Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Following a wreck two weeks ago, Andy Kamrath came back with vengeance as he dominated the Velocity 250 Mini Stock feature on Sunday at Sunset Speedway.
The weekend didn’t start off cleanly on Saturday in the heats as Ken Townsend spun in turn two on the opening lap. Behind him, Doug Wilman slowed for the caution while Taylor Thring didn’t, making contact that resulted in the back bumper being ripped off of Wilman’s car. As a result, Wilman was done for the event.
Chris Allard scored the victory ahead of Eric Yorke, the 7, Will Gibbons, Billy Schwartzenburg, Bob Phinnemore, Stefan Woyslaw, Townsend, Cameron McGlashan, Dylan Holmes, Chance Isherwood, the 2, Dave Melson and Thring.
2016 Sunset Speedway Mini Stock Champion Nic Montanari won the second heat ahead of Andy Kamrath, Warren Paxton, Mike Robinson Jr., Samantha Shaw, Johnny Paradzinski, Robert Toope, Scott Brooks, Carson Nagy, Eric Rainey, James Levi, Peter Wakeling, Morgan Robson Jr., Josh Inglis and Richard Butler.
The third heat had a small hiccup with Jake Watson spinning Branden Bullen on Lap 5. Cory Young picked up the win ahead of Craig Kamrath, the 0, Terry Woodley, the 37, Watson, Chandler Bos, Thomas Dunn, Mike Gettliffe, Steeve Melson, Lisa DeLeeuw, Doug Smith, Wendy Adams and Bullen.
The caution flew on the first lap of the fourth heat as a result of Dylan Holmes spinning on the backstretch. Then on the restart, Allard spun in turn two, though was able to get going without a caution. Meanwhile, Isherwood tagged the back of McGlashan, but McGlashan kept it straight and going without issue. The feature ended with a spin, as the 7 spun Isherwood on the last lap.
Will Gibbons picked up the win ahead of Schwartzenburg, Yorke, Woyslaw, the 7, McGlashan, Wilman, Allard, the 2, Holmes, Isherwood, Thring and Dave Melson.
The fifth heat saw the cautions continue as Nagy spun on Lap 7 in turn two, while Inglis spun off turn four a lap later. 2016 Spring Velocity winner Andy Kamrath picked up the win ahead of his KP Motorsports teammate Paxton. Robinson Jr. finished third, followed by Shaw, Nic Montanari, Paradzinski, Rainey, Toope, Levi, Wakeling, Nagy, Brooks, Butler, Robinson Jr. and Inglis.
The sixth heat saw a caution on Lap 4 as a result of Craig Kamrath slowing with a problem. Then on the last lap, Terry Woodley slowed with a problem. The 37 picked up the win ahead of Young, Watson, Steeve Melson, Dunn, Daniel Montanari, Gettliffe, DeLeeuw, Bos, Kamrath, Bullen and Smith.
With over 40 cars on the property, a pair of b-mains to help the field. The top-18 were set based on the average finishes of their heats, with the bottom 10 being made up of the top-five from each b-main.
The first b-main saw the No. 7 pick up the win ahead of Blair Wickett, McGlashan, Bos and Isherwood. Unfortunately, DeLeeuw was the first of the driver to not qualify, followed by Nagy, Wilman, Dave Melson, Smith, Inglis and Thring.
The second b-main was a little messy as the caution flew on Lap 1 due to Richard Butler spinning off of turn two. Then on the restart, Jake Gilbert tagged the 2, turning him with Bullen getting into the back of Gilbert. Gilbert was blackflagged for rough driving, sending him off the track and done for the event. Unfortunately, the incident marked the end of the race for the 2 as he pulled off on Lap 3.
The caution flew for a third time on Lap 8 as a result of Holmes spinning in turn two. The incidents weren’t done as on the last lap, Bullen made a move for the lead on Townsend, though got loose and spun into the grass.
Ken Townsend picked up the win ahead of Steeve Melson, Butler, Brooks and Toope. Unfortunately, Gettliffe was the first driver not to qualify, followed by Rainey, Holmes, Wakeling, Robson Jr. and Bullen.
Come feature time, it’d be past Spring Velocity winner Billy Schwartzenburg starting pole ahead of Mike Robinson Jr., the 37, Nic Montanari, Will Gibbons, Warren Paxton, Eric Yorke, Andy Kamrath, Cory Young, Daniel Montanari, Samantha Shaw, Jake Watson, Chris Allard, Stefan Woyslaw, Craig Kamrath, Bob Phinnemore, Johnny Paradzinski, Thomas Dunn, the 7, Ken Townsend, Blair Wickett, Cameron McGlashan, Richard Butler, Chandler Bos, Scott Brooks, Robert Toope, Mike Gettliffe and Chance Isherwood.
