Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin/OnPitRoad.com
Entering the 2014 season, Cayden Lapcevich had yet to reach feature victory lane at Sunset Speedway. He had come so close so many times in so many different ways. From being passed with two laps to go, to being passed with a lap to go, to getting caught up with the lap traffic to losing at the line, the young high school student knew how painful defeat could be.
That “should’ve , could’ve, would’ve winner” turned into a “race winner” at the conclusion of the first event, scoring the victory in the season opening Spring Derby 50. While it marked the first victory of Lapcevich’s career, it also put the whole division on notice that the kid wasn’t here to play games this year, but contend for wins and championship.
The victory set in motion a stellar season as Lapcevich was able to claim three more victories and continue to post solid finishes, except for a wreck on the last lap in July, to place himself only one point behind two-time track champion Randy Rusnell entering the final event. The math was simple – beat Rusnell on track, win the championship.
Entering the feature, there were those that doubted whether it could happen as Rusnell pulled second for the invert while Lapcevich was forced to start 14th on the field due to winning the last feature at the track on August 30th. Those who doubted the young man for a second were quickly surprised, though, as Lapcevich began to carve is way through the field right from the drop of the green flag. With no cautions to help him, he was able to drive his way up to second, erase the straightaway lead that Rusnell had on the field and make the pass with 10 laps to go.
From there on, Lapcevich led the final 10 laps to score his fifth victory of the season and the championship.
“This might have been the best car I’ve ever driven,” Lapcevich commented in his post-race interview with track announcer Spencer Lewis. “I’m at a loss for words right now. I can’t believe how good this car was tonight. We knew we were going to have our work cut out for us heading into the feature, and Randy [Rusnell] certainly didn’t make it easy. It was an awesome race.”
Standing in victory lane surrounded by family, Lapcevich was quick to thank his parents for their support.
“”I can’t possibly thank my Mom and Dad and the rest of the team for the year we’ve had,” he said. “Five feature wins, against this level of competition, is amazing. We came into this season just hoping to improve on our results from 2013. I could never have imagined putting together a year like this.”
With his championship, Lapcevich becomes the track’s youngest ever Super Stock Champion at Sunset Speedway. Though beyond simply being the champion, it also displays a ton of growth. Three years ago when Lapcevich made his debut, he showed the raw talent, but needed some polish and knowledge to know what it took to make it work for the full 30 laps in the feature. Three years later with multiple laps under his belt and lessons learned, that raw talent is there, but the added polish and knowledge has made him into a true racer that can’t be counted out of any event.
The future is also bright, too, for the young kid as his father Jeff Lapcevich hinted earlier this year at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park that Cayden may make some NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts next year.
About the Author
RT @OnPitRoad_: 2014 @Sunset_Speedway Super Stock Champion: Cayden Lapcevich by @ladybug388 http://t.co/NUOL36SsDy @CaydenLapcevich