Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
There may have been some contact along the way, but it was Jeff Hanley whom picked up the feature victory on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway for the Avenue Auto Parts Super Late Models.
Following time trials, it’d be Dave Doucette starting pole ahead of Dustin Jackson, Roy Passer, Jeff Hanley, Glenn Watson, Brandon Watson, J.R. Fitzpatrick ad Dwayne Baker.
The caution flew right on the first lap as Dustin Jackson went around for the spin.
The restart saw Roy Passer jump out front as Doucette and Glenn Watson battled for second. Watson got the spot on Lap 2, with Hanley following him through a lap later for third. Fitzpatrick then moved up to fourth on Lap 4 ahead of Brandon Watson and Balson.
The caution then flew, though, as Glenn Watson stopped in turn two with a rear-end problem. With 71 laps to go, Passer led Hanley, Fitzpatrick, Brandon Watson, Balson, Doucette, Baker, Daniel Bois, John Cadman, Don Varcor, Gary Passer and Ian Bourque.
The first attempt at a restart saw the third caution as Gary Passer went around in turn four.
The second attempt saw Passer jump back out front, leaving Hanley and Fitzpatrick to battle for second. Going into turn three, Hanley cut down across Fitzpatrick’s nose when he wasn’t clear, resulting in contact that sent Hanley sliding up the track. Hanley was able to save it, with Fitzpatrick getting back alongside him for the spot. Going into turn one, Hanley came down on Fitzpatrick, pushing him slightly off the racing surface, resulting in Fitzpatrick losing momentum as he hit the grass breaking the transmission shifter.
As a result of the battle, it’d be Hanley running second on Lap 8 ahead of Brandon Watson and Doucette as Bois battled Balson for fifth. Bois go the spot, getting alongside Doucette for fourth at Lap 11. The caution then flew as both Fitzpatrick and Dario Capirchio ran into issues, causing them both to slow.
The restart saw a battle for the lead between Hanley and Roy Passer, with Hanley taking the top spot on Lap 15 ahead of Passer, Watson, Bois and Baker as Balson battled Doucette for sixth. Balson got the spot on Lap 16, with Varcor attempting to follow him through. Varcor was unable to do so, allowing Kerry Micks to get alongside him for eighth. Micks took the eighth spot on Lap 20 ahead of Varcor, Cadman, Jackson, Bourque, Campbell and Capirchio. Jackson then got alongside Cadman for 10th at Lap 22.
At the 1/3 way mark of the race, Hanley continued to lead ahead of Roy Passer, Watson, Baker, Bois, Balson, Doucette, Micks, Jackson, Cadman, Campbell, Bourque and Shepherd. Through the 1/3 portion of the race, though, contenders began to fall out with Fitzpatrick parking his car due to issues, and pit stops for Gary Passer and Varcor. Campbell then pulled off on Lap 38 with an issue.
The field continued to string out further, but there was still battles for position as Brandon Watson got by Passer for the runner-up spot at Lap 41 as Jackson returned back on track following a green-flag pit stop. The caution then flew a lap later as Doucette spun in turn two. With 34 laps to go, Hanley led Watson, Passer, Baker, Bois, Balson, Micks, Cadman, Shepherd, Bourque and Capirchio.
Hanley got a good restart to maintain the lead ahead of Watson, as Baker got by Passer to move up to third. Balson then followed through for fourth on Lap 45, bumping Passer back to fifth as Bois and Micks battled for sixth. Micks got the spot on Lap 46 ahead of Bois, Cadman, Doucette, Shepherd, Bourque and Capirchio. Passer continued to fall back, as Micks passed him for fifth at Lap 50, with Bois and Cadman following him through.
Jeff Hanley picked up the win ahead of Brandon Watson, Dwayne Baker, Kelly Balson, Kerry Micks, Daniel Bois, John Cadman, Roy Passer, Dave Doucette, Gord Shepherd, Ian Bourque, Dario Capirchio, Dustin Jackson, Todd Campbell, Gary Passer, Don Varcor, J.R. Fitzpatrick and Glenn Watson.
