Race Recap Elite NextGen Series
Chicagoland Speedway
Fri, Feb 6, 2026Round 12
Wild Ride at Chicagoland Speedway: Kaufman Survives 7-Caution Thriller
Race at a Glance
Field Size
22
Laps
115
Avg Lap Time
39.567
Cautions
7
Caution Laps
21
Lead Changes
6
Clean Runners
1
Lead Lap Finishers
16
Margin
+0.753s
Winner Spotlight
Bennett Kaufman
P1 Finish
Race Story
Bennett Kaufman captured the victory at Chicagoland Speedway in RFRL Elite NextGen Series action, navigating 6 lead changes across a competitive field of 22 cars to take the checkered flag from P7.
After starting in the 7 position, Bennett Kaufman methodically worked through the field, making strategic passes and capitalizing on opportunities to reach victory lane.
Nate Lesko applied late pressure but came up just +0.753s short of catching Bennett Kaufman. Chris D Rose rounded out the podium in third.
The hard charger award goes to Nate Lesko, who gained 12 positions from the starting grid to the checkered flag.
The race saw 7 caution periods, covering 21 laps, while 1 of 22 drivers completed the event without a single incident.
The tight competition saw 16 of 22 cars finish on the lead lap, a testament to the quality of the field.
With the win, Bennett Kaufman adds another trophy to the cabinet. Full results below.
Top Movers
Nate Lesko20
▲ +12Brandon M Hinton5
▲ +11Bennett Kaufman24
▲ +6Finishing Order
| Finish | Start | +/- | Car # | Driver | Inc | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | +6 | 24 | Bennett Kaufman | 8x | 40 |
| 2 | 14 | +12 | 20 | Nate Lesko | 1x | 35 |
| 3 | 4 | +1 | 07 | Chris D Rose | 8x | 34 |
| 4 | 2 | -2 | 110 | Jesse Gordon | 2x | 33 |
| 5 | 8 | +3 | 25 | Tyler Bowling | 1x | 32 |
| 6 | 9 | +3 | 43 | Bryce Hedgecock | 0x | 31 |
| 7 | 3 | -4 | 06 | Ryan Philbrick | 8x | 30 |
| 8 | 19 | +11 | 5 | Brandon M Hinton | 1x | 29 |
| 9 | 10 | +1 | 68 | Tom Ringer | 4x | 28 |
| 10 | 6 | -4 | 09 | jonathan McIntosh | 4x | 27 |
| 11 | 5 | -6 | 69 | Todd Parent | 6x | 26 |
| 12 | 16 | +4 | 3 | Shaun Dionne | 8x | 25 |
| 13 | 11 | -2 | 54 | Tiyler Walts | 6x | 24 |
| 14 | 18 | +4 | 60 | Brian Sousa | 3x | 23 |
| 15 | 1 | -14 | 73 | John W Crosby | 2x | 22 |
| 16 | 12 | -4 | 8 | Brandon Finley | 2x | 21 |
| 17 | 21 | +4 | 13 | Cody Deak | 10x | 20 |
| 18 | 20 | +2 | 14 | Jacob L Williams | 4x | 19 |
| 19 | 13 | -6 |  | Victor Etheridge | 6x | 18 |
| 20 | 15 | -5 | 94 | Cole Morton | 6x | 17 |
| 21 | 17 | -4 | 71 | Thomas Wynne | 6x | 16 |
| 22 | 22 | 0 | 17 | Brody Duescher | 8x | 15 |