Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
This weekend, the OSCAAR Modifieds will take the 1/4 mile bowl-shaped oval known as Full Throttle Motor Speedway for the first of two trips there.
If any driver wants a chance to reach victory lane, they’re going to beat four-time OSCAAR Champion Gary McLean as he leads the crop of drivers into this event. He’s proven that he can get around FTMS easily, posting a top-four finish in his previous four starts, including two wins. If you needed anymore reasons to believe that McLean was the favourite going into this weekend, he enters this weekend with momentum following a third place finish at Delaware Speedway.
Looking at drivers with experience, Gary Elliott is another driver to consider as he posted a top-five finish in each of the races last season. He also rolls into this weekend looking to get his season back on track following a mechanical issue at Delaware Speedway.
David Balych has started off his modified career with success, with some of that success coming at FTMS as he scored a heat victory there last season. Unfortunately, the features didn’t go as he planned with a pair of finishes outside of the top-10. He could use a good run after finishing 12th last weekend at Delaware.
Dan Price hasn’t started off his sophomore season with much success, failing to finish at Delaware Speedway. He has had success at FTMS, though, finishing sixth last spring.
Brian McLean is hoping to pick up his first victory of the season after posting a pair of podiums in his last three FTMS starts. He could use a good run after failing to finish at Delaware Speedway.
A.J. Emms enters this weekend leading the points standings following a second at Flamboro and a fourth at Delaware Speedway. He had success last year at FTMS, posting a pair of top-five finishes.
Ryan Dick has improved with each start at FTMS, finishing ninth in 2013, followed by a seventh place finish last year. He made his first start of the season last weekend at Delaware, finishing ninth.
Cory Horner is having a solid start to his sophomore season, posting a top-eight finish in the first two races this season. He was strong last fall at FTMS, posting a runner-up finish.
John Harper is hoping for a solid run this weekend after a rough start to his season with a pair of finishes outside of the top-10. Notably, FTMS didn’t treat him well last year with a 13th place finish.
Luke Gignac hopes to keep his early season momentum going after posting a pair of top-eight finishes in his first two career OSCAAR starts.
Rob Divenanzo hopes to have a strong run in his first FTMS Modified start after failing to finish at Delaware.
Rick Schurr entered the year looking to have some fun and unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to start the year off strongly as he hoped. Look for the veteran to try and turn things around this weekend.
Dean Scott unfortunately ran into issues at Flamboro that resulted in a last-place finish. If he was able to make the necessary repairs to his No. 19 Modified, he could be in attendance this weekend, searching for his first FTMS top-10 finish.
Monty Kelly made his first start of the year at Delaware, posting a solid sixth place finish. He did well last year at FTMS, posting a ninth place finish last September.
Following the first three races of the season, Emms currently leads the standings, six points ahead of Gary McLean. Gignac is third, followed by Horner and Balych.
Horner currently leads the Race Time Radio – Sirius XM 167 Hard Charger Award standings, six points ahead of Balych. Kelly is third, followed by Schurr and Duane Cinnamon. The Hard Charger standings is determined by how many positions a driver gains during the course of a feature from their starting spot. Throughout the year, each driver gains a point per position gained towards the year-end award – like a ‘race within a race’. At the end of the season, the win will receive prizes courtesy of RTR and SiriusXM at the banquet.
Beyond those mentioned here, there are other drivers that may show their face on Saturday night so be sure to be in attendance to see these cars in action. Details about the event can be found at http://www.oscaar.ca or http://www.fullthrottlemotorspeedway.com.
