PETERBOROUGH, ON- Appearing in just her third event of 2014, Amanda Connolly showed Peterborough Speedway she hasn’t missed a step in her time away, leading all 25-laps of competition in the Limited Late Model A-Main for her first victory of the season.
The Limited Late Model veteran, returning to the division after years spent with the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup tour, started from the pole position and controlled the race from flag-to-flag, turning back a number of spirited charges from eventual runner-up Ryan Kimball and multi-time champion Kyle Donaldson.
“It never hurts to start pole”, admitted Connolly post-race, flashing a smile, “but, holding back Kimball and Donaldson is never easy. No matter where you start. When you can finish ahead of those two, you definitely feel as though you’ve accomplished something”
The Aurora, ON-based driver was quick to note her London Recreational Racing No. 16 rolled out for the 25-lap event without fresh tires, something that made her nervous as she brought the field to the initial green.
“I knew as we were coming off of turn-4 to the green flag, that I was going to have to work to keep these guys behind me”, said Connolly. “Peterborough doesn’t offer a whole lot of grip on a good night with fresh tires, so you have to work twice as hard without them”
“Thankfully, my team gave me a great piece tonight, and I was able to hit my marks. Ryan [Kimball] ran a great race, too. He was fast. I knew he was there. But he ran me clean, and I definitely appreciate it”
With a win in her back pocket, Connolly is unsure of when her next Peterborough appearance will be, as she prepares to return to her role aiding and supporting her teammate and fiancée Kelly Balson in his OSCAAR Super Late Model tour endeavor.
“When you run a shortened schedule, a win seems to count for even more, because you truly don’t know when you’ll have a chance at another”, offered Connolly. “Our team’s month of July is pretty booked up with the Super Late Model, but we hope to be back out with the Limited [Late Model] in August”
Amanda Connolly’s 2014 efforts are powered by London Recreational, Dan McHattie Racecars and Cochrane Automotive.
Fans can keep up with Amanda on Twitter @16Racer
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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