Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
After starting off the season on a sour note last weekend, Nick Goetz bounced back in style as he scored the victory in the first Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Limited Late Model feature of the evening.
Goetz kicked off the evening on a high note, scoring the pole with a lap of 14.700 seconds during time trials behind the wheel of his No. 24 Lake Huron Rod & Gun, Mondo Car Wash, Boston Pizza, Super 8 Motel, Lord Elgin Fish & Chips, Rosner’s Service Centre, Roberto’s Pizzeria, Great Lakes Concrete, Austin Graphics and ImageWraps.ca Late Model. Taylor Holdaway, who scored the pole last Saturday, would qualify second at 14.720 seconds. Rick Walt was third (14.844), followed by Tom Walters (14.998) and Gord Shepherd (14.884).
Come feature time, Nick Goetz would start first ahead of Taylor Holdaway, Rick Walt, Tom Walters, Gord Shepherd, Travis Hallyburton, Jason Hathaway, Jason Witty, Billy Zardo, Scott Wylie, Paul Maltese, Chris Morrow, Mat Box, Dwayne Baker, Jordan Latimer, Al Inglis, Thayne Hallyburton, Dave Bartlett, Ian Bourque, A.J. Emms, Brittney Gresel, Frank Davey, Andre Pepin, Marcus Keeler, Kyle Passer, Ernie Fumerton, Mike Wilkinson and Rick Terry.
The feature started off with Goetz and Holdaway’s No. 41 Holdaway Automotive, Kleen-flo, Sunshine Express, ImageFactor.ca, kartStart, Castro, OntarioOval.com and WIX Filters Late Model side-by-side for the lead while Walt and Walters ran side-by-side for third. The field would continue to run side-by-side throughout till the first caution at lap four for Passer and Keeler going around. With 31 laps to go, Goetz led Holdaway, Walt, Walters, Shepherd, Hathaway, Travis Hallyburton, Witty, Zardo, Wylie, Maltese, Morrow, Baker, Box, Inglis, Latimer, Bartlett, Thayne Hallyburton, Bourque, Davey and Emms.
Holdaway would get a good restart to grab the advantage ahead of Goetz, Walt and Walters while Shepherd and Hathaway battled for fourth. Goetz wasn’t set to let Holdaway get out of his grasp, though, getting back alongside him for the lead at lap six. Goetz would then take the advantage back at lap seven ahead of Holdaway, Walt and Hathaway as Shepherd and Travis Hallyburton battled for fifth. Shepherd would get the spot, leaving Hallyburton to battle with Walters for sixth. Their battle would continue for a good chunk of the feature, with Walters holding the advantage at lap 16 for the sixth spot. Hallyburton would hold down seventh ahead of Baker, Zardo and Witty. Hallyburton wasn’t willing to back down, though, getting back alongside Walters for the spot.
At the front of the field, Walt had managed to track down Holdaway for the second spot, getting alongside and managed to clear him just before the caution flew for Rick Terry going around. As a result of Sunset Speedway rules going back a lap when the caution is thrown, Holdaway would get the second spot back. With seven laps to go, Goetz led Holdaway, Walt, Hathaway, Shepherd, Walters, Travis Hallyburton, Baker, Zardo, Inglis, Witty, Thayne Hallyburton, Morrow, Bartlett, Maltese, Box, Bourque, Wylie, Latimer, Davey, Fumerton and Keeler. Wilkinson ran as the first car a lap down, ahead of Emms, Gresel and Terry.
Holdaway would get another good restart, retaking the lead back as Goetz battled Hathaway for second. Goetz would clear him for the spot, before getting alongside Holdaway for the lead. The pair would continue to run side-by-side for the lead, while Hathaway and Walt ran side-by-side for third.
With two laps to go, Nick Goetz would clear Holdaway for the lead, and held on to lead the final two laps en route to his first Sunset Speedway feature victory. Rick Walt would get by Taylor Holdaway to finish second for his first top-five of the season, with Jason Hathaway finishing third. Taylor Holdaway and Dwayne Baker rounded out the top-five.
Thayne Hallyburton finished sixth, followed by Gord Shepherd, Travis Hallyburton, Al Inglis, Dave Bartlett, Billy Zardo, Jason Witty, Chris Morrow, Mat Box, Jordan Latimer, Paul Maltese, Scott Wylie, Ernie Fumerton, Frank Davey, Kyle Passer, Marcus Keeler. Tom Walters would cross the finish line in the last spot on the lead lap as a result of going for a spin in turn four on the last lap following contact. Mike Wilkinson finished as the first car a lap down, followed by A.J. Emms and Rick Terry.
