SAULT STE. MARIE, ON- After a 2015 season spent largely competing throughout the Midwestern United States, second-generation racer Dustin Jackson will return to Southern Ontario for the second time this year.
“Our whole team is excited to be going back to Sunset,” explains the 15-year old. “With the way our schedule was structured this season, we didn’t get to race in Southern Ontario very much, so we love to take advantage of the opportunity whenever we can. We’ve been counting the days until the Velocity 250 for a while now”
‘The Natural’ previously appeared in OSCAAR action at Sunset on August 22nd, turning in a 6th place finish in a solid field of contenders. After that top-10 performance, Jackson’s family-owned team knew that would be making a return trip to Sunset before season’s end.
“The fans in Southern Ontario are incredible,” says Jackson. “I’ve been lucky enough to race in front of a lot of different crowds, in a few different areas, but none of them quite compare to the people in Southern Ontario. We were at the Velocity 250 last season and it was one of the biggest crowds I had ever raced in front of. I’m so excited to be going back”
This weekend, Jackson knows contending with the OSCAAR regulars will not be easy. However, the Sault Ste. Marie, ON native is confident in his team’s abilities.
“The OSCAAR [Modified Tour] teams are some of the best around,” offers the well-spoken high-school student. “You can go all over the Midwest and still not find guys that are going to run you as hard and as clean as guys like Gary McLean and Gary Elliott. They make you work for every position, but they don’t use you up. That’s a rare quality”
“I think if we can get to the front early, we have a car strong enough to race with anyone on the roster. But, the OSCAAR races don’t give you a ton of laps to work with, so if you waste a lot of them in traffic, you could be in trouble”
“We’ll be looking to avoid boxing ourselves in at the beginning of the race,” continues Jackson. “Finding a hole early on could mean the difference between a podium finish and a top-10. With a field as close as this, you have to be lucky just as much as you have to be fast, so hopefully we have a little good fortune on our side.”
For more information on Sunset’s 2-day Velocity 250 event, visit www.SunsetSpeedway.ca.
Marketing support for Dustin’s 2015 season is provided by Wardlaw Heating & Cooling, Frankie’s Towing, Union Limousine, Milne Transport, Project Track Champion, Winchester Arms and SL Promotions.
Fans can keep up with the action by checking in with the team on Facebook at Dustin Jackson Racing.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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