ST: Gord Shepherd Scores First Late Model Victory of Season at Sunset Speedway

If there were any worries about how Gord Shepherd would transition from Barrie Speedway to Sunset Speedway, those worries were put out of the window on opening night as Shepherd would win the first Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Limited Late Model feature of the season.

The night would start off with time trials to set the field, with the top 28 automatically advancing to the main event as the rest would miss the show. Canadian Limited Late Model Championship 125 winner Taylor Holdaway setting quick time at 14.762 seconds. Shepherd was second quickest, followed by Nick Goetz, Chris Morrow and Larry Jackson; Jackson was driving the No. 55 in memory of Bruce Rankin.

When the feature started, the action kicked off right away as Nick Goetz would get into Chris Morrow a little in turn three, causing Morrow to go around for the spin.

Taylor Holdaway would grab the advantage on the restart behind the wheel of his No. 41 Holdaway Automotive, Kleen-flo, Sunshine Express, ImageFactor.ca, kartStart, Castro, OntarioOval.com and WIX Filters Late Model to take the early lead ahead of Gord Shepherd, Travis Hallyburton, Larry Jackson and Jason Hathaway. Hathaway would begin his charge to the front, taking the fourth spot from Jackson at lap three. Jackson would then fall back to sixth on lap seven, after being passed by Jason Witty.

The second caution of the event would then fly at lap eight, with Goetz going for a spin in turn three. With 27 laps to go, Holdaway led Shepherd, Travis Hallyburton, Hathaway, Witty, Jackson, Tom Walters, Thayne Hallyburton, Rick Walt, Dwayne Baker, Scott Wylie, Josh Stade, Paul Maltese, Billy Zardo, Al Inglis, Andre Pepin, Jordan Latimer, Dave Bartlett, Mat Box, Ian Bourque, Brittney Gresel, Ernie Fumerton, Frank Davey, Chris Morrow, A.J. Emms, Mike Wilkinson and Nick Goetz.

Holdaway would get a good restart to retain the advantage ahead of Shepherd while Travis Hallyburton and Hathaway battled for third. The pair would continue to battle as Shepherd was able to get alongside Holdaway for the lead at lap 10. The battles side-by-side would continue all the way till the third caution flew at lap 16 for Maltese, Box and Gresel going around on the frontstretch. With nine laps to go, Holdaway led Shepherd, Travis Hallyburton, Jackson, Witty, Walters, Jackson, Walt, Thayne Hallyburton, Baker, Stade, Wylie , Zardo, Inglis, Bourque, Pepin, Morrow, Latimer, Goetz, Davey, Gresel, Keeler, Emms, Wilkinson and Box.

The first attempt at a restart would see a jump by Shepherd. The second attempt, though, would run clean with Holdaway getting the advantage ahead of Shepherd as Latimer brought his car down pit road mechanical issues. The top six would stay in their respective spots with Walt being the first driver to make a move, grabbing the seventh spot from Jackson. The cautions wouldn’t be done with, though, as the fourth caution flew at lap 25 for Keeler going around.

Holdaway got another good restart to keep the lead ahead of Shepherd, but Shepherd was able to get alongside Holdaway for the lead a couple laps later. They once again battled side-by-side till the fifth caution flew for Walt spinning in turn three as a result of something breaking in the rear-end. Morrow would go to miss him, but would make slight contact with the outside wall. With five to go, Holdaway led Shepherd, Hathaway, Travis Hallyburton, Witty, Walters, Baker, Wylie, Thayne Hallyburton, Jackson, Zardo, Stade, Inglis, Box, Goetz, Bourque, Fumerton, Pepin, Keeler, Davey, Wilkinson and Emms.

The first attempt at a restart brought forth another caution as Thayne Hallyburton would go around, with Fumerton and Emms spinning behind him.

The second attempt at a restart was cleaner, but resulted in problems for Holdaway as he wouldn’t go, falling back through the field as he fought clutch problems. Shepherd would grab the lead behind the wheel of his No. 10 Progressive Waste Solutions, Krueger Electric, Puzzle Partner and Shelswell Racing Late Model ahead of Hathaway, Travis Hallyburton and Witty while Walters and Wylie battled for fifth. Wylie would grab the spot with two to go, breaking into the top-10.

At the front, though, it was all Gord Shepherd as he would grab the victory ahead of Jason Hathaway, Travis Hallyburton, Jason Witty, Scott Wylie, Tom Walters, Dwayne Baker, Billy Zardo, Nick Goetz, Allan Inglis, Larry Jackson, Josh Stade, Mat Box, Ernie Fumerton, Taylor Holdaway, Ian Bourque, Andre Pepin, Marcus Keeler, Mike Wilkinson, Frank Davey and A.J. Emms.