Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Each day of the week, the column will highlight a division from Sunset Speedway, highlighting five drive…….
Okay, this week the five things column does not fit the normal specifications. While the Five Things You Need To Know normally focuses on Sunset Speedway’s local divisions, this week’s edition will be slightly different with a glance towards some of the touring divisions. Beyond that, we’re not focusing just on five drivers. With the action that happened during the Dickies OSCAAR Outlaws Presented by London Recreational Racing season opener, this week’s outlook deserves a bigger display.
1. Victory – Kevin Cornelius and KDR Motorsports
While the Lucie Alywin Memorial 53 didn’t start out smoothly for Kevin Cornelius, it ended on a high note. He won his opening heat on Saturday afternoon, but found himself with front end damage after contact during the second heat. The KDR Motorspots would get it fixed in time for Sunday’s feature, with Cornelius slated to start the feature fifth. He would get off to a good, solid start, till contact in turn three at lap four while three-wide with Charlie Gallant and J.R. Fitzpatrick resulted in a spin. The next 10 laps, the fans in the attendance were treated to a show as Cornelius made his way through the field, cracking the top-five at lap 14, before taking the lead at lap 17. From there, it was cruise control en route to victory lane.
The success for Cornelius at Sunset Speedway is not a surprise. He won the Don Biederman Memorial last year in June, before winning the Velocity 250 last September. In each of his previous nine starts at Sunset coming into this year, he had posted a top-eight finish, with six podium finishes. Besides, he knows his way around the oval – he won the track’s limited late model championship in 2011.
He also entered the season as one of the early championship favourites after finishing second to Andrew Gresel in the point standings last year. Though, there were concerns that the KDR Motorsports team may not make all of the dates on the schedule. Those concerns are not to be had any longer, as a result of a newly formed partnership.
“Thanks to Shane Michaels for being here,” Cornelius said. “This gentleman came on board in the 11th hour to help us out and we’re here for the long run. If anybody is looking for an RV or trailer of any type, you have to go see Shane Michaels RV; they’re a top notch team there.”
2. Speed – Kelly Balson
Throughout his sophomore campaign last year, Kelly Balson got stronger as the year went on, running solidly in the top-10, with some strong top-five finishes. On Sunday at Sunset Speedway, Balson started near the front of the field, running in the top-three all race long, including some laps led behind the wheel of the No. b10 London Recreational Racing, Cochrane Automotive, Brandon’s Landscapes, Castrol Edge, Bennett Chevrolet of Cambridge and GTA Racing Design SLM. As a result, the past Peterborough Speedway Champion was able to finish the 53-lap feature in second for his best career finish, topping a third at Barrie Speedway last year.
For Balson, it marks his third Sunset Speedway top-10. It also marks the start of a wonderful partnership with a pair of new crew member – Graham Annis and Graham Flett.
“We knew coming into this weekend that we had something completely different than we did last season,” Balson told Spencer Lewis (SL Promotions) post-race. “Graham Annis and Graham Flett have worked tirelessly on this car to give us a program capable of contending. I really and truly can’t give them enough credit.
“This team made some pretty big changes to this car after qualifying last night,” continued Balson. “We were the last team out of the pit area last night – and I really can’t thank these guys enough. Between the Grahams, Ryan Kimball and Brandon Johnston they worked their absolute hearts out. Had we not made those changes, we would’ve been far worse.”
3. Podium Surprise – Todd Campbell
Coming into the weekend, a bunch of fans were set on predicting the three drivers who would finish the 53-lap feature on the podium. For the majority – perhaps 90-95 percent, Todd Campbell wasn’t a name that would’ve been missing. Campbell ran solidly up front all race long, avoiding the trouble that bit some, to complete the podium with a third place finish. For some icing on the cake, he won one of the four heat races on Saturday. For the driver who failed to post a podium finish last year and finished 15th in season-ending standings, it’s huge.
