Stroud, ON (June 6, 2017)- After a rough start to the season, Paul Maltese and team are getting things back on track with a pair of top-six feature finishes on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway.
Maltese started off the night by time trialing in at 15.150 seconds to set him up to start 10th for the first 35-lap feature. He began to immediately make his way forward, moving up to eighth by the first caution at Lap 9. He continued moving forward, running sixth as of Lap 14. He’d use the restart to pass Mike Bentley to break into the top-five. Unfortunately, he’d fall back outside of the top-five following another restart with 15 laps to go after being passed by Chris Morrow.
The cautions continued flying, but Maltese remained up front as he battled side-by-side with Mike Bentley for sixth till another caution with seven laps to go. He’d get a good final restart, taking the sixth spot and holding off all challengers en route to the checkered flag.
The invert worked in Maltese’s favor for the second feature as he’d start pole for the event. He’d battle side-by-side with Bentley for the lead over the first three laps, before falling in line in second. He’d run second till the first caution flew at Lap 9. The next two restarts would both be deemed as jumps by Bentley, resulting in him being sent to the rear of the field and handing Maltese the lead.
Restarting as the race leader, he’d battle side-by-side with Chris Morrow for the top spot till Lap 11, when Morrow would clear him. He’d battle once again for the lead on an ensuing restart at halfway, though once again fell back in line in second. He would fall back to fourth at Lap 23 after being passed by both Rick Spencer-Walt and Nick Goetz.
He’d hold off the rest of the challengers en route to crossing the finish line in fourth for his best finish thus far during the season.
With a pair of top-six finishes on Saturday night, Maltese currently sits 12th in points, just one marker outside of the top-10.
Maltese Motorsports will hope to keep their success rolling when the Late Models are back in action at Sunset Speedway on June 17.
Maltese and team are proud to be supported by Presto Appliance Repair, Delmeade Construction, Paragon Office Installations, Leitch Performance . Blue Sky Contracting and Landscape, Ontario Steel Sales, Essies Poultry Farms, Auto Trim Design, and OAS.
Be sure to keep up with Maltese Motorsports all year by joining the team’s facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/111504045528057/.
By: Ashley McCubbin/AM Marketing – ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
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