MILLGROVE, Ontario – On a late-race restart, Dalen Martin held off Nick Clarke to win his first career OSCAAR Hot Rod feature at Flamboro Speedway. Amanda Balson won the first heat ahead of Steve Book, Adrian Foster, Nick Clarke, Sean Walker, Dave Evison Sr., and Paul Senior. Senior’s event ended early as a result of a mechanical failure.
Jaeger McMaster was victorious in the second qualifier in front of Mat Hopkins, Jerry Broom, Jessica James, Luke Gignac, Bill Clarke, and Gary Hannah.
Cole Weber won the first heat ahead of Tyler Hawn, Dalen Martin, Trevor Thompson, Jim Blackwell, Dean Martin, and Ryan Cowan.
Come feature time, Jerry Broom started pole in front of Cole Weber, Amanda Balson, Tyler Hawn, Steve Book, Matt Hopkins, Jaeger McMaster, Adrian Foster, Dalen Martin, Trevor Thompson, Nick Clarke, Jessica James, Sean Walker, Jaymee Adams, Jim Blackwell, Dean Martin, Bill Clarke, Ryan Cowan, and Dave Evison Sr.
Weber would grab the early advantage ahead of Broom as Balson battled Book for third, but the caution came out for an incident on the front stretch involving Adams, Cowan, and Dean Martin.
Weber got a good restart as Balson slipped into second ahead of Broom, Hawn, Dalen Martin, Book, McMaster, Nick Clarke, James, Foster, Thompson, and Hopkins. Hawn would then get by Broom for third on Lap 6, and continued to move forward with a pass on Balson for second a couple laps later.
Martin would get alongside Broom for fourth on Lap 9, completing the pass a lap later, bringing Book, McMaster, and Clarke through with him. Broom now ran eighth in front of James, Foster, Thompson, Blackwell, and Hopkins.
With 16 laps on the board, Weber continued to lead in front of Hawn, Balson, Martin, Book, McMaster, Clarke, Broom, James, Foster, Thompson, Blackwell, Hopkins, Dean Martin, Bill Clarke, and Walker.
The caution then flew on Lap 23 for Blackwell stalling into turn one. The restart would see Balson experience mechanical problems, as she would not go on the restart, stacking up the field. With the caution already out, contact occurred on the backstretch between James and Hopkins.
The restart would see Weber get away, as Dalen Martin and McMaster both got by Hawn, before the yellow flag reappeared on Lap 26 for Dean Martin blowing up down the frontstretch.
The restart would see McMaster moving into second ahead of Dalen Martin, with his sights set on Weber. Coming off of turn two on the last lap, the pair would make contact, resulting in Weber going around. As a result, both cars would be sent to the rear of the field, handing the advantage to Martin.
Dalen Martin got a good restart, holding serve to score his first career victory in front of Nick Clarke, Tyler Hawn, Steve Book, and Trevor Thompson. Adrian Foster finished sixth, followed by Jerry Broom, Cole Weber, Jaeger McMaster, and Mat Hopkins. Jaymee Adams placed 11th in front of Bill Clarke, Sean Walker, Dave Evison Sr., Amanda Balson, Dean Martin, Jessica James, Ryan Cowan, Gary Hannah, and Paul Senior.
Steve Book now holds an 18-point advantage of Tyler Hawn with one race remaining on the schedule.
The next race for the OSCAAR Hot Rods is at Peterborough Speedway on Sunday, October 10. Qualifying will take place on Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9.
Report from Ashley McCubbin
