By: Ashley McCubbin/OSCAAR Super Late Model Series
September 1 2016
With five different winners in the last five races, it’s the perfect time for the OSCAAR Super Late Models to head to Peterborough Speedway this weekend. With the Race for the Cup set to start this weekend, it promises to be a show for fans to remember.
After a thrilling season of action, the grid is set for the OSCAAR Super Late Model Race for the Cup. While there are currently six drivers eligible, the number will be cut in half following Saturday night. The top-three will move on to the championship finale, while the bottom three will unfortunately see their championship chances end.
Peterborough Speedway plays a big role in the Race for the Cup as the finale will take place at Peterborough as part of the 24thannual Autumn Colours Classic onOctober 7-9. The top finisher of the three contenders in the final race will be declared the 2016 OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Model champion.
The six drivers qualified are: J.R. Fitzpatrick, Roy Passer, Glenn Watson, Charlie Gallant, Tyler Hawn and Gary Passer.
Fitzpatrick enters as the top seed as he has held the points lead throughout the entire season thus far with two feature victories to his credit. In each of the seven races, he has finished in the top-five including six podium finishes. He has been successful at Peterborough as last year in September, the Cambridge, Ontario lapped the whole field except second-place. He then came back and won the Autumn Colours Classic in October. This year, he hasn’t been as successful at Peterborough as he finished third and second.
Passer is having his best season in the series ever to date this year, highlighted by scoring his first career feature victory at Peterborough Speedway earlier this month. He enters the Chase with a top-10 in each of the seven races, including six top-fives. If you include the victory earlier this year at Peterborough, Passer has finished in the top-six in his last four Peterborough starts.
Despite fighting some mechanical issues, Glenn Watson has made an impact this year as he enters the Race for the Cup sitting third. The four-time series champion has six top-10s in seven races, including four top-four finishes this season. Everyone knows the four-time series champion is hungry for a win, and this is a weekend of opportunity. He is a previous Peterborough Speedway race-winner, winning ACC in 2011 and finishing in the top-five in 14 of his 21 starts, including two podiums this year.
Following a heavy crash and a blown motor the past couple of years, it’s nice to see Charlie Gallant back on the tour full-time and having success. He enters the Race for the Cup with six top-10’s, including a pair of top-fives this season. Notably, he finished seventh and sixth in the pair of Peterborough races this year, to go with a podium in last year’s Autumn Colours Classic.
Steady and consistent are the two words to describe Tyler Hawn’s season as he hasn’t contended for a feature win this year yet, but he’s been solid on a weekly basis. He has seven top-10s this season thus far, including three top-five finishes. He knows how to get around Peterborough, having ran in the top-10 in the past including a pair of top-fives this year.
Gary Passer enters the Race for the Cup with six top-10s this season, including a fifth a couple weeks ago at Flamboro Speedway. He’s ran well at Peterborough, posting three top-seven finishes in his last four starts.
Beyond the six drivers looking for Chase points, there’s a slew of others looking to snag a win this weekend.
Following his wreck at Flamboro, Jim Bowman will be back on track this weekend in search of his second top-10 of 2016.
Kelly Balson is set to make his third OSCAAR start of the season at his home track. Notably, in each of his seven super late starts at Peterborough, he has finished in the top-nine, including a pair of top-four finishes last year and a win earlier this year.
Brent McLean will be making his first OSCAAR Super Late Model start of the season following a seventh place finish last August at Peterborough.
Daniel Bois will be behind the wheel of a third entry for Fizpatrick’s JR Motorsports team this weekend. He’ll hope to score a solid finish after mechanical issues saw his race end early at Delaware Speedway.
John Cadman will be making his first career OSCAAR start this weekend, adding to his extensive racing resume. After seeing his run at the Gold Rush cut short due to mechanical issues, he’ll certainly be looking for a solid finish this weekend.
A veteran on the tour, Todd Campbell has been solid this year with a top-10 in each of his four starts, including a runner-up at Flamboro Speedway. Look for him to post another solid finish as he posted a pair of sixths last season at Peterborough.
Along with the OSCAAR Super Late Models at Peterborough Speedway this Saturday will be Peterborough’s own Limited Late Models, Thunder Cars, Renegade Trucks, Mini Stocks and Four Funs.
The full itinerary and prices can be found on the Peterborough Speedway website at http://www.peterboroughspeedway.com. Please note racing will kick off at 5pm.