NCATS: Jason Hathaway Caps off Season with Domination at Kawartha

After taking the lead at lap 48, Jason Hathaway would stretch his lead out a little, set to lead the rest of the way. Even though he ended being drawn back to the field through a competition caution at halfway and a couple other cautions to follow, he held on each time, leading all the way to the checkered flag in the Pinty’s 250 at Kawartha Speedway.

The night seemed to go smooth as silk for Hathaway, with the only concern being the brakes in the first half of the event. That was addressed under the break, though, with the team removing some of the tape off the ducts.

“We had the brakes taped up pretty good, just trying to get everything out of the car and lead as many laps as we could,” he explained. “Never had brake issues so I don’t know what the deal was there. I’m glad they came back around. Somebody is watching over us for sure.”

When everything was said and done in the points, Hathaway would fall just four points shy of his first series championship behind Scott Steckly. Steckly, who led the first 47 laps, finished second behind Hathaway in the event.

“I knew Scott was behind me and he knew where I was and I knew where he was,” Hathaway commented. “I was thinking that he’d stay behind me and ride it out if he could till he was getting pressure. I don’t know how much pressure D.J. was putting on him and the guys behind him. The boys kept telling me it was just Scott, so we were in a class of our own. That was pretty cool.”

For Hathaway, the victory at Kawartha on Saturday night marked his third win of the season. As he said in victory lane on Saturday night, you “can’t ask anything for better than that. If we don’t find a sponsor after this year, I don’t know what I got to do”.

“We came here, wanting to lead the most laps and win the race and we did that,” he added. “That’s all. I’m in control of my car and nothing else. I knew we had a good car in practice. We were eighth in practice but I told the guys not to worry about it. We had a good balance, and I was running consistent. It’s all good – we’ll take it. We’ve got a big party planned in the campground. I’ve got about 200 people here.”

It certainly doesn’t mark a bad accomplishment for the driver that had originally planned on only running the first four races of the season. The plan changed after he found himself at the top of the standings following the fourth race of the year. For the rest of the season, he ran each of the races, putting together the right partners along the way to make it all possible.

Kawartha was always on the schedule for the driver of the No. 3 HGC/Williamson/Choko Chevrolet, though, as it’s a track that he calls “a pretty special place” and hopes the series continues to race there.

“I knew that we would have to beg, steal or borrow money to get here,” he commented. “I knew we were coming here for sure. I love this place. It’s been pretty good to me. We’ve won in any class that we’ve ever been here in.”

His comments aren’t surprising as he has been successful at Kawartha over the years. He picked up a victory in a street stock at Kawartha when the track first opened and has since won the track’s premiere Late Model event – the Summer Sizzler, CASCAR Sportman Race, and now a pair of NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races.

The only question that remains now is whether Saturday night marked his last start in the series, or whether he will be back next season. The Ed Hakonson Racing driver says that it will depend on how the next couple of months go with sponsorship proposals.

“We’ve got three big corporate sponsor to pitch in the next 30 days and we’ll see from there,” he said. “I know what budgets are, and two big sponsors that we’re looking at need them in the 60 days. So we’ll know by banquet. Whether we’re coming back full-time or at all, I can’t honestly tell you right now. This might be my retirement party.”