The Race
Matthew LaPrade qualified fastest in the Pro Modified field at Houston Motorsports Park and finished second in Saturday’s 40-lap feature. It is the second time this season he has started first and finished second at the Texas track — and this time he did it against a ten-car field.
Qualifying
Matthew put the #18 BMF Shocks & Chassis Modified on the pole, with Bailey Curry second quickest in the #30 and Johnny Walker third in the #72.
Matthew called it himself after the session. “Qualifying in Houston is complete,” he posted. “It will be a BMF Shocks & Chassis front row.”
The qualifying order set the grid straight up, with no invert — all ten cars started exactly where they qualified.
The Race
Curry, of Mooresville, North Carolina, took the win, and Matthew brought the #18 home second in a field where all ten starters were still classified at the finish.
Johnny Walker ran third, holding the spot he started from. Tripp Whitmire made the biggest gain in the feature, moving from seventh to fourth in the #79.
July ended the same way from the same place. Matthew led away from the pole and teammate Jared Maupin, in another BMF car, took the win.
Two Poles, Two Seconds
Houston has given Matthew the same afternoon twice — he started first and finished second on July 18, then did exactly that again on September 12.
Those are his only two starts at the track this season, and the field grew from eight cars in July to ten in September. Johnny Walker finished third in both.
A driver who can qualify quickest at a track he visits twice a year is finding speed in a hurry. Converting that speed over 40 green-flag laps is the piece still open.
A Seat on the Tires
Walker races the #72 out of Pasadena, Texas. He qualified third, finished third, and spent part of Friday evening sitting on a stack of tires in the pits, talking Matthew through what the car was telling him.
That is the man Matthew would line up ahead of the following night, and has now finished directly in front of twice this season.
Short-track racing runs on that exchange. The driver you are trying to beat on Saturday is often the same one showing you what to look for on Friday.
Race Results — Pro Modified A Feature 1 (40 laps)
| Pos | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown |
| 1 | 2 | #30 | Bailey Curry | Mooresville, NC |
| 2 | 1 | #18 | Matthew LaPrade | New Smyrna Beach, FL |
| 3 | 3 | #72 | Johnny Walker | Pasadena, TX |
| 4 | 7 | #79 | Tripp Whitmire | Portland, TX |
| 5 | 6 | #22 | Alfred Alvarez-Del Castillo | Fort Worth, TX |
| 6 | 5 | #118 | Jason Ferre Sr | Magnolia, TX |
| 7 | 8 | #2 | Russell Vickery | Maxwell, TX |
| 8 | 10 | #7 | James Remore | Round Rock, TX |
| 9 | 9 | #26 | Bob Slezinsky | Beeville, TX |
| 10 | 4 | #10 | Robert Walton | Del Valle, TX |
