Peterborough, ON – Brandon Watson (No. 9 Shear Metal Products) took just five laps to get to the point position and never looked back on Saturday night at Peterborough Speedway. Watson cruised to his fifth win of the season over the final 45 laps of the main event to extend his lead atop the championship standings.
Watson got a great run off the exit of turn two on lap five of the 50-lap main event to move underneath race leader and pole sitter Brad Corcoran (No.05 Lancaster Discount Tire Group) and take the top spot.
From then on, Watson was untouchable as he led the remainder of the race and was only challenged on a trio of mid-race restarts.
“We got out to a good start,” said Watson. “We got to the bottom lane quickly and got by the first few cars. The car kind of faded away towards the end, but we were able to hold them off.”
Watson had begun to pull away from Corcoran and the remainder of the field when the first caution of the night came for debris in turn three as the muffler had fallen off Mike Hilliard’s entry (No.98 Sign Works).
On the ensuing restart, Mike Beyore (No.54 Stemac/Millenium Crane) was sucked backwards in the outside line after restarting fourth. Watson continued to pace the field with Corcoran and Derrick Tiemersma (No.7 Wayfreight) in tow.
After starting 11th, Andrew Gresel (No.81 CUSW/Sauble Falls Trailer Park) has begun making his way in to the top-five. Gresel moved past Todd Campbell (No.07 Campbell’s Sanitation) on lap 21 for the fourth spot and began his quest for a podium position.
On lap 22, Gresel tried to get to the inside of Tiemersma for third. When Tiemersma closed the opening, Gresel was forced on to the rumble strips at the base of the corner, and was looped around at the apex of turn three to bring out the second caution.
On the ensuing restart, Corcoran made another nice move to drop down to the bottom lane in front of Glenn Watson (No.22 Line-X/Rival Office Solutions) and hold the second spot.
The caution would fly for the third and final time on lap 23 when Kyle Passer (No.14 Jenco Equipment) spun alone in turn three.
Corcoran wasn’t as lucky on the following restart as he was unable to get to the bottom groove before Glenn Watson filled the hole. Glenn was in hot pursuit of Brandon and left no more than a car length between the top-two drivers.
“The car shoved up a half a lane more than I wanted it to, and that gave him the opening,” said Corcoran in a post-race interview with OSCAAR TV. “Then he just out horse-powered me off the corner. I’ve got a crate motor, so I really have to protect the bottom.”
Brandon pulled away over the final 15 laps as he worked through lapped traffic and cruised to the victory over the final five miles.
“Glenn was definitely a threat there at the end,” explained Brandon. “I saw him on my back bumper, but luckily we were able to hold him off.”
Glenn Watson easily held on to the second spot and the runner-up finish was his first return to the podium since opening night at Sunset Speedway.
“That was the best this car has worked since we got it,” explained Glenn. “We still have lots of work to do, but that was definitely a step in the right direction.”
Corcoran held on to the third spot in his first OSCAAR start with a Junior Hanley-prepared Outlaw body.
“I’ve got to thank Junior Hanley,” said Corcoran. “He worked on the car for three weeks. If you know him, he works 18 hours per day on it until it’s just right. What a difference a body makes. There’s so much more down force than the template body.”
Gresel worked his way through the field in the second-half after his early race spin to finish fourth. Todd Campbell earned a top-five finish, holding off Tiemersma on the last lap.
The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour is off next weekend, but returns to action on Saturday September 7 at Flamboro Speedway, a make-up event for the postponed event on July 20.
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OSCAAR TV
Brandon Watson’s Post-Race Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX1Piuw7iNQ (Preview)
Brad Corcoran’s Post-Race Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TjSjsF6SeQ (Preview)
Results: Peterborough Speedway 50 – August 24, 2013 (Starting Position in Parentheses)
1. 9 Brandon Watson (4); 2. 22 Glenn Watson (9); 3. 05 Brad Corcoran (1); 4. 81 Andrew Gresel (11); 5. 07 Todd Campbell (5); 6. 7 Derrick Tiemersma (3); 7. 2 John Owen (6); 8. 54 Mike Beyore (2); 9. 42 Tyler Hawn (7); 10. 10 Jesse Kennedy (12); 11. 551 Gary Passer (10); 12. 3 Rob Gibson (13); 13. 39 Shane Gowan (14); 14. 14 Kyle Passer (15) (DNF); 15. 98 Mike Hilliard (8) (DNF).
Klotz Synthetics Canada qualifying heat races were won by Brandon Watson, Derrick Tiemersma, Brad Corcoran, and Mike Beyore.
The OSCAAR Super Late Model tour is presented by a number of dedicated sponsors throughout Ontario, including: Knightworks Design, Hoosier Racing Tire, Klotz Synthetics Canada, Race2way.ca, Dave Franks Photos, Dickson Printing, Finishline Fabrication, McColl Racing Enterprises, McGunegill Engine Performance, Stefko Racing Engines, VP Racing Fuels, OntarioOval.com, RaceTime Radio, Inside Track Motorsport News, Jenco Equipment, Midas of Orangeville, Reinhart Trailer Sales, North Toronto Auctions, and South Shore Services.
By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia) – OSCAAR Media and Public Relations
Contact: oscaar.media@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Dan Little Jr.
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