Oct 28, 2026 · 1h 11m
Two CARS Tour champions map different routes toward NASCAR
Caden Kvapil & Mason Walters: The Two Newest CARS Tour Champions
Caden Kvapil and Mason Walters show how varied racing backgrounds, disciplined development, and funding realities shape the next step beyond regional competition.
- 1Caden Kvapil credits dirt racing, shop work, and JR Motorsports development for his championship progression.
- 2Mason Walters turned modest expectations and a midseason slump into a Pro Late Model title with Setzer Racing.
- 3Both champions describe the CARS Tour as a demanding proving ground for drivers targeting ARCA, trucks, and NASCAR.
Don't miss
Mason Walters recounts how an early victory transformed a season of modest expectations into a championship campaign.
The brief
Caden Kvapil discusses winning the Late Model Stock championship and Martinsville 300, then traces the dirt-racing, family, and JR Motorsports influences behind his rise.
Kvapil’s account emphasizes the unglamorous side of development: learning to prepare and maintain a CARS Tour car, building road-course experience, and managing pressure under inspection.
Mason Walters entered his first full Pro Late Model season with limited expectations after struggling the year before, but an early win changed the team’s ambitions.
Walters explains how karting, Legends cars, film study, shop work, and a midseason reset helped him convert a performance dip into a championship with Setzer Racing.
Together, the champions frame the CARS Tour as a deep proving ground while confronting the next challenge: finding funding and opportunities in ARCA, trucks, and beyond.
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