BRAMPTON, ON- After weeks’ worth of close calls and top-5 finishes, third-generation star Billy Zardo hopes to earn his first feature win of 2015 in tonight’s twin-35 Late Model features at Sunset Speedway.
“A top-5 finish in this field is as tough to come by as any weekly division in the province,” says Zardo when asked about the level of competition at Sunset on a weekly basis. “These guys are so incredibly tough. When you unload at Sunset on Saturday afternoon, your work doesn’t stop until you’re through tech at the end of the night”
And when Zardo comments on how difficult it is to earn a top-5, he’s speaking from experience. The Brampton, ON driver has not had a week at Sunset without a top-5 finish since May 9th.
“This is the deep end of the pool,” smiles the soft-spoken wheelman. “There just isn’t any other way to put it. These drivers are the best weekly racers anywhere in Ontario”
“We just want to keep moving in the right direction. Top-5s are fantastic, but we really want to shift our focus to knocking down some wins. We’ve been so close a couple times this season and haven’t been able to seal the deal”
Zardo will enter tonight’s festivities 6th in points, just two markers removed from the top-5. The third-generation competitor knows that if his team can band together, there exists a very real possibility of advancing further through the division standings.
“As a team, we just try to remember that we have to be competitive every Saturday. If we’re competitive then the wins will come,” says Zardo. “And, if the wins come, then a championship will follow. Ultimately, that’s our goal. That’s what we’re here for. I grew up listening to stories about all the big races and championships that my grandfather won and I want to be able to tell those same kind of stories to my grandkids one day”
“I’m happy to be back racing this weekend,” adds the Brampton, ON native. “I hated all of the time off we had in June”
“Right now, we’re in a rhythm with this team, and the only way to get even better is to stay on the track. We had two awesome features on Sunday, but I know that we can do better. This Saturday we’re aiming for a podium finish and, in all honesty, I’ll be awfully disappointed if we leave the track without one.”
Details for tonight’s NASCAR Whelen All American Series event, including gate times and advanced ticket sales, can be found at www.SunsetSpeedway.ca.
Zardo’s 2015 campaign is made possible thanks to Holmes On Homes, National Exhaust, Better Contracting and Hassell Automotive.
Follow Billy on Twitter @Z3Zardo4846.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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