STAYNER, ON- After an off-season spent contemplating a hiatus from weekly competition, 2014 Sunset Speedway Late Model champion Dwayne Baker is back in a fulltime role and ready to stake his claim for a third NASCAR Whelen All American Series Provincial Championship.
“The chance to win a third [NWAAS] Ontario championship is what brought us back to weekly racing,” says Baker. “After winning the Sunset points last year, we had originally planned to focus more on touring with our Pro Late Model and our Super Late Model in 2015. But, as soon as we heard about Sunset’s NASCAR sanctioning, we changed our strategy”
“Another provincial championship is something that would be special to have on our resume,” continues Baker. “We won two of these at Barrie, and I think we have a good enough team to win the very first provincial championship at Sunset”
“No one has ever won three Ontario titles – and I would love to be the first driver to do it,” adds ‘The Bully’.
To earn a third NWAAS championship, Baker is quick to explain that strategy will undoubtedly play a role.
“When you run a season made up of two features a night, it’s important to remember that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. I love to win races and I want to put on a show every time I’m on the track, but you can’t gamble your equipment in the first race and have nothing left for the second”
“We learned how important it was to take care of your equipment when we ran this style of racing at Barrie,” continues Baker. “The same goes for Sunset. It’s a deep field and you’re not always going to have room to make a move. When you try and force it – that’s when you hurt yourself”
“You saw guys on opening night come out and beat their stuff up in the first feature and then struggle later in the night. That style won’t win a championship this year,” notes Baker.
When asked about his 7th and 5th place finishes on May 2nd, Baker concludes that while his No. 48 wasn’t perfect – the team is content with their first start of the season.
“We learned a lot about this car on opening night. We have a much better idea of what’s going to work and what isn’t. [Crew Chief] Kyle [ Baker] spent a lot of time on setup this week, and I think we’ll have an even better package for Night 2”
“This is the best field in the province,” continues Baker. “If you can run at the front with these guys, no matter who you are, you know that you’re doing something right.”
Dwayne Baker will return to action at Sunset Speedway this Saturday, May 9th. Details for the event, including gate times and ticket prices, can be found at www.SunsetSpeedway.ca.
Baker’s 2015 season will carry marketing support from Zancor Custom Homes, G.D. Coates Used Car Superstore, McGunegill Engine Performance, Four Valley’s Excavating, Clearview Heating & Cooling, Baker Performance Parts and Nisco National Leasing.
Fans can stay up to date with Dwayne and the rest of the team by visiting the official Dwayne Baker Racing page on Facebook.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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