Sept. 19, 2009 Race Report

6 days removed from crowning Stompin’ Tom Walters as the 2009 Limited Late Model champion, it was time for Sunset Speedway to solidify it’s Mini Stock and Thunder Car titleholders.

The Thunder Cars have been the most hotly contested division all season long, and coming into the final points night, only 6 markers separated leader – and 2008 track champion – ‘The Cheque Casher’ Herb Walters from Flyin’ Frank Davey, a 6-time Thunder Car champion in his own right.

Both drivers started side-by-side, deep in the pack, and wasted little time beginning their carve through the 24 car field.

However, the attention early on was focused on another two drivers forming a battle of their own at the front of the pack.

Youngsters Ryan Semple (No. 64 Lucas Oil/ Anderson Sheet Metal Chevrolet) and ‘The Upgrade’ Rick Walt (No. 99 Cronan Motorsports/The Frame Shop Chevrolet) battled tooth and nail at the head of the field, with Walt using every available lane to keep the advancing Semple at bay.

The see-saw battle would continue until lap 18, when Semple would get into the back of Walt in corners 1 & 2, sending Walt’s Monte Carlo all the way around; Both drivers were sent to the rear of the field as involved cars, with the lead handed to Charlie Smith (No. 7 Mister Transmission of Orillia Chevrolet) who had been running third at the time of the caution.

On the restart, Smith would lead the field back to green – with Davey and Walters sitting at his rear bumper after racing their way from their deep-pack starting positions.

For the final 12 laps, Smith would demonstrate the right balance of patience and composure as he kept the pair of former champions from even sniffing a way past his Malibu.

After 30 laps of competition, Charlie Smith would snatch his first ever Sunset Speedway victory, 9 years in the making, followed by Davey, Walters, ‘Too Quick’ Kenny Britt and ‘5 Second Delay’ Jay Cutting.

Davey’s 2^nd place finish would be enough for him to claim the 2009 Thunder Car championship by a slim 2 point margin over good friend, better adversary Herb Walters.

After climbing from his winning car, a clearly emotional Smith shared the moment with his mother who has on hand to witness his first ever trip to victory lane. Once the photos were complete, Smith was quick to thank the fans,

 “I just want to thank everyone that’s here supporting us and this track, you guys are the reason we do this”

Smith continued, “I won 1 feature in my career at another track, and no one was there to see it. Tonight I’ve got my mom and everyone here, it’s amazing. I just want to thank my step-dad for everything he does to help me during the week and Mr. Transmission in Orillia for putting the rear end in this car.”

When asked about the race itself, Smith was quick to show off his sense of humour. “I just got lucky really” quipped the 9-year veteran with a smile. “A lot of the guys in front of me had some bad luck. First Dave [Case] got spun right in front of me, then Ricky [Walt] and Ryan [Semple] were sent to the back. I don’t think I even passed anybody” laughed the likeable driver from Orillia, ON.

“As soon as we were coming to the restart I thought to myself ‘geez, this is it….Frank and Herb are behind me’ but I was able to just stay patient, stay smooth and keep them back there”

Smith closed the post-race festivities with a look towards Sunset’s future, particularly the 2010 season, “Now that I’ve won my feature here, I don’t care what happens with the new [configuration]! We came into this season just wanting one win on this track, the way it is. But it was getting close to the end, and I figure it just wasn’t going to happen this season, it’s unbelievable”

Coming into Saturday’s action the Mini Stock division championship had already been clinched, with 3^rd year driver Doug Butler (No. 10 Jeff’s Towing/Homeworks Certified Home Inspections Nissan) having already had his name added to the Champions Billboard along the track’s backstretch.

However, that certainly did not dissuade the 19-year old breakout star from adding yet another feature win to his already crowded resume.

Butler rolled off mid-pack for the final points race of 2009, and like he has done so often, utilized his near-perfect car control and cool head to work his way through the deeply talented field.

Shortly after the halfway mark, with points-runner up and 2009 Rookie of the Year Warren Paxton (No. 33 Blue Mountain Honda/J.F. Kitchings & Son Ltd Honda) in tow, Butler took sole control of the lead.

The rest of the top-5, including Paxton, fellow rookie Dan ‘The Bandit’ Britt (No. 41 Classic Protube and Muffler Honda), Nick Brown (No. 48 Brown Brothers Roofing Honda) and Paul Geniole Jr (No. 81 Canadian Tire of Port Perry Honda) wowed the crowd with an intense battle in behind the leader. The group would trade both positions and paint, as they battled to see who would be the next candidate to attempt to reel in Butler.

Try as they might, no challenger was able to make their way past Butler who skirted to yet another feature win.

In victory lane, Butler was all smiles looking back on the 20-lap feature as well as his championship season.

“This was fun tonight. I didn’t really want to push it too hard, knowing I didn’t have to win, with the championship already being locked up.” Grinned the New Lowell, ON teenager.

“I was just concentrating on keeping my racing clean, but driving the wheels off at the same time” added Butler with a laugh.

“This season has been amazing. The car’s been better, but the one I had tonight was pretty good”

Butler closed the interview with a messege to any aspiring Mini Stock pilots in the audience, “This is so awesome. Any driver can do this. You just have to learn”.

QUICK RESULTS

MINI STOCK

Heat 1: Terry Clodd                                                   Holland Landing, ON

Heat 2: Dan ‘The Bandit’ Britt                                   Midhurst, ON

Heat 3: Paul Geniole Jr.                                             Keswick, ON

B Main: Mike Robinson Jr.                                         Barrie, ON

A Main:

1)      Doug Butler                                                  New Lowell, ON

2)      Warren Paxton                                             Holland Landing, ON

3)      Dan ‘The Bandit’ Britt                                  Midhurst, ON

4)      ‘Mr. White Walls’ Nick Brown                     Keswick, ON

5)      Paul Geniole Jr.                                           Keswick, ON

THUNDER CAR

Heat 1: Paul Maltese                                                 Innisfil, ON

Heat 2: Brad Holden                                                  Midland, ON

Heat 3: ‘Too Quick’ Kenny Britt                               Midhurst, ON

B Main: Mark Adams                                                 Mississauga, ON

A Main:

1)      Charlie Smith                                                  Orillia, ON

2)      Flyin’ Frank Davey                                         River Drive Park, ON

3)      ‘The Cheque Casher’ Herb Walters             Stroud, ON

4)      ‘Too Quick’ Kenny Britt                                 Midhurst, ON

5)      ‘5 Second Delay’ Jay Cutting                       Holland Landing, ON