In this installment of Spencer Lewis’ Inside Track Ontario Short Track Notebook, Spencer breaks the news that second-generation Super Late Model racer Jeff Hanley will be in action at Sunset Speedway this weekend, making his 2013 OSCAAR debut. The extensive STN also features Nick Goetz, Brent McLean, Chad Strawn, Jason Witty, Barry Newman, Billy Zardo, Dwayne Baker, Corey Jones, Stompin’ Tom Walters, Jamie Cox, Brad Pearsall, Gord Shepherd, Ryan Fraser, Frank Davey, Rob Poole and more.
Four-time Don Biederman Memorial winner Jeff Hanley (above by DaveFranksPhotos.com) has confirmed he will be in attendance at Sunset Speedway this weekend (June 29 & 30). The second-generation competitor has not appeared with the OSCAAR Super Late Model Tour since winning the 2012 edition of the Velocity 250 in September.
Hanley, a Georgetown, ON resident, will look to become the only 5-time Biederman Memorial winner in tour history, after capturing victory in the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 editions of the historic race. Hanley will enter the 15th running of OSCAAR’s most prolific crown-jewel event, eager on toppling current point leader Brandon Watson, who has led every lap of competition thus far in 2013.
Sauble Speedway Ltd. Late Model regular ‘Livewire’ Nick Goetz (above by T.W. Robarts) will represent the Owen Sound, ON-area speedway at the upcoming ‘Chase for the Colours’ event held at Peterborough Speedway.
Goetz will make the 4-hour haul from his home in Saugeen Shores, ON to compete in the 75-lap LLM invitational, with the top-2 finishers receiving front row starting spots at the 21st annual Autumn Colours Classic. Goetz will compete Saturday night at Sauble, as part of the Sauble vs Sunset Home and Home series, setting up a busy weekend for the sophomore competitor.
After capturing his first OSCAAR Modified Tour win of the season at Barrie Speedway on June 15th, Brent McLean has confirmed he will pull ‘double-duty’ this weekend (June 29th & 30th) at Sunset.
McLean will race his Modified both nights, as he looks to erase the four point gap that separates him from current point leader Gary McLean. The Conn, ON driver will also look to qualify for his first career Don Biederman Memorial event, when he makes his second career OSCAAR Super Late Model start on Saturday night.
Rookie Open Wheel Modified driver Chad Strawn has confirmed that he will make his OSCAAR Modified Tour debut this weekend (June 29th & 30th), when the tour returns to Sunset Speedway. The second-generation wheelman has so far competed exclusively at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park this season, as a member of the Ontario Modified Racing Series roster.
Chad will driver for his father and car owner Brian Strawn, who will act as the team’s crew chief through the 2-day event. The team will compete this weekend thanks to support from Abateman Technologies, Drytech, Caliber Environmental, Terrco, Winmar of Hamilton, Wickens Dry Ice, I & I Construction, Biggs & Narciso and Safetech Environmental.
After opening up a 3 race winning streak at Sunset Speedway, Limited Late Model star Jason Witty (above, by Dan Craik) has announced he will not follow the Sunset regulars to Sauble this Saturday (June 29th). Instead, ‘Bam Bam’ and his family-run team will enjoy a weekend off, before re-grouping to return to Sunset on July 6th in search of a 4th-straight victory.
Following his 4th place finish on June 21st at Delaware Speedway, Springfield, ON veteran Barry Newman (above, by Thompson Photography) has announced he will participate in both nights of competition this weekend (June 29th & 30th) at Sunset Speedway. ‘The Bear’ took home a podium finish in the first ever OSCAAR Modified Tour event at Sunset in May 2012. Sponsorship for Newman’s 2013 efforts include Vipond Fire Protection and Blackmore Brick Works.
With the first round of the Sunset vs. Sauble ‘Home and Home’ series mere days away, we caught up with Sunset Speedway breakout star Billy ‘Z3’ Zardo (above, by Dan Craik). The third-generation driver offers his preview for the June 29th event, including what it will take to succeed on Sauble’s tricky surface, the competition he’ll have his eye on and his opinion on the event as a whole. The interview, in its entirety, can be found here.
‘The Bully’ Dwayne Baker (#48 by Dan Craik) has confirmed that he will be in action with the OSCAAR Super Late Model Tour this weekend (June 29th & 30th) at Sunset Speedway. The Stayner, ON veteran will compete alongside several drivers with Sunset roots in the two-day event, including defending tour champion Brandon Watson, sophomore ‘The Professional’ Rob Poole, Rookie of the Year contender Kevin Cornelius, former champion Derrick Tiemersma and veteran Charlie Gallant among others.
Baker’s lone OSCAAR tour victory came at Sunset on May 23rd, 2010. Sponsorship for Baker’s Super Late Model includes Zancor Homes, Clearview Heating & Cooling, St. Onge Recreation, Four Valley’s Excavating, G.D. Coates Suzuki and Jerry’s Body Shop.
The newest member of the OSCAAR Super Late Model Tour, Corey Jones, has sent along this exclusive first glimpse of the Howe-chassis he plans on debuting at the upcoming Don Biederman Memorial. Jones currently sits 2nd in Canadian Vintage Modified points, most recently visiting victory lane at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on June 8th, and will continue to chase his first career CVM title before committing fulltime to the OSCAAR tour in 2014.
