BRIGHTON, Ontario — Utilizing experience from the past couple of years, Steve Book dominated the OSCAAR Hot Rod annual trip to play in the dirt at Brighton Speedway.
Jesse Kennedy won the first heat race ahead of Steve Book, Nick Clarke, Amanda Balson, Bill Clarke, Sean Walker, and Gary Hannah.
The second heat featured some contact, with Paul Senior, and getting into Steve Adams and Norm Mayhew down the backstretch before going around. Steve Mayhew also got to experience a trip over the turn three and four bank after brief contact with Brandon Crumbie. That would not be the end of it, as Mayhew would give Senior a tap for a spin off of turn four.
Tyler Hawn stayed ahead of the chaos to win ahead of Crumbie, Ryan Cowan, Mayhew, Kyle Fetterly, Adams, and Senior.
Come feature time, Nick Clarke started pole ahead of Ryan Cowan, Steve Mayhew, Jeremy McLean, Amanda Balson, Steve Book, Tyler Hawn, Jesse Kennedy, Bill Clarke, Sean Walker, Steve Adams, Gary Hannah, Kyle Fetterly, and Adam Tyo.
Clarke would jump out to the early lead ahead of Cowan and Crumbie, with Book making his way by Crumbie for third on Lap 2. However, the caution would also fly as a result of Hawn doing a full circle around Balson in turn four. With 18 laps to go, Nick Clarke led Cowan, Book, Crumbie, Balson, Kennedy, Mayhew, Fetterly, Bill Clarke, Gary Hannah, Hawn, Walker, and Adams.
Crumbie would get a good restart, taking over the lead ahead of Nick Clarke and Book. Clarke’s early run at the front would come to an end on the third lap, though, as he’d get on the gas a little hard for a spin off of turn four. This would move Book up to second ahead of Cowan, Kennedy, Bill Clarke, Balson, Mayhew, Hawn, Fetterly, Adams, Nick Clarke, Hannah, and Walker.
The restart would see a battle for the lead between Crumbie and Book ahead of Cowan. Book snagged the top spot on Lap 5 ahead of Crumbie, with Kennedy moving into third. Hawn would take over fourth a lap later, bumping Cowan back to fifth ahead of Bill Clarke. It’d be a father-son battle for sixth on Lap 7, with Nick Clarke getting the spot ahead of his dad Bill a lap later. Unfortunately, Balson headed to the pits on the same lap with right side damage.
Fetterly would find himself eighth after winning the last series event ahead of Walker, Adams, Hannah, and Mayhew. Hannah and Mayhew began to make up a little ground, both getting by Adams on Lap 11.
At the front of the field, Steve Book continued to stretch out his advantage, crossing the finish line with a straightaway lead ahead of Brandon Crumbie, Jesse Kennedy, Tyler Hawn, and Ryan Cowan. Nick Clarke finished sixth, followed by Bill Clarke, Kyle Fetterly, Sean Walker, Gary Hannah, and Steve Mayhew. Steve Adams placed 11th, followed by Amanda Balson, Adam Tyo, and Paul Senior.
As a result, Jesse Kennedy leads the series standings by five points over Tyler Hawn and Steve Book.
The OSCAAR Hot Rods are back in action on Saturday, August 21 at Sauble Speedway. They will be joined by the OSCAAR Modifieds and the APC Auto Parts United Late Model Series of Ontario.
Race Report by Ashley McCubbin