The race started off with a battle for the lead between Schwartzenburg and Robinson Jr., with Robinson Jr. putting the No. 85 Georgian Hot Tubs, Chuck Taylor Haulage, London Recreational Racing, Oro Electric, Iron Horse, Simcoe Auto Recyclers, Aircon Services & Reffers Sales Inc. Green Valley Electric, Qucik Pizza, Cintas, Greenweld, M&S Metal Products, Ideal Supply, Skate Zone Neon out front.
Nic Montanari then got alongside Schwartzenburg for second on Lap 2, with Andy Kamrath up to fourth ahead of the 37. Montanari took the spot a lap later, with Kamrath following him through to move up to third. Montanari then got alongside Robinson Jr. for the lead at Lap 5, while the 37, Schwartzenburg and Paxton went three-wide for fourth. Montanari was then able to take the top spot on Lap 6, putting the No. 98 HIGHWAY TECHNOLOGY, SELECT DELIVERY, DR.JAY PERTOFF AT MAPLE RIDGE DENTAL AND PERMATEX Mini Stock out front.
Montanari’s lead didn’t last long as Kamrath got alongside him a lap later. Kamrath then put the No. 35 LONDON RECREATIONAL RACING, JASON WITTY RE/MAX, SEATON STRUCTURES, AM ROOFING, BLUE MOUNTAIN HONDA OF COLLINGWOOD, WAKE WORK RACE CLOTHING, IMAGEWRAPS.CA, SUPERCLEAN, CASTROL, BRANDON’S LANDSCAPES, WIRED AND READY ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING, JF KITCHING AND SONS HAULAGE AND GEORGINA AUTO GLASS Honda Civic out front on Lap 8.
With Kamrath out front, Montanari now ran second ahead of Robinson Jr., the 37, Paxton and Young as Schwartzenburg and Allard battled for seventh ahead of Yorke, Gibbons and Shaw. Paxton then got alongside the 37 for fourth at Lap 12, with Allard taking the seventh spot a lap later ahead of Yorke. Paxton was able to get fourth, quickly passing Robinson Jr. to move up into third. Young then moved into fourth ahead of Allard and the 37 as Robinson Jr. continued to slow, eventually pulling into the infield with a mechanical problem.
The caution then flew for the first time at Lap 15 for Butler spinning in turn two. Under caution, both McGlashan and Isherwood made a pit stop each. With 20 laps to go, Andy Kamrath led Nic Montanari, Paxton, Young, Allard, the 37, Yorke, Schwartzenburg, Gibbons, Shaw, Daniel Montanari, Watson, the 7, Woyslaw, Craig Kamrath, Phinnemore, Dunn, Toope, Butler, Townsend and McGlashan. Bos ran as the first car one lap down ahead of Isherwood and Brooks.
Andy Kamrath got a good restart to keep the lead ahead of Nic Montanari, Paxton, Young and Allard. The 37 ran sixth ahead of Yorke as Gibbons got alongside Schwartzenburg for eighth at Lap 18. The moves continued as Young got alongside Paxton for third at Lap 19, with Yorke got alongside the 37 for sixth a lap later. Yorke got the spot on Lap 21 ahead of the 37, with Gibbons now up to eighth.
Meanwhile as Paxton and Young kept battling, Allard tagged the back of Paxton’s Honda Civic at Lap 22, getting Paxton a little sideways. As a result, Young took the third spot as Allard got alongside Paxton for fourth. Allard got the spot on Lap 24. Outside of the top-10, it was Yorke running sixth ahead of Gibbons, the 37, Shaw, Schwartzenburg and Watson as the 7 and Daniel Montanari battled for 12th. The 7 got the spot on Lap 29, with Wickett getting alongside Montanari for 13th.
The second caution then flew on Lap 30 due to Woyslaw spinning Toope on the frontstretch. With five laps to go, Andy Kamrath led Nic Montanari, Young, Allard, Paxton, Yorke, Gibbons, the 37, Shaw, Schwartzenburg, Watson, the 7, Wickett, Daniel Montanari, Paradzinski, Craig Kamrath and Woyslaw. Scott Brooks ran the first car one lap down ahead of Dunn, Phinnemore, Butler, Bos, McGlashan, Toope and Isherwood.
Kamrath got a good restart to keep the lead as Montanari and Young battled for second, while Yorke got real sideways off of four but managed to save it. Allard continued to run fourth ahead of Paxton and Yorke with Schwartzenburg alongside the 37 for seventh with two laps to go.
At the front of the field, Andy Kamrath led the rest of the way to score the victory ahead of Nic Montanari, Cory Young, Chris Allard and Warren Paxton. Eric Yorke finished sixth ahead of Billy Schwartzenburg, the 37, Will Gibbons and Samantha Shaw.
The 7 finished 11th, followed by Blair Wickett, Jake Watson, Stefan Woyslaw, Daniel Montanari, Johnny Paradzinski, Craig Kamrath, Thomas Dunn, Bob Phinnemore, Richard Butler, Robert Toope, Chance Isherwood, Cameron McGlashan and Scott Brooks.
