The wait is over — the highly anticipated 2025 Pro 4 National Series roared to life at the legendary Crandon International Raceway, and it did not disappoint. With 40 drivers lining up to prove themselves, plus two surprise guest entries, the competition was stacked with talent. The field featured three past champions — reigning champ Connor Barry (3x), Mason Prater (3x), and Luke Knupp (1x) — alongside a deep pool of rising stars and veteran contenders.
Ten teams entered the season opener with high hopes, but one team immediately set the bar. Factory Simsport locked out the top three spots in qualifying, with Tyson Miller grabbing pole, followed by teammates Nicholas Dachelet and Keaton Swane. Channel199 Sim Racing showed their strength as well, with defending champion Connor Barry qualifying 4th and teammate Josh Edmundson rounding out the top five.
Heat Races: High Stakes and Hard Battles
Heat 1:Pole-sitter Tyson Miller got a great launch, but it was Channel199’s Josh Edmundson who grabbed the holeshot. The lead changed hands multiple times, with a dramatic moment in Barn Turn when Edmundson made contact with Dane Culver and got connected to each other, sending both trucks into the wall and leaving them side-by-side. Edmundson regained the lead and fended off Culver’s late charge to secure the heat win. Advancing: Josh Edmundson, Tyson Miller, Brody Duescher, Dane Culver.
Heat 2:Factory Simsport’s Nicholas Dachelet led from start to finish despite relentless pressure from Impact Sim Sport’s Kody Winiecki. Dachelet’s composure earned him the win, with Winiecki following closely behind. Advancing: Nicholas Dachelet, Kody Winiecki, Evan Macfarlane, Tom Grady.
Heat 3:Keaton Swane continued Factory Simsport’s strong night, dominating from pole to win Heat 3 with a clean, consistent run. Advancing: Keaton Swane, Luke Knupp, Sean Winkler, Dennis Mikkelson.
Heat 4:Reigning champion Connor Barry showed why he’s a 3-time titleholder, narrowly grabbing the holeshot from Team Gold eSports driver Thad Countryman. Thad kept the pressure on, but Barry held strong to claim the win by just 0.6 seconds. Advancing: Connor Barry, Thad Countryman, Luke Safrit, Zachary Drapkin.
LCQs: Fighting for Survival
The Last Chance Qualifiers were brutal, with drivers laying it all on the line for the final four transfer spots. After some intense battles, it was Mason Prater, Christopher Plumley, Keith Jeffery, and Crystal King who punched their tickets to the main event.
The Main Event: Classic Crandon Chaos
The starting grid was shaken up with an invert of 4, placing Connor Barry on pole alongside Factory Simsport’s Keaton Swane. As the green flag dropped, Barry seized the holeshot and an extra bonus point. The rest of the field wasn’t so lucky, as Barn Turn lived up to its reputation with a massive pile-up that shuffled the midfield.
Out front, Barry, Swane, Dachelet, and Edmundson quickly separated from the chaos to form a four-truck breakaway. On lap 4, Swane made his move, diving inside of Barry in Barn Turn to snatch the lead. But Barry immediately countered with a textbook crossover in Gravel Pit to reclaim the top spot.
By the time the competition caution flew, the top five stood as:
Connor Barry
Keaton Swane
Nicholas Dachelet
Josh Edmundson
Dane Culver
The restart triggered more carnage mid-pack, with multiple trucks tangling and Racecraft Academy’s Mason Prater night ending with a broken front end. Up front, Culver went into attack mode, muscling past Dachelet and Edmundson to claim third.
As the laps wound down, the intensity ramped up. Swane and Culver traded blows for second, going side-by-side across the line as the white flag waved. But their battle allowed Barry to check out, crossing the finish line 1.7 seconds ahead to take the Round 1 victory. Swane eventually bested Culver for runner-up honors, with Knupp and Edmundson rounding out the top five.
Round 1 Results – Crandon International Raceway
🏆 Connor Barry (Channel199 Sim Racing) – Winner
Keaton Swane (Factory Simsport) – +1.712
Dane Culver (Independent) – +2.295
Luke Knupp (Team Gold eSports) – +6.061
Josh Edmundson (Channel199 Sim Racing) – +6.903
Thad Countryman (Team Gold eSports) – +7.159
Nicholas Dachelet (Factory Simsport) – +7.283
Tom Grady (Factory Simsport) – +7.831
Sean Winkler (Racecraft Academy) – +8.569
Tyson Miller (Factory Simsport) – +8.940
Luke Safrit (Horizon Sim Sport) – +10.358
Brody Duescher (Horizon Sim Sport) – +14.151
Crystal King (Factory Simsport) – +14.647
Keith Jeffery (Channel199 Sim Racing) – +15.949
Dennis Mikkelson (Boozy Racing) – +16.007
Zachary Drapkin (Racecraft Academy) – +2 laps
Christopher Plumley (Factory Simsport) – +6 laps
Mason Prater (Racecraft Academy) – +7 laps
Kody Winiecki (Impact Sim Sport) – +8 laps
Evan MacFarlane (KES) – +12 laps
Looking Ahead
Round 1 delivered everything fans hoped for: hard racing, strategic passes, and wild crashes. With Connor Barry asserting his dominance early and Factory Simsport showcasing serious speed, the stage is set for an epic battle throughout the 2025 Pro 4 National Series season.
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