Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Andrew Gresel is proving to be the man to beat early in the APC Auto Parts United Late Models of Ontario Tour presented by Grisdales Auto Parts season as he scored his second straight victory on Sunday afternoon at Sunset Speedway.
It wasn’t Gresel that was quickest in time trials, but rather Dale Shaw posting a quick time of 14.263 seconds to top the charts, despite spinning on his get up to speed lap. Sunset Speedway regular Nick Goetz was second quickest (14.273), followed by Jamie Cox (14.296), Matt Pritiko (14.278) and Gresel (14.323).
Come feature time, it’d be Dale Shaw starting pole ahead of Nick Goetz, Jamie Cox, Matt Pritiko, Andrew Gresel, Shawn Chenoweth, Billy Schwartzenburg, Steve Laking, Jason Parker, Dwayne Baker, Jaxon Jacobs, Joshua Stade, Cole Powell, Mat Box, Shae Gemmell, Shawn McGlynn, Shaun McWhirter, Derek Lynch, Rick Burbridge, Marc Jacobs, Tom Gibbons and Willie Reyns.
The initial start didn’t go as planned as Goetz didn’t get going, stacking up the field, which resulted in cars on the inside line getting into each other. Billy Schwartzenburg suffered heavy front end damage, while Andrew Gresel tore up his left rear fender. Under caution, Jaxson Jacobs brought his car down pit road, done for the event.
Shaw got a good restart to keep the No. 83 Lucas Oil, Wellington Systems, Waverdale Fleet Service, Gunk, Plastikote Late Model out front with Pritiko up to second as Goetz battled Cox for third. The caution then flew on the second lap, though, as Gresel spun Chenoweth on the frontstretch, with Gremmel getting a piece of it.
This time it’d be Pritiko with a good restart as he put the No. 21 Global Warranty, Cadillac Industrial Cleaning, Domus Developments, Toyota Town, Burwell Auto Body Ltd., SellToWin.Com, Activate Drinks, NAPA Certified Bodyshops, Palasad of London and Glencoe Auto Recyclers Late Model out front ahead of Shaw as Cox and Stade battled for third ahead of Goetz. Meanwhile, Marc Jacobs headed down pit road, done for the event.
Cox got the spot on Lap 8, allowing Goetz to get alongside Stade for fourth. Goetz was unable to complete the pass, instead allowing Parker to get alongside him for fifth. Parker got the fifth spot on Lap 11 ahead of Goetz, Laking, Baker, Box, Lynch, McGlynn, McWhirter, Burbridge, Chenoweth and Gresel. The problems continued for competitors as Gibbons headed down pit road on Lap 14 with a problem.
With the field mostly strung out single-file, logging laps, the only battle around the Lap 15 mark was McWhirter and Burbridge side-by-side for 12th. Things did get interesting, though, as Parker got alongside Stade for fourth at Lap 16. Parker took the spot on Lap 19 ahead of Stade, Goetz, Baker, Laking and Box as Powell and Lynch ran side-by-side for 10th. Powell got the spot on Lap 21, allowing Burbridge to get alongside Lynch.
At the front of the field, Shaw was able to track down Pritiko and return to the top spot, passing him on Lap 22. Cox continued to run a solid third ahead of Parker and Stade. Behind them, Goetz ran sixth ahead of Baker and Laking. Looking for his first trip to Sunset Speedway victory lane, Cox got alongside Pritiko for second at Lap 28, completing the pass a lap later.
Parker and Stade continued to round out the top-five, but there was passing behind them as Baker got by Goetz for sixth at Lap 30. Laking continued to run eighth ahead of Burbridge, while Powell and Gresel battled for 10th. Gresel got the spot on Lap 32, bringing McGlynn through with him. Powell now ran 12th as Chenoweth and Box ran side-by-side for 13th.
Goetz continued to fall back through the field as Laking passed him for seventh at Lap 36, while Burbridge and Gresel battled for ninth. Gresel got the spot on Lap 37 ahead of Burbridge. McGlynn ran 11th followed by Powell, Chenoweth, Box, Lynch, Reyns and Schwartzenburg.
