SAULT STE. MARIE, ON- ‘The Natural’ Dustin Jackson made the near seven hour trip from his team’s shop in Sault Ste. Marie to Sunset Speedway worthwhile in last weekend’s Velocity 250. The event served as Round 12 of the 2015 OSCAAR Modified Tour, and saw Jackson earn a runner-up finish in just his second OSCAAR-sanctioned appearance this season.
“That was, without question, the best this car has ever felt,” says Jackson in reference to his Sunset Speedway performance. “I can’t thank my Dad and our team enough. It just seems like, all year long, they never stop working to make us better. It doesn’t matter if we finish in the top-5 or miss the setup completely, this team is in the shop the next day working. I could never ask for better people to be surrounded by”
Jackson has focused the bulk of his efforts this season following the Midwestern-based ICAR Top Speed Modified Tour, and returned to Sunset with a wealth of experience earned after a summer of competing against some of the top ranked Open Wheel Modified competitors in North America.
“Running with the [ICAR Top Speedway Modified Tour] this Summer has been far from easy, but it’s been a huge learning experience,” explains the 15-Year Old. “Those teams are so hard to beat, but even when you’re running behind them, you’re still learning. I haven’t made a single start this season that hasn’t taught me something that I didn’t know before. Running with the best of the best is the only way to get better. We knew that coming into this season”
“Then again, racing with Gary [McLean] is no different,” continues Jackson. “In a Modified, he’s as good as anyone I’ve ever raced against. Seeing some of the things he’s able to do behind the wheel is incredible. He’s every bit as good as Brian Nester or Travis Eddy or any of the other elite-level guys we race against in the Midwest. There’s no shame whatsoever in finishing second to him”
The family-owned team has expressed interest in formulating a Super Late Model program in 2016, but Jackson insists his 2015 season is far from over
“We’re looking at the chance of moving to a different division next season, but we still have some Modified racing this year,” explains the high-school student. “We’re hoping to make a few more starts before we shut it down for the season, and it would mean everything to us if we could get a win. Our cars have been really strong through the second half of the year, and if we keep improving the way we have the last few months, I think it’ll be tough for these guys to keep us in their rearview.”
Marketing support for Dustin’s 2015 season is provided by Wardlaw Heating & Cooling, Frankie’s Towing, Union Limousine, Milne Transport, Project Track Champion, Winchester Arms and SL Promotions.
Fans can keep up with the action by checking in with the team on Facebook at Dustin Jackson Racing.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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