DELAWARE, ON (July 3, 2018)- The APC United Late Model Series at Delaware Speedway for Canada Day weekend has become a staple on the schedule. The 2018 edition of the event featured a TransAxle Super Stock special alongside the APC Late Model Series’ feature event; the fourth event on the series’ 2018 tour.
Group qualifying for the TransAxle Super Stocks kicked-off the night with drivers having a full five minutes on the clock to lay down their quickest time. Gary Adriaensen (#55) scored the fastest time with a 20.443 ahead of Jamie Klumper (#07) and David McCullough (#39).
Group qualifying for the APC Series saw JR Fitzpatrick on the pole with a time of 18.415 ahead of Shae Gemmell, Treyten Lapcevich, Jordan Sims, and Andrew Gresel.
50 laps was the scheduled distance for the TransAxle Super Stock Canada Day weekend special, as Matt Robblee (#51) led the field to life to start the racing portion of the night in front of a packed house. Darrell Lake (#77) started on the high side in his return to competition after a practice crash nearly a month ago. With one lap complete there was trouble in turn two as contact between Darrell Lake and Trevor Collver (#1) resulted in a multi-car incident collecting several others. Lap two was no better for the drivers as contact in the middle of the field sent several cars sliding into turn one, bringing out another caution flag.
Andrew Ferreira (#9) would take the race lead on lap five, shuffling Robblee back to the third spot as McCullough followed through for second. As the halfway point came, Gary Adriaensen was the fastest car on the race track while running in the third spot. There was trouble on lap 30 when Matt Robblee and Brittany Beatty (#14) made contact, bringing out the yellow flag. Adriaensen would take over the race lead on lap 35 with a move to the inside off of turn two. Gary Adriaensen would go on to win the 50 lap event as Andrew Ferreira and David McCullough rounded out the podium positions.
The Spectra Premium 100 started with Shae Gemmell on the pole beside 11-time Delaware Speedway champion, Jamie Cox. The race got off to a disastrous start as contact in the middle of the field between JR Fitzpatrick and Jordan Sims resulted in a chain reaction in the back of the field, ending with Rick Burbridge going airborne over the rear of another car and into the turn one wall.
The restart saw Jamie Cox lead a lap before there was a major pileup, again in turn one, as Shawn Chenoweth was sideways on the front straightaway and eight cars piled in with nowhere to go. Shae Gemmell would lead after the restart before Jamie Cox took the spot away just a lap later. Brandon Watson moved into the top five on lap six as the front two cars separated themselves slightly from the remainder of the field.
Lap 14 was trouble for Shae Gemmell as he was freight trained on the high side and slid back to the fifth position as JR Fitzpatrick and Brandon Watson ran ahead. Brandon Watson used the bumper to pass JR Fitzpatrick for the third spot on lap 15 and set his sights on the front two, who had checked out on the field. Watson began to slow on lap 23 and would eventually spin on lap 27 bringing out the caution for third time.
2018 MacMaster of Orangeville Rookie of the Year contender, Jake Sheridan, would lead the race on lap 28 before the caution came out a lap later when Jamie Cox went around in turn three while racing for second. The fifth caution came out on lap 29 for a spin by Paighton Jacobs. The restart would allow JR Fitzpatrick to take the lead on the high side after several laps of side by side action with Sheridan. Sheridan would regain the top spot on lap 55 as Fitzpatrick slid back to third after Shae Gemmell moved up to second in the running order.
The caution flag was displayed for the sixth time on lap 72 when Steve Laking spun off of turn two, setting up for a wild finish to the Spectra Premium 100. On the restart Matt Pritiko had a mechanical failure and would enter the infield as Shae Gemmell led the next lap. Sheridan took the spot back and once again paced the race on lap 74. The caution came out for the seventh time on lap 74 and would set up for a restart that changed the running order in the top eight drastically. A short run saw Watson move up through the top five before the final caution of the race came out on lap 77.
Brandon Watson took the lead on the restart, getting the better of Jake Sheridan and making the high side stick. Sheridan would stay right on the tail of Watson as he looked for his first career win in just his fourth start on the tour. Heartbreak for Shae Gemmell came on lap 79 when contact with the wall ended his strong run. Watson would hold off Sheridan for the victory, his tenth career APC Series win with Jordan Sims, Treyten Lapcevich, and JR Fitzpatrick rounding out the top five spots.
By Ryan Dyson – DelawareSpeedway PR
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