The race pace was slowed at Lap 45 as the caution flew for Reyns, who was a lap down, spinning out second place runner Pritiko. With 56 laps to go, Shaw led Cox, Parker, Stade, Baker, Laking, Goetz, Gresel, Burbridge, McGlynn, Powell, Chenoweth, Pritiko, Lynch and Box. Schwartzenburg ran as the first car one lap down ahead of Reyns and McWhirter.
The restart saw an impressive battle for the lead between Shaw and Cox, with Shaw retaking the top spot at Lap 47 ahead of Cox. Stade tried to pass Cox for second, but was unable to complete the pass. Instead, it’d be Parker taking over third behind Cox, while Gresel got alongside Stade for fourth. Gresel completed the pass at Lap 49 ahead of Stade, as Baker and Laking battled for sixth.
Gresel’s climb back to the front continued when he got alongside Parker for third at Lap 50, completing the pass at Lap 54. Parker now ran third ahead of Baker and Stade as McGlynn and Laking ran side-by-side for sixth. Gresel then passed Cox at Lap 56 to move into the runner-up spot.
At Lap 59, it’d be Shaw continuing to lead ahead of Gresel, Cox, Parker and Baker. McGlynn ran sixth ahead of Stade, Burbridge, Laking, Goetz, Pritiko, Chenoweth, Schwartzenburg, Box, Powell, Lynch and Reyns.
The single-file racing didn’t last for long as Schwartzenburg got alongside Chenoweth for 12th, while Burbridge got alongside Stade for seventh at Lap 63. Behind them, Pritiko got alongside Goetz for 10th while Schwartzenburg cleared Chenoweth at Lap 64, allowing Box to pull inside of Chenoweth for 13th. Reyns made his way down pit road, done for the race at Lap 65.
Things began to sort out as Pritiko cleared Goetz for 10th at Lap 66, while Chenoweth held Box off for 13th. McGlynn then got alongside Baker for fifth at Lap 67, completing the pass at Lap 74 to take over the spot. Behind them, Burbridge ran seventh ahead of Stade, Laking and Pritiko.
McGlynn’s climb through the field looked to continue as he got alongside Parker for fourth at Lap 76, though had to fall back in line after Parker used the lap car of Lynch as a pick. McGlynn made the move once again at Lap 83, completing it a lap later. He then kept moving forward, passing Cox to move into third at Lap 85. Cox now ran fourth ahead of Parker, Baker, Burbridge, Stade, Laking and Pritiko.
At the front of the field, things got interesting with 11 laps to go as Shaw slipped up a little, allowing Gresel to dramatically close the gap that he was already closing in on. He’d then get alongside Shaw for the lead, putting the No. 81 Hy-Grade Roofing, London Recreational, Sauble Falls tent and Trailer Park, CUSW Canadian Union of Skilled Workers and McRoberts Fuels, Gallinger Ford Lincoln of Milton, F1 Freight Systems, Barrys Construction Late Model out front with nine laps to go.
Behind them, McGlynn ran third as Cox and Parker ran side-by-side for fourth. Cox was able to hold off Parker, just to have Baker jump to his insider. Baker got the fourth spot with five laps to go ahead of Cox, Burbridge and Parker. Burbridge then got alongside Cox, completing the pass for fifth with two laps to go.
Andrew Gresel picked up the win ahead of Dale Shaw, Shawn McGlynn, Dwayne Baker, Rick Burbridge, Jamie Cox, Jason Parker, Josh Stade, Steve Laking and Matt Pritiko. Nick Goetz ran 11th ahead of Shawn Chenoweth, Cole Powell, Derek Lynch, Mat Box, Billy Schwartzenburg, Willie Reyns, Shaun McWhirter, Shae Gremmell, Tom Gibbons, Marc Jacobs and Jaxson Jacobs.
The APC Auto Parts United Late Models of Ontario Tour returns to action at Sauble Speedway on Saturday, June 25 for their third race of 2016.
