions), Colton Hale (VP Fuels Semi-Pro), Jake Bollman (Pros) and Doug Stevens (Dilling Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Masters) celebrated trips to Victory Lane, while the spotlight belonged to the champions who battled through a full summer of competition to claim their titles.
SCHOOL BUS SLOBBERKNOCKER CAPS OFF SUMMER
The season's final School Bus Slobberknocker delivered the chaos, contact and excitement fans have come to expect, with Young's Motorsports owner Tyler Young driving Baby Beluga to victory.
Leighton Sibble, representing Niece Motorsports, led the early laps in Rubber Ducky before Landon Polinski, crew chief for the No. 42 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, charged to the front in Purple Reign. Wally Rogers, crew chief for the No. 44 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, battled his way through the field in Captain Clutch, making a series of aggressive moves to join the fight for the lead.
The race shifted when Rubber Ducky fell out of contention, opening the door for Young to take control in Baby Beluga. Young held off late challenges to capture the victory, followed by Captain Clutch, Purple Reign, Pedal Princess and Rubber Ducky.
HALE LOCKS IN VP FUELS SEMI-PRO WIN AND TITLE
Colton Hale was once again unstoppable in the VP Fuels Semi-Pro division, charging to victory after taking the lead from Preston Wrisley in Turn 2 on Lap 10 and never looking back. Despite several Pro-FABrication cautions and a race-ending time limit that brought the event to a close with eight laps remaining, Hale remained in control to secure the win.
The victory capped off an impressive season for Hale, who also secured the VP Fuels Semi-Pro championship in one of the closest title battles of the night. With five wins and six top-five finishes over the course of the summer, Hale showcased the consistency and speed that propelled him to the championship.
To put the checkered flag on an unforgettable VP Fuels Semi-Pro season, Colton Hale captured the No. 1 spot in the final standings with 786 points separating him from second place, Dylan Faulkner. Preston Wrisley, Cameron White and Sterling Wrisley rounded out the top five after a summer of fierce competition.
BOLLMAN TAKES ROUND 10; MORABITO CLAIMS PRO TITLE
Jake Bollman, the 2025 Cook Out Summer Shootout Champion, claimed victory in the final round of Pro competition. Bollman jumped to the front shortly after the green flag dropped, quickly building a gap over the field. When the checkered flag flew, Bollman secured the Round 10 win in championship fashion.
Despite finishing eighth in the finale, Ben Morabito’s 34-point advantage entering Champions Night proved enough to secure the 2026 Pro Championship title. With consistent performances all season long, Morabito showcased the speed and determination that earned him the 2026 Pro championship.
Morabito claimed the Cook Out Summer Shootout Pro title by a 30 point margin, followed by Neal Dulin, Joel Smith, Spencer Bradshaw and Landon McKenzie in the final top five.
SHERMAN DOMINATES OUTLAWS
Carson Sherman closed out the Outlaw Division finale in dominant fashion, navigating early cautions and a changing leaderboard to capture his seventh win of the season. After Lucas McFall grabbed the lead on a restart, a Lap 5 caution shifted the momentum back to Sherman, who powered to the checkered flag.
After finishing runner-up to Landon Thrasher in the 2025 title fight, Sherman returned in 2026 with a championship-winning campaign. With seven victories throughout the summer, Sherman proved to be the class of the Outlaws field, finishing with 820 points.
Sherman finished atop the 2026 Outlaws standings, followed by Carson Cauble, Jackson Jones, Lucas McFall and Jacob Hassey in the final top five.
BROWN SCORES FIRST YOUNG LIONS WIN; THRASHER TAKES YOUNG LION TITLE
Turner Brown brought the heat when it mattered most, capturing the final Young Lions victory of the summer and earning his first win of the season. Brown battled polesitter Gerald White III for the lead through the opening laps before completing the pass on Lap 10 to take control of the race.
As the two frontrunners fought for the win, Eli Black and Case James traded positions for third. A Lap 15 restart gave Black the opportunity to challenge for second and make a late run at Brown, but Brown held his ground to secure the victory.
In one of the most competitive divisions all season, Landon Thrasher put together a championship-caliber campaign to win the 2026 Young Lions title. With five wins and consistent performances against a talented field of drivers, Thrasher rose to the top of the standings and secured the championship. Brown finished second, followed by James, Brexton Busch and Black in the top five.
STEVENS WINS SHOWDOWN; BOLEN CLAIMS MASTERS CROWN
Doug Stevens delivered a dominant performance in the Masters Division, cruising to victory after building and maintaining a lead of nearly six seconds. Stevens worked through lapped traffic and controlled the field from the front to capture the win.
With only 21 points separating first and second place heading into Champions Night, Jeff Bolen rose above the competition to claim the Masters championship. Bolen secured one victory and seven top-five finishes throughout the summer, delivering the consistency needed to secure the championship.
Bolen finished atop the Dilling Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Masters standings witht he smallest win margin of only 21 points, followed by Jesse Bunnell, Lee Jordan, Adam Welch and Robby Faggart.
REAVES TAKES ROUND 10; BRADSHAW WINS THE BANDIT WAR
After another competitive Bandits battle, Roo Reaves captured his second victory of the season in the finale. Reaves stayed patient as race leaders Maverick Bradshaw and Camden Powers controlled the field early before both were collected in separate Pro-FABrication cautions, opening the door for Reaves to charge to the checkered flag, end the season on a high note and secure second in the final point standings.
Despite technical issues throughout the night, Maverick Bradshaw secured the 2026 Bandits championship. The six-time winner entered Champions Night with a commanding 39-point advantage, and his dominant season was enough to earn his first Cook Out Summer Shootout title after finishing runner-up to Brexton Busch in 2025.
Bradshaw finished the season atop the Bandits standings, with Reaves claiming second. Landon Solomito finished third, while Lucas Harrison and Camden Powers rounded out the top five.
FIRST-TIME WINNERS CLOSE OUT THE SUMMER
While the Beginner Bandolero and Chargers divisions don't compete for season championships, they still closed out the summer in exciting fashion. Giovanni Anderlini raced to his first Beginner Bandolero victory of the season after a caution-filled finale, while Gerardo Peralta navigated a hard-fought Chargers field to score his first trip to Victory Lane of the summer.
NEXT UP:
While the checkered flag has fallen on the Cook Out Summer Shootout season, the action at America's Home for Racing is far from over. Charlotte Motor Speedway welcomes NASCAR Weekend Oct. 9-11, culminating with the Bank of America 400 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race. Fans can also look ahead to the 2027 Cook Out Summer Shootout, which will feature three doubleheader weeks and another summer of thrilling racing. Fans can purchase tickets and plan their next visit at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets.
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