QUEENSVILLE, ON- With top-10 finishes in 17 of his 20 starts so far this season, Sunset Speedway Late Model heavyweight Jason ‘Bam Bam’ Witty is currently on pace to break the top-10 in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championship standings. A strong run in Sunset’s twin 35-lap contests on September 5th could very well push Witty into the upper echelon of North America’s elite short track competitors.
“I think it’s an honour just to be in the conversation with the rest of the guys at the top of these standings,” says the oft-humble standout. “These are the absolute best short track racers in North America. So to be included alongside them, wether we’re top-10 or not, means we’re in pretty good company”
After a pair of uncharacteristically ‘off’ performances to start his 2015 effort, Witty has regrouped and become one of the most consistent members of Sunset Speedway’s incredibly talented headline division.
“We’ve been really good through the second half of the year,” says Witty. “It was no secret that we weren’t happy with our program right out of the gate, but we revamped a couple things and this car really came to life. A lot of it had to do with reverting back to a setup that worked really well for us last season. Once we did that – this car absolutely took off. It’s been a blast to drive it this season”
With two wins already to his credit this season, Witty is quick to praise the talent level of the racers he competes against each Saturday.
“The whole division has taken things to an entirely different level this year,” explains the perennial contender. “You walk up and down the pits and it’s tough not to find a team on this roster that can’t give you a run for your money. Everyone has been working so hard on their stuff and I think that’s translated to a better on-track product than we’ve ever had here before. In my opinion, this is the best weekly division anywhere. The level of competition that you can find here on any given Saturday is unparalleled”
With only two NWAAS event remaining on the Sunset Speedway schedule, each position will carry some added significance for Witty as he – somewhat unknowingly – works his way through the national standings.
“I’m not really sure how the NASCAR [Whelen All-American Series] points work, to be honest,” admits Witty with a laugh. “We’ve never paid much attention to points racing – I just focus on getting every little bit out of our car. What I’m sure of is that taking down some wins in the next couple weeks would help our cause. We’ve been fast – just not fast enough. But, the boys keep putting in the hours, and they keep researching and they keep working. We’re going to hit on something that will get this car to victory lane, again”
“As much effort as this team is putting in at the shop, I just want to return the favour on track,” adds the second-generation racer. “In this division, no one is going to hand you anything out there. You gotta work for it. You gotta grind it out. You gotta do whatever you can to get your car to respond better than the guy running next to you. I’d put this team up against anyone. These guys are top notch – and I’m hoping to come out Saturday and give them something to be proud of.”
For information on Sunset Speedway’s twin 35-lap Late Model event this Saturday, September 5th, visit www.SunsetSpeedway.ca.
Jason Witty’s Sunset Speedway season is made possible thanks to the continued support of R&W Equipment, Queensville Sod, Carrot Express, Matco Tools, Speedy Auto Machine and LaRues Haulage.
Fans can keep up with ‘Bam Bam’ and the rest of the team by visiting the brand new Jason Witty Racing page on Facebook.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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