Holdaway, Walters and Cornelius Go To War In Early Season Race of the Year Candidate
Spencer Lewis
Entering Saturday’s event, the eyes of the Limited Late Model division had set themselves on Sunset veteran Kevin Cornelius. And with good reason, as two weeks into the 2011 season, Cornelius had yet to finish a feature event without posing for pictures in victory lane.
The 30-lap A Main saw 18 cars take the green flag, with divisional heavyweights Cornelius, Tom Walters, and Chris Morrow all starting deeper than row 6.
Gilford, ON’s Dario Capirchio (No. 03 Ground Work Drilling/eatmypie.ca Chevrolet) would shed the bad luck that had plagued him thus far in 2011 to lead the early goings of the event, whilst Brandon Crumbie (No. 63 Amsoil/California Dave’s Complete Autobody Chevrolet) and former Super Stock champion Ernie Fumerton (No. 10 Coves of Keswick/JFS Sodding and Hydroseeding Chevrolet) defended the top-3 from the rest of the field.
The top-3 would remain unchanged until lap 13, when third-year driver ‘Hollywood’ Taylor Holdaway (No. 41 Holdaway Automotive of Orillia Ford) slipped past Crumbie for the second spot.
Holdaway would work his way into the runner-up position on lap 18, one lap prior to the second caution of the event being displayed for an incident involving Sean Cronan and Jason Witty.
‘Hollywood’ would use the caution to his advantage, powering past Capirchio utilizing the outside of the race track on the ensuing restart, leaving the former leader to fend off a challenge for second from Walters (No. 47 McColl Racing Enterprises/Pro Floor Hardwood Sanding & Refinishing Chevrolet).
Capirchio would defend his position valiantly, until a lap 22 caution for a Kyle Mombourquette spin allowed Walters the inside line on the restart. As the field took the green, Walters drove along the inside of Capirchio’s Chevrolet, completing the pass on lap 23, bringing with him 2-time winner Cornelius (No. 17 Halton Crushed Stone/Hanson Pipe and Precast Chevrolet).
With two of the quickest cars in the division nipping at his heels, Holdaway displayed incredible poise, running his line smoothly and leaving Walters little room on the bottom of the race track to mount a challenge.
The drama would climax as the field reached the start finish line to take the white flag. After Holdaway and Walters made contact battling for the lead off of four, Holdaway found his Ford in the high groove of the speedway along the front stretch. Entering turn-1, Holdaway remained outside while Cornelius and Walters dove to the bottom of the track to claim any available room.
The three-wide battle would last momentarily, until Cornelius and Holdaway made contact and skirted up the track in between turns 1 and 2, opening the door for Walters.
As Walters exited turn-2 seemingly unopposed, multi-time track champion Chris Morrow (No. 11 Morrow Electric/Contractor Rental Supplies Chevrolet) , who had been patiently riding in the fourth position just outside the battle for the lead, wasted little time in moving to Walters’ inside, forcing a drag-race down the backstretch.
Morrow briefly held the lead through turns 3 and 4, but after the pair made contact entering the front straightaway, Walters was able to edge ahead on Morrow’s outside, snatching the checkered flag by inches. Morrow, Rob Poole, Capirchio and Keith Maiato completed the official top-5.
“I gave it everything I had coming out of 4” smiled Walters when asked to relive the final lap of action.
On the melee entering turn-1, “My spotter told me that [Cornelius] got under him, and that I was on the inside three-wide. I just held my line”
“down the back straightaway, my spotter had time to tell me ‘Chris is there’, so I just ran hard on the outside to the line”
After reliving the potential race of the year, Walters explained “This is such a tough, tough field. There are easily 10 cars here every single night that can win. So anything goes”
“And to all the fans that come out here every week, thank you, whether you love me or hate me, I love all of you”
In Super Stock action, the province’s most talent-laden second tier division welcomed its first two-time winner to victory lane, as Hamilton, ON product Marty Monette picked up his second victory in three starts.
The early portion of the 30-lapper would see ‘Doomsday’ Dan Archibald (No. 07 Steve’s Towing/Tiffany’s Window Fashions Monte Carlo) control the first 6 circuits, before Week 2 fast qualifier ‘Too Quick’ Kenny Britt (No. 14 Alliston Transmission/Race2Way.ca Mustang) usurped the top spot.
