Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
While Alex Tagliani was smiling in victory lane, the next happiest guy at Sunset Speedway this past weekend had to be Larry Jackson.
Making his pit stop at Lap 26, Jackson used a mix of strategy and keeping a solidly handling, quick No. 1 Canada’s Best Racing Team/Piloti Ford underneath him, he was able to keep himself up front in the top-five from Lap 127 on, making up bits of ground at a time, en route to a third place finish. For Jackson, it marks a best career finish in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.
“Third place run for Larry Jackson at this track is a win,” he told OnPitRoad.com. “To finally be in a car that turns and runs well and have my family and old friends and crew here – it’s awesome.”
With having to manage tire fall off being one of the keys, the Canada’s Best Racing Team driver said the race fell into his wheel house as he’s a long distance racer.
“I run tour modifieds in the states where you can burn the rear tires off the car in three or four years – I raced those things for nine years in the states and all you do is pedal, pedal, pedal,” he commented. “Running half throttle for most of the race here and I have my old tour modified spotter on the radio with me and I wasn’t able to pass a car till the final 20 laps. That’s when he said it’s time to go. Even with 40 to go, he’s like pedal pedal pedal, let them go; they’ll come to you.
“We had a decent car – it could be better. Got way too tight at the end, but it’s pretty awesome. Third place, this series – amazing.”
The amount of races Jackson gets to run this year with CBRT has yet to be officially announced, and uncertainty for the future was shared post-race.
“I thought in victory lane we may make a deal on something, but we have not made a deal yet,” he said on Saturday. “We’re going to try and hash something out tonight as it’s next Friday and my car is a road course car so it’s no good for ovals. I’m hoping….”
It is worth noting Jackson is on the entry list for this Friday night’s race at Autodrome Chaudiere.