Campbell is a long standing member of the tour, and has had some success across the years. With this being the 25th season of OSCAAR competition, it’s a treat for the fans to see one of the familiar faces up front mixing it with the veterans. Given the speed that he showed, too, he could be one to keep an eye on as we head through the summer this year.
4. Bad Luck – Sean Grosman and J.R. Fitzpatrick
Sean Grosman and J.R. Fitzpatrick both entered the season with high hopes, and saw those hopes dashed during the feature.
Grosman had a real strong qualifying day, winning his first heat out of the box and finishing third in the second heat to be top-qualifier of the afternoon. He would then start eighth in the feature, working his way up to the top-five at one point. However contact with Jay Palumbo would result in an early-end to the feature virtue of a broken tie-rod. Given the fact that Grosman entered the weekend with no super late experience, there’s a lot to hold his hat high on based on the speed that the SMG Motorsports team showed. If they can keep their ducks lined in a row in the weeks moving forward, Grosman will be someone to watch.
J.R. Fitzpatrick had a strong run going during the feature, running as high as third, but was forced pit side at lap 15 as a result of a broken tie-rod. Like Grosman, Fitzpatrick showed a ton of speed and poise to perhaps challenge for a podium finish. The past NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driver will be one to keep an eye on as the series heads to Flamboro Speedway into two weeks as he’s already talked on social media about how badly he wants to bounce back.
support @OSCAARRacing and @FlamSpeedway on may 30th I'm excited togo back to this speedway..full of history in our sport..need it to live on
— J.R. Fitzpatrick (@J_R_Fitzpatrick) May 19, 2015
5. Motor Issues – Glenn Watson, Shane Gowan, Shawn Chenoweth, Derrick Tiemersma and Tyler Hawn
If there’s anything to take away from the weekend is that the first weekend would tough on motors with a total of five motors blowing across the weekend.
After running the final two events of last year and posting top-five finishes, Shawn Chenoweth was excited to get his super late model on the track. However, he would blow the motor in practice, resulting in an early end to his afternoon. Derrick Tiemersma also blew up in practice, which was a huge bummer as he was looking to make his first OSCAAR start since hitting the wall at Kawartha Speedway and destroying the No. 7 SLM early last year. Meanwhile, Shane Gowan also saw a motor let go in practice, but he was able to go home and get his back-up car, returning to finish the feature in the ninth spot.
Tyler Hawn got his weekend started, but watched it end quickly as he blew his motor in the first heat. Hawn was looking to have a solid performance following a seventh place finish in last year’s Velocity 250 in September.
Glenn Watson had a good run in qualifying, winning one of his heats. He also had a good run going in the feature – till his motor let go on the 15th lap entering turn three. It marked a real bummer as he has been successful at Sunset in the past, posting 11 top 10s in his last 14 Sunset Speedway starts, including three runner-up finishes.
It goes without saying that each of the five drivers will be looking to have a good run at Flamboro Speedway and get their seasons back on track quickly.
May 15th – Five Things You Need To Know: Signs of Innovations Mighty Minis – Phinnemore, Woyslaw, Jordan, Inglis and Allard
May 14th – Five Things You Need To Know: Graham Landscape Mini Stocks – Kamrath, McFerran, Paxton, Benedict and Adams
May 13th – Five Things You Need To Know: St. Onge Recreation Super Stocks – Zardo, Bentley, Weeda, Tooley and Morrison
May 12th – Five Things You Need To Know: Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Late Models – Goetz, Shepherd, Inglis, Baker and Walters
May 7th – Five Things You Need To Know: Graham Landscape Mini Stocks – McFerran, Townsend, Paxton, Tiemersma and Butler
May 6th – Five Things You Need To Know: St. Onge Recreation Super Stocks – Lapcevich, Zardo, Weeda, Semple and Morrison
May 5th – Five Things You Need To Know: Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Late Models – Shepherd, Stade, Gresel, Inglis and Travis Hallyburton
