Sunset Speedway: Watson's Bump and Run Brings Fans to Their Feet (Saturday, May 15th Race Report)

Watson’s Bump and Run Brings Crowd to Its Feet on Opening Night
By Spencer Lewis

Brandon Watson’s name is often brought up when the topic of up-and-coming prospects is brought up amongst insiders and fans. After all, the 17-year old has made winning Late Model – and Limited Late Model – features his business for the past 2 seasons. Though on Saturday night, Watson ensured his name would be mentioned by insiders and fans for a different reason, as the Stayner, ON native etched his name into the record books as the first CGC Sheetrock Limited Late Model pilot to claim a feature victory at the new Sunset Speedway.


The night’s feature action got underway with a 25-lap A Main for the Owens Corning Mini Stocks. The distinction of top qualifier went to 2009 Rookie of the Year Warren Paxton (No. 33 CB Services of Newmarket/JF Kitching & Son Honda), though it was defending track champion Doug Butler (No. 10 South Barrie Collision/RSA Auto Parts Nissan) who would assume the lead early on.

Butler would carry the lead before being slowed behind a lapped car, providing an opening for former Sauble Speedway Mini Stock champion (now Sunset Speedway full-timer) Mike ‘Speedy’ Smith (No. 06 speedysmith.com Dodge) who would pace Butler by up to 2 car lengths until he was struck down by a right front flat tire, forcing his retirement on lap 22 – only 3 laps from victory.

On the ensuing restart, Butler would open up a 3 car length on eventual runner-up Terry Clodd (No. 34 shipcanada.ca/Barrie Tire Shaving Honda) to capture the victory, completing his Night 1 hat trick in the process.

Afterwards, Butler was quick to admit that, although the track had undergone some serious changes, his winning ride was still very much the same. “This is the same car from last year, I made it a little safer for the new configuration, but performance-wise it’s the exact same.” When asked about his mid-race battle with Smith, Butler added “I’ve raced [Mike] at every other track in the province, and I know he pushes his car just as hard as I push mine. I definitely don’t think either one of us could have pushed any harder tonight though, that was alot of fun.”

Before retiring to tech lane, Butler would make his 2010 intentions clear, “I’m looking for the ultimate follow up to a championship season, I want nothing more than to defend my title”.


The Tim-Br Mart Super Stock division would take to the track next, with a 30-lap affair that looked to be a hotly contested affair between the 2 top qualifiers from the evening’s heat races – former Sunset Speedway Invitational victor “The Deuce” Dave Doucette (No. 44 ATV Landscaping/Xtreme Auto Machine Chrysler) and 2009 Kawartha Speedway Thunder Car Champion Kyle “Wheely” Donaldson (No. 53 Planet Recovery/Custom Steering Chevrolet).

Defending track champion Flyin’ Frank Davey (No. 49 Barney’s Auto Electric/Bradford Print Shoppe Chevrolet) would lead early on, before handing the top spot to rising star Jason Elliott (No. 22 Woodward Service Center/Simcoe Auto Recyclers Chevrolet) just before the race’s midway mark.

A pair of cautions would mar the otherwise fluid event – both scored at lap 18 – as Doucette and Davey would tangle with slower cars in separate incidents, resulting in a major loss of track position and a major injection of sheet metal damage for both of the early night favourites.

As Davey and Doucette were struggling, Donaldson made his entrance into the spotlight, squeaking past Elliott to take the race lead off of turn-2, setting off a 5-star battle between the pair that would bring the appreciative crowd to their feet on more than one occasion. The battling leaders would break away from the rest of the pack, as Elliott looked for grip on the high-side of the race track while “Wheely” would run a combination of different lines to find the bite necessary to hold on to the lead.

As the checkered flag flew, it was Donaldson leading Elliott, Mark Adams (No. 51 Rankin’s Auto/Racin’ Stuff Chevrolet), rookie “Doomsday” Danny Archibald (Steve’s Towing/Weld It Creations Chevrolet) and Paul Maltese (No. 28 Presto Appliance & Repair Chevrolet) across the stripe.

In victory lane, the former Sunset Speedway champion was quick to praise his adversary as well as the new facility. “Wow, what can I say, this is just a phenomenal place to race” gushed “Wheely” upon exiting his car. “That was a great battle, Jason’s clearly a talented guy, and I’m sure this whole group is going to get alot tougher to beat as the season goes”. Donaldson would go on to thank his sponsors and crew, before heading to post-race technical inspection.



As the Super Stocks cleared the track, the stars and cars of the CGC Sheetrock Limited Late Model division took their place under the lights, prepared to send the crowd home happy with a scheduled 30-lap A Main.

While the field entered turn-4 for the green flag, all eyes were on young veteran Jason “Bam Bam” Witty who, after winning both of his qualifying heat races, was looking to seal his first ever hat trick in his 11-year racing career.

