Gary Passer (#13 Jenco Equipment Chevrolet) utilized a late race incident and caution to his advantage to win his second OSCAAR Super Late Model feature, a rain shortened event at Peterborough Speedway. The veteran driver from Innisfil, ON assumed the lead on lap 25 before the skies would open five laps later to end what was scheduled to be a 50-lap affair.
Passer, who has struggled to work the kinks from a new car this season, came from the sixth starting position to earn his second career win. The first win of Passer’s OSCAAR career came at Sunset Speedway in 2004. The pilot of the #13 was the beneficiary of contact and a subsequent spin involving then leader George Wilson (#77 Port City Race Cars/Morollo Racing Engines Ford) and second place runner Shawn Chenoweth (#29 KR Communications/Transaxle Parts Chevrolet) on lap 25. Passer inherited the lead and held off Jeff Hanley (#70 Raylene Racing Toyota) and Derrick Tiemersma (#7 Wayfreight/Spira Fire Protection Chevrolet) for five laps before the race was called. Passer explained he had hoped for the rain with Hanley charging to his rear bumper him.
“It doesn’t bother me (that the race was shortened). I was praying for the rain,” said Passer.
The veteran driver felt he may have been able to hold on for a second place finish had the race gone the distance, but acknowledged Hanley to have the faster car.
“He was right on me. I don’t about the rest of them, but Hanley was coming strong.”
After two heat races finishes in the middle of the pack, Passer bolted four new sticker Hoosier Racing slicks in to the #13 that allowed the car to pick-up in the main event of the evening and earn the win.
The shortened 30-lap race featured six caution periods, with the first coming on lap four as Charlie Gallant (#40P South Shore Services/East Point Marina Chevrolet) got in to Glenn Watson (#22 Rival Office Solutions/Shane Michaels RV Centre Chevrolet) in turn one. Both drivers would be forced to restart at the back.
Six laps later, Paul Law (#72 Midas of Orangeville/Ron Little Trucking) and Todd Campbell (#07 Campbell’s Sanitation/Remax-Deb Olender Chevrolet) got tangled on the front stretch grass after contact in turn four
The pole sitter Wilson continued to pace the field back to the green, but was slowed again as Hanley and points leader Brandon Watson (#9 Royal Distributing/Shear Metal Products/Knightworks Design Chevrolet) made contact and spun in to the open turn one area. Chenoweth spun to avoid and was returned to his running spot prior to the restart while Hanley and Watson were sent to the back.
Wilson would lead for another 15 laps, fending off challenges from Chenoweth, Tiemersma, and a host of others. His lead would be reeled back in with 25 complete as Dave Taylor (#51 Napa Auto Parts/Elliot Auto/Ron Lee Sceptic Cadillac) and Gallant got together in turn two to cause the fourth caution.
Just as the race got up to speed, it was slowed again this time for John Owen (#2 Owen Performance Engines/DVR Quality Masonry Chevrolet) who cut a tire and fell off the pace in turn two. Owen was running just outside the top-five in his season debut prior to the setback.
The final caution of the night would come on the third try at lap 25 this time in turn three when Chenoweth attempted to slip beneath Wilson down the backstretch. Wilson closed the door on the nose of the #29, which sent both on to the grass out of turn four. Chenoweth would get the worst of the damage and end his night, while Wilson would rejoin the tail of the field to finish seventh.
That set the stage for Gary Passer who was able to pull away from Hanley and Tiemersma who dueled side-by-side for the second spot. Just as Hanley won the spot and appeared to be closing on Passer, the yellow flag flew from starter Bob Finnegan that would eventually end the race.
Points leader Brandon Watson finished off the podium for the first time in 2012, but managed to continue his streak of top-five finishes with a fifth place tally. The Stayner, ON teen unofficially continues to lead the standings over Glenn Watson and Derrick Tiemersma, who are tied for the second spot, by 34 points.
Paul Law was the highest finishing rookie with a sixth place finish. Rookie-of-the-Year point’s leader Jesse Kennedy (#10 Cameron Crane/Quality Collision Chevrolet) retired four laps in to the race with mechanical problems. Rob Poole (#45 Visser Farms/Alliston Auto Sales/RA Electrical Chevrolet) was the second best rookie, allowing him to unofficially pull within one point of Kennedy for the Rookie points lead.
Klotz Synthetics qualifying heats were won by Jeff Hanley (2), John Owen, Jesse Kennedy, Dave Taylor, and George Wilson.