After leading the majority of Friday night’s feature, Jade Franklin came up just short, finishing third for his best career feature finish.
Franklin started off the night by finishing second in his heat before drawing the pole for the 30-lap feature. Franklin put his No. 31 Nitro Industrial Sales, Destination RV, Duivenvoorden Haulage Ltd, Adco Tires and Sales Incorporated, Stefco Racing Engines, King, North River Motorsports and Discovery Dream Homes Super Stock out front on the drop of the green flag ahead of the field.
From there on, the teenager led till the first caution of the race flew with three laps to go for a single-car spin. On the restart, Matt Bentley beat the teenager, resulting in Franklin slipping back to second. The caution then flew a lap later for a wreck on the frontstretch.
The restart saw Franklin use the high side to pull out ahead of Bentley, but the caution flew for the third time for a big wreck in turn two.
Bentley would choose the top for the restart and it proved to be the right decision as he pulled out ahead and won the feature. Ryan Semple got by Franklin on the last lap to take second, resulting in a third place finish for Franklin.
“I really thought we were going to get the win tonight,” he commented post-race. “We led and that caution came out with four laps to go, and the car wasn’t great on the inside, and Bentley drove around us. Then we started second on the second restart and we were on the outside and drove around him, as the car was good on the outside. Then the caution came out and he realized I was good on the outside so he chose the outside to hold me off and it worked.”
Notably, it marks his fifth straight top-10 to start the 2016 season.
“This is a big confidence boost,” Franklin added. “I’m ready for a couple weeks to get back in the car and finish a couple spots ahead and do better than we did tonight.”
Franklin and Jaded Motorsports are supported by Nitro Industrial Sales, Destination RV, Duivenvoorden Haulage Ltd, Adco Tires and Sales Incorporated, Stefco Racing Engines, King, North River Motorsports and Discovery Dream Homes this season.
Franklin will be back in action on Saturday July 2 at Sunset Speedway. Be sure to check out http://www.sunsetspeedway.ca to see the full schedule for Franklin this year, so you can make sure to come out and watch.
Be sure to also follow Jade Franklin on instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/franklin.jade/ to keep up with him and Jaded Motorsports going all year long.
Press Release by Ashley McCubbin/AM Marketing – ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