Multi-time Sunset Speedway track champion “Mr. Excitement” Chris Morrow (No. 11 Morrow Electric/Douglas Ford Collision Centre Chevrolet) would lead early on, appearing dominant for the first 15 laps of the feature. As the field picked up the crossed flags – indicating the event’s halfway point – Witty began to pressure Morrow, searching high and low for a way past the 2008 track champion.

As the field slowed for a lap 19 caution, Morrow’s car inexplicably shut off on the backstretch, requiring the aid of Sunset’s official wrecker service Graves Towing to simply make his way to pit road, unceremoniously ending his evening after leading from the opening circuit.

After Morrow’s departure, Witty (No. 19 Larue’s Haulage/Matco Tools Chevrolet) assumed the lead on the ensuing restart, and would break away from the pack with defending Autumn Colours Classic champion Brandon Watson (No. 9 OK Tire/Huronia Landscaping Chevrolet) in hot pursuit.

The chess match played out quite calmly until the final 3 laps of the race, when Witty’s left side tires would catch the curb in turn-4, slowing his momentum and allowing the hard-charging Watson to pull directly to the back bumper of the leading number 19.

Things would go from interesting to compelling on the next lap, as entering turn 1, Watson would bump the rear-end of Witty’s Chevrolet, nudging the leader out of the racing groove, scooting underneath to snatch the lead for the first time all night. Witty would return the favour with a bump of his own entering the final turn, though it would not be enough to unseat Watson, who would capture his first feature victory of the 2010 season. Completing the top-5 would be Witty, Tony “The Gun” Tiemersma, Dwayne Baker and “The Professional” Rob Poole.

“I didn’t really notice too much of a difference in terms of how you have to drive the car, to be honest” confessed Watson when asked to compare the old configuration to the way Sunset is presently. “It’s real good to come back. Those last couple laps were crazy. I knew Jason was fast and that was just good racing getting by him”. When the topic of plans for the full 2010 season arose, Watson was non-committal, but did assure the Sunset faithful that he would return to Sunset the following weekend for the season opener for the OSCAAR Super Late Models, hinting that he will possibly return with his Limited Late Model to follow up on his opening night success.

After clearing post-race technical inspection, Witty was pleased with his runner-up finish and offered no ill will towards Watson for the late-race bump and run. “That was a heartbreaker for sure, man. But it was alot of fun. Just one of those racing deals, one of those fun racing deals” smiled the likeable Queensville, ON native. “There’s definitely no hard feelings towards Brandon. After the bump in turn 1, we were both a little squirrely and it was anyone’s race. This gives us alot to build on, and we’re real confident heading into the rest of the season”.

When asked how he was able to get an understanding for the new configuration without the steep learning curve that has affected some of the track’s most prominent drivers, Witty was quick to shrug it off, admitting “It’s just half luck and half experience to be able to adjust. But we’re definitely happy with it”.

QUICK RESULTS

MINI STOCKS
HEAT 1: Warren Paxton Holland Landing, ON
HEAT 2: Terry Clodd Holland Landing, ON
HEAT 3: Doug Butler New Lowell, ON
HEAT 4: Warren Paxton Holland Landing, ON
HEAT 5: Mike Smith Port Elgin, ON
HEAT 6: Doug Butler New Lowell, ON

B MAIN: Ryan Eberschlag Penetanguishene, ON

A MAIN:
1) Doug Butler New Lowell, ON
2) Terry Clodd Holland Landing, ON
3) Rob Krystal Holland Landing, ON

SUPER STOCKS
HEAT 1: Kyle “Wheely” Donaldson Queensville, ON
HEAT 2: “The Deuce” Dave Doucette Angus, ON
HEAT 3: Kyle “Wheely” Donaldson Queensville, ON
HEAT 4: “The Deuce” Dave Doucette Angus, ON

A MAIN:
1) Kyle “Wheely: Donaldson Queensville, ON
2) Jason Elliott Angus, ON
3) Mark Adams Burlington, ON

LIMITED LATE MODELS
HEAT 1: Jason “Bam Bam” Witty Queensville, ON
HEAT 2: Stompin’ Tom Walters Bradford, ON
HEAT 3: Jason “Bam Bam” Witty Queensville, ON
HEAT 4: Tony “The Gun” Tiemersma Newmarket, ON

A MAIN:
1) Brandon Watson Stayner, ON
2) Jason “Bam Bam” Witty Queensville, ON
3) Tony “The Gun” Tiemersma Newmarket, ON

LEFTOVERS

-Opening night was not without mechanical misfortune for some. Marshall Pender (Mini Stock), Dave Case (Super Stock), Ryan Semple (Super Stock) and Kyle Baker (Ltd. Late Model) all experienced difficulty in practice and were not able to compete on opening night.
-Former Sunset Speedway Ltd. Late Model title contender “The Real Deal” Jeff Walt announced his return on Saturday night. The Hawkestone, ON product will likely have his new ride ready for Sunset’s grand opening on May 22nd.
-2008 Sunset Speedway Ltd Late Model champion “Mr. Excitement” Chris Morrow announced he will make his OSCAAR Super Late Model debut on May 23rd for car owner John Mombourquette.