FRASERVILLE, Ont. (June 2, 2017) – Glenn Watson took the lead from Derrick Tiemersma on lap three of the OSCAAR Super Late Model main event and then dominated the remaining 37 laps on his way to Victory Lane at Kawartha Speedway on Friday night.
Watson, a Barrie, Ont. native, started fourth for the 40-lap showdown that was the nightcap on OSCAAR Racing’s return to Kawartha for the first time in four seasons. Kelly Balson and Tiemersma brought the field to the green flag, but Watson quickly darted to the second spot behind Tiemersma’s No.7 as the outside lane was quick early.
“I was just trying to get out as quick as I could with fresh tires on so we didn’t use those up (getting to the lead),” said Watson. “I was trying to hit my marks, drive a smooth lap and it really worked out for us.”
Watson didn’t waste any time as he followed Tiemersma for less than two laps before taking the lead on the third lap. From there, Watson cruised the rest of the way and earned the win by a full straightaway over Smithville, Ont. driver John Cadman Jr. who took second on lap 13.
“It’s pretty nice,” Watson said of the win. “It’s been a long time that we’ve struggled. We have this McColl car working pretty well here now and we’re really happy. It’s great to be back here in the Victory Circle again.”
Cadman’s second-place finish was as good as most of the field could hope to finish on this night. Watson was simply too strong and without any yellow flags to regroup the field, the No.22 cruised to the win. Although, a yellow flag may not have mattered.
“I don’t even think that would have helped,” Cadman said. “We could have had five yellows and it wouldn’t have made any difference. Glenn was on a different planet. He’s really good. He got his stuff working really well this evening.”
Behind Tiemersma were Balson and Charlie Gallant to completee the top-five.
Cory Horner Earns First Career Modified Win
Cory Horner did things the hard way, but ultimately got the job done and parked in Victory Lane for the first time in OSCAAR Modified career. The Oshawa, Ont. driver inherited the lead on lap 20 when leader John Harper of Cambridge, Ont. blew a motor. Horner had to be quick behind the wheel to evade contact with Harper’s slowing No.79 car.
“I had no choice but to throttle it for the corner because when I locked up the brakes I was in his oil and I thought I was going straight for him,” Horner said. “I just gassed it and hoped I made it through.”
Horner made it through without damage to take the lead, but lost it on the ensuing restart when Max Beyore of Bowmanville, Ont. took over the top spot via the outside lane. Beyore led the next six laps before Horner found a hole in the bottom lane and weaseled to the inside groove to retake the lead with two laps to go. He drove away from Beyore over the final two circuits to his first career OSCAAR Modified win.
“This feels pretty good. It’s my first career win at Kawartha too,” Horner said. “It seems like more of a long distance car. I knew if I let him go for a few laps I’d be able to get back by him in a couple of laps.”
Chris Milwain was third behind Horner and Beyore while Luke Gignac of Port McNicholl, Ont. and AJ Emms of Orillia, Ont. rounded out the top-five finishers.
Tyler Hawn Wins Inaugural OSCAAR Hot Rod Event
Fans at Kawartha Speedway witnessed a piece of Ontario racing history when Tyler Hawn won the inaugural race for the OSCAAR Hot Rod Series on Friday night. The upstart series features pre-1974 bodied cars designed to look like stock cars of the 1980s and 1990s.
Adam Misener of North Bay, Ont. led early on in his 1964 Chevrolet Impala, but Darryl Fice of Peterborough, Ont. quickly surpassed him for the lead aboard his 1967 Camaro. Hawn, however, was on the move forward and vaulted to the second spot on lap six before taking the lead from Fice on lap 11 with a move to the outside in turn one.
Hawn then drove away to a half straightaway lead while Misener wrestled the second spot back from Fice over the final five laps.
“Tonight I had a lot of fun in that car,” Hawn said. “That was pretty cool. This car has gone through a huge makeover. We had to do a ton of work to it. We didn’t even know how it was going to handle off the trailer.”
On the racetrack, Hawn’s 1967 Pontiac Beaumont was clearly the class of the field as he raced in both the inside and outside lanes in order to take the lead.
“This car in the high line would just get going. I was wide open on the throttle before the center of the corner. It seemed like you would go into the corner and mash the throttle and it would actually help turn the car and I’ve never and that before.”
Derek Henderson of Toronto, Ont. and Jerry Luckhardt of Maryhill, Ont. completed the top-five running order.
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