A red flag for an incident involving Archibald, Paul Maltese and Randy ‘The Rocket’ Rusnell would slow the pace on lap 8, with Monette (No. 66 AATEL.com/Glanbrook Towing & Recovery Camaro) taking over the lead 2 laps after the restart.
Monette would widen his lead as the race remained green, with his Camaro appearing to quicken with each passing lap. In all, Monette would lead a total of 19 laps, for his second victory of the 2011 campaign. Lane Zardo, Britt, Flyin’ Frank Davey and Jason Elliott would complete the top-5.
In victory lane, Monette explained the red flag worked in his favour, “The car got alot quicker as the race went on. [It] was loadin’ up really bad at the start, but as soon as we came back from the red [flag] she was real quick”
“it just started to turn alot better. And the car just came to me”
Monette closed by thanking his dedicated crew and supporters, “The time and effort is really starting to show with our program. All we’ve done is work on this car, and I can’t thank my crew and sponsors enough”
The Mini Stock division also witnessed its first two-time winner of 2011, as Holland Landing, ON veteran Terry Clodd outlasted a pair of classic battles with former Rookie of the Year Warren Paxton (No. 33 Blue Mountain Honda of Collingwood/CB Services of Newmarket Honda) and 2-time defending track champion Doug Butler (No. 10 Homeworks Certified Home Inspections/Classic Pro Tube & Muffler Nissan), who had previously timed in as the fast qualifier earlier on in the evening.
Clodd and Paxton would swap the lead a total of 4 times through the first 19 laps, with Butler asserting himself at lap 20, bypassing both leaders to take sole control of the top spot.
The New Lowell, ON driver would relegate Clodd to his rearview mirror until the field received the 2-laps to go signal, and Clodd powered past on the outside.
Butler would mount a charge through the final lap, but would not be able to keep Terry Clodd from his second win of the 2011 season.
Nicole Podewils, Week 2 winner Nick Brown and Paxton would follow the pair across the line.
“That was a great battle. And it feels exceptionally good after wrecking as bad as we did last week” smiled Clodd upon exiting his winning ride.
When asked about his tangle with a lapped car while leading in Week 2, Clodd explained, “We had to replace every single piece of the front end suspension in this car. In all, it took over 20-hours of work just to get back to racing this week”
“I definitely have to thank my family for putting up with all the time and effort I put into this car. I’ve got some great sponsors as well. Thanks to everyone that supports me”
QUICK RESULTS
LATE MODELS
Heat 1: Tony ‘The Gun’ Tiemersma Newmarket, ON
Heat 2: Dario Capirchio Gilford, ON
Heat 3: ‘Hollywood’ Taylor Holdaway Orillia, ON
Heat 4: Kevin Cornelius Orangeville, ON
A Main:
1) Stompin’ Tom Walters Bradford, ON
2) ‘Mr. Excitement’ Chris Morrow Anten Mills, ON
3) `The Professional` Rob Poole Innisfil, ON
4) Dario Capirchio Gilford, ON
5) Keith Maiato Orangeville, ON
SUPER STOCKS
Heat 1: Flyin` Frank Davey River Drive Park, ON
Heat 2: Lane Zardo Brampton, ON
Heat 3: `Too Quick` Kenny Britt Midhurst, ON
Heat 4: Matt Bentley Acton, ON
A Main:
1) Marty Monette Hamilton, ON
2) Lane Zardo Brampton, ON
3) `Too Quick` Kenny Britt Midhurst, ON
4) Flyin` Frank Davey River Drive Park, ON
5) Jason Elliott Barrie, ON
MINI STOCKS
Time Trials
1) Doug Butler New Lowell, ON
16.830
2) Warren Paxton Holland Landing, ON
16.995
3) `Mr. White Walls` Nick Brown Keswick, ON
17.107
4) Terry Clodd Holland Landing, ON
17.153
5) Dan `The Bandit` Britt Midhurst, ON
17.249
A Main:
1) Terry Clodd Holland Landing, ON
2) Doug Butler New Lowell, ON
3) Nicole Podewils Barrie, ON
4) `Mr. White Walls` Nick Brown Keswick, ON
5) Warren Paxton Holland Landing, ON