After his June 29th debut, Jones will compete in August 11th’s tour stop at Kawartha Speedway, Sunset Speedway’s Velocity on September 29th and the 21st annual Autumn Colours Classic at Peterborough Speedway on October 12th and 13th, in order to maintain his Rookie of the Year status for his 2014 campaign.
The Shakespeare, ON driver will compete as an informal teammate to OSCAAR veteran Shane Gowan, his car’s former owner, with the ride’s initial setup performed by hall of famer Junior Hanley. Marketing support for Jones’ debut is provided by Royal Bank of Canada, Lafleche Roofing, Accountable Automotive, Troy Schmidt Remax, Lydia Miu Remax, Allstate Insurance, Wilhelm Concrete, Uni-Spray Systems Inc., Octane Productions, Anmar Cleaning Inc., Innotech Automation and Gowan Racing. For more information on Corey Jones, be sure to follow along on Twitter @CoreyJones82.
Defending Sunset Speedway Ltd. Late Model track champion Stompin’ Tom Walters has sent along some incredible on-board footage of last Sunday’s 75-lap LLM Invitational at Sunset. The ‘Father’s Day 75’ event saw Walters capture the lead early and dominate the first 72 laps of the contest, holding off rivals Mike Bentley and Dwayne Baker, while weaving through a barrage of lapped traffic, before late-race contact with Baker triggered a multi-car pileup in turn-1. You can find the riveting footage here.
Nine-time Delaware Speedway Open Wheel Modified champion – and current Delaware Late Model point leader – Jamie Cox has confirmed via his team’s ‘Jamie Cox Racing / RCR’ Facebook page that he will be in action tonight (June 21st) at Delaware with the OSCAAR Modified Tour. The event will mark Cox’s first OWM start of the 2013 season, and will pit the Dorchester, ON fan favourite against OSCAAR Mod Tour heavyweights Gary McLean, Brent McLean and Matt Barton.
On the eve of Round 3 for the OSCAAR Modified Tour at Delaware Speedway, sophomore Brad Pearsall has uploaded footage recorded from Round 2 of the tour at Barrie Speedway last Saturday (June 15th).
Pearsall’s roll-cage mounted camera captures his charge to a 3rd place finish, behind race winner Brent McLean and runner-up Gary McLean. The footage can be found here. For more information on Pearsall’s Plaza Kia, Performance Signs, Ponderosa Nature Resort, Hosking Race Engines, Performance Improvements, Rust Check of Newmarket, HWY-400 Transmission and Murf’s Manufacturing sponsored ride, visit the team’s ‘1B Racing’ page on Facebook.
As buzz begins to build around Peterborough Speedway’s upcoming ‘Chase for the Colours’ Invitational on June 30th, fans and industry insiders alike are debating just whom might look to qualify for a front row starting position at the 21st annual Autumn Colours Classic.
Four-time Barrie Speedway feature winner Gord ‘The Smoke’ Shepherd (above, by Dan Craik), fresh off of a runner-up performance at Sunset Speedway’s ‘Father’s Day 75’ on June 16th, has confirmed that his Ridge Road Racing team will be in attendance for the 75-lap event. The Hawkestone, ON driver will look to bring the Autumn Colours Classic title back to Barrie Speedway, after 2012 Barrie champion Dwayne Baker won the event last October.
Shepherd’s 2013 efforts are sponsored by Progressive Waste Solutions, Shelswell Racing, Abstract Salon, Classic Towing, McKee Tire, Bri-Mac Auto Glass, L&M Autobody, Montana’s Cookhouse of Orillia, HWY-400 Transmission, Castrol, Sherwin Williams, K2 Images, Desjardins Insurance and Cowden-Woods.
After missing the first three races of the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets season with a broken clavicle and separated shoulder suffered in an off-season game of football, rookie Ryan Fraser has received medical clearance to make his debut at the upcoming June 29 & 30 double-shot at Sauble and Varney. The 2012 Hurricane Midgets champion will receive sponsorship support from Neely Auto, Acton Optical, Flamboro Machine Shop and Finishline Paint & Restoration.
Sunset Speedway Ltd. Late Model regular Flyin’ Frank Davey (above, by Thompson Photography) has planned a busy schedule for the upcoming Canada Day long weekend. The River Drive Park, ON driver will compete at Sauble Speedway for the first time in a Late Model on Saturday night, as part of the Sunset vs. Sauble ‘Home and Home’ Series.
The sophomore will then trek to Varney Speedway on Sunday, to compete alongside Tommy Robb, Nick Roth and the rest of the Varney regulars in the speedway’s ‘Canadian Showdown’ event. Davey’s 2013 sponsors include Green Steel Roof, HWY 400 Transmission and AutoTrim of Barrie.
With the 2013 edition of the Don Biederman Memorial only days away, we’ve uploaded a previously unreleased interview with OSCAAR Super Late Model sophomore Rob Poole. ‘The Professional’ opens up about his disastrous 2012 campaign, his run of bad luck, vital changes to his program over the off-season, hopes for 2013 and how it feels to come ‘home’ when the tour visits Sunset Speedway. Check out the 1 on 1 interview here.
Follow Spencer Lewis on Twitter at @itsspencerlewis
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