Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Since mid-June, Sunset Speedway’s Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Limited Late Model division has seen domination by one driver in particular – Taylor Holdaway. ‘Hollywood’ put the perfect cap on the season, winning the 75-lap feature en route to taking home the championship.
The night started off with time trials, which saw last week’s feature winner Travis Hallyburton time in quickest with a lap of 14.513 second behind the wheel of his No. 39 Hillsdale Service Center/H.S.C Powersports/Knightworks Designs Late Model. Taylor Holdaway was second quickest (14.559), followed by Jason Witty (14.757), Gord Shepherd (14.762), Thayne Hallyburton (14.831), Chris Morrow (14.846), Billy Zardo (14.893), Scott Wylie (14.916), Dwayne Baker (14.937) and Nick Goetz (14.952).
Come feature time, Travis Hallyburton would start pole ahead of Jason Witty, Gord Shepherd, Thayne Hallyburton, Chris Morrow, Billy Zardo, Scott Wylie, Dwayne Baker, Nick Goetz, Taylor Holdaway, Tom Walters, Darryl St. Onge, Al Inglis and Ian Bourque.
On the drop of the green flag, Jason Witty would grab the lead behind the wheel of the No. 19 R&W Equipment, Queensville Sod, Carrot Express, Matco Tools, Speedy Auto Machine and LaRues Haulage Late Model in his final career start. Travis Hallyburton would slip into second ahead of Shepherd as Thayne Hallyburton and Morrow battled for fourth. Shepherd would then get alongside Travis for second, making the pass on lap four.
Behind them, Morrow would grab the fourth spot on lap seven, with Holdaway moving into fifth at lap eight as Thayne Hallyburton and Zardo battled for sixth. Thayne would grab the spot on lap 10 ahead of Zardo, as Baker, Goetz and Wylie completed the top-10.
At the front of the field, Shepherd would catch Witty for the lead, getting alongside him at lap 11. He would then put the No. 10 Progressive Waste Solutions, PuzzlePartner, Montana’s Cookhouse, Krueger Electrical Services, Fox’s Bakery & Deli, Shelswell Racing, Desjardins, Shepherd Family Trucking, Hwy 400 Transmission, Castrol, Cowden-Woods Design Builders Ltd., and Classic Towing & Storage Late Model out front on lap 14 ahead of Witty and Travis Hallyburton.
Morrow would keep Holdaway behind him for the time being for the fourth spot while Thayne Hallyburton ran sixth ahead of Zardo, Goetz, Baker, Wylie and Walters. Holdaway would get be able to get by Morrow, though, taking the fourth spot on lap 19. Behind Walters, Inglis ran 11th ahead of Bourque and St. Onge. The caution would then fly on lap 22 as St. Onge would spin in turn two. Under caution, both Walt and Baker headed down pit road.
Shepherd would get a good restart to maintain the lead, while Witty and Travis Hallyburton battled for second. They’d battle all the way till the second yellow flag at lap 26 for Goetz and Bourque spinning in turn three. Both Wylie and Walters would be deemed as involved cars and sent to the back for the restart. With 74 laps to go, Shepherd led Witty, Travis Hallyburton, Holdaway, Thayne Hallyburton, Morrow, Zardo, Inglis, Bourque and Latimer.
The restart brought forth a battle for the lead, with Shepherd able to hold the advantage. Travis Hallyburton would then get alongside Witty for second, taking the spot at lap 27. Holdaway continued his climb, getting alongside Witty for third at lap 29. Holdaway would get the spot on lap 31 ahead of Witty, Thayne Hallyburton, Morrow, Inglis, Bourque, Zardo and Keeler. Deep in the field at lap 34, Gresel would get into Davey, but Davey was able to keep it straight without caution.
Thayne Hallyburton would then get alongside Witty for fourth, and the pair remained side-by-side till the third caution flew at lap 38 for St. Onge spinning on the backstretch. Under yellow, Goetz, Maltese, Walt, Bartlett, Wilkinson and St. Onge all headed down pit road. With 37 laps to go, Shepherd led Travis Hallyburton, Holdaway, Thayne, Witty, Morrow, Inglis, Bourque, Zardo, Keeler, Latimer, Baker, Walters, Fumerton, Wylie, Davey and Goetz.
The restart would see a battle for the lead between Shepherd and Travis Hallyburton as Holdaway ran third ahead of Thayne Hallyburton, Morrow, Witty, Bourque, Inglis, Zardo, Keeler, Baker and Walters with Goetz alongside Latimer for 13th. Walters would then get alongside Baker for 11th as the leaders continued to battle for the lead.
The fourth caution would then fly at lap 47, though, for Maltese spinning in turn two. Under caution, Walt, Wilkinson and Bartlett headed down pit road, while St. Onge pulled into the infield done for the night.
The restart would see Shepherd and Travis Hallyburton resume their battle for the lead, with Travis grabbing the advantage at lap 48 ahead of Shepherd, Holdaway and Thayne Hallyburton. Behind them, Witty and Morrow ran side-by-side for fifth, with Witty getting the spot at lap 53. Morrow would run sixth ahead of Inglis, Bourque and Keeler as Zardo and Walters battled for 10th. Zardo would be able to hold off Walters for the spot, with Goetz running 12th ahead of Baker and Fumerton as Wylie and Latimer battled for 15th. Wylie would hold serve, grabbing the spot at lap 57 ahead of Latimer, Gresel and Davey.
Zardo would then get alongside Keeler for ninth, but the caution would then fly for Latimer blowing the motor down the backstretch on lap 64. Shepherd, who was still running second, would get into the oil, sliding up into the wall and causing right front end damage to his car. With 11 laps to go, Travis Hallyburton led Holdaway, Thayne Hallyburton, Witty, Inglis, Bourque and Zardo.
The restart brought forth problems for Inglis as he’d get sideways, either by getting loose when hitting the throttle or virtue of contact, siding sideways in front of the field. Goetz, Fumerton, Keeler, and Wilkinson would get collected in the mess. Inglis would be done for the event with a broken radiator.
The second attempt went smoother with Holdaway getting the lead behind the wheel of his No. 41 Holdaway Automotive, Imagefactor.ca Motorsports Design and Photography, Wix Filters, Castrol Canada, Kart Start presented by Toyota, Sunshine Super Wash, and Stefko Racing Engines Late Model.
Travis Hallyburton would now run second ahead of Witty. Thayne Hallyburton would then pass Witty for third with eight laps to go, with Morrow getting alongside Witty for fourth. The pair would continue to battle side-by-side till three laps to go, when Witty was able to get the spot ahead of Morrow.
At the front of the field, it was all Taylor Holdaway as he led the rest of the way en route to scoring the victory ahead of Travis Hallyburton, Thayne Hallyburton, Chris Morrow, Ian Bourque, Tom Walters, Billy Zardo, Marcus Keeler, Scott Wylie, Nick Goetz, Gord Shepherd, Dwayne Baker, Ernie Fumerton, Frank Davey, Britney Gresel, Mike Wilkinson and Paul Maltese.
