Monahan Motorsports Race Recap: CARS Tour at North Wilkesboro Speedway

The CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on July 17th delivered an intense and competitive event for Monahan Motorsports. Both drivers, Gio Ruggerio and Brody Monahan, showed strong performances despite starting mid-pack.

Qualifying Challenges and Starting Positions

Qualifying at North Wilkesboro is always a test of raw speed and who can drive on the complete edge of disaster for one lap. For Monahan Motorsports, the day began with Gio Ruggerio behind the wheel of the RaceChoice.com #55 Toyota where he qualified 19th, a position that reflected how tight the field was, while also mentioning Gio's absence from late model racing in the recent years.

Just ahead of Gio was Brody Monahan in the Whelen Engineering #31 car, who secured the 17th spot on the grid. Starting around mid-pack meant both drivers had to rely on race pace and smart adjustments to move forward during the 75-lap event.

Race and Key Adjustments

The race unfolded with a mix of adjustability and aggression. Early in the race, the team made a few critical adjustments during a yellow flag to get the #55 up to the pace that we expected to run. These changes allowed Gio to gain several positions, ultimately finishing 13th.

Brody's race showed lots of aggression but in a strategic way to keep his racecar clean while making quick work of the cars around him. Starting 17th, Brody pushed hard and steadily climbed through the field. Every restart was an opportunity to pick off a few competitors before the field would get strung out. With crew chief Scott Anderson being very familiar with North Wilkesboro, he dialed in Brody's #31 for the long run where the car truly performed the best. By the checkered flag, Monahan had moved up to 8th place, a top 10 finish that was hard fought and much needed after the misfortunate finish to Ace Speedway just a few months ago.

Looking Ahead to the Throwback Classic at Hickory

After the North Wilkesboro race, the CARS Tour will take a three-week break. This pause offers Monahan Motorsports time to regroup after bringing both Pro Late Models to the racetrack and prepare for Brody's run in the Throwback Classic at Hickory Motor Speedway on August 8th.

Hickory is a track with a rich history and a homeplace for the biggest stars in NASCAR. Winning at a track with as much character as Hickory is no simple task, but Brody is up for the challenge. "This is my favorite racetrack," said Brody when asked about his thoughts on the upcoming race.

Final Thoughts on North Wilkesboro and What’s Next

Monahan Motorsports showed that a two-car operation is feasible for the team while still delivering quality results. Although a CARS Tour win was not in the cards at North Wilkesboro, our goal remains the same at Hickory: be competitive against the other top teams in the CARS Tour. While a win would be great, each race continues to build a pathway towards the end goal of a championship by the end of the year. Brody's top 10 finish at Wilkesboro has bumped him back to 6th in the championship

standings.

About Monahan Motorsports Driver Development

Monahan Motorsports is a dedicated Pro Late Model development team based in Mooresville, NC. Our team is passionate about motorsports and strives for excellence in every competition. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of performance and achieving success on and off the racetrack.

With top-of-the-line equipment and a veteran crew chief, we are prepared to win races and championships from the moment the racecar unloads from the hauler.

Contact us to explore opportunities as a funded driver to race full time for Monahan Motorsports in 2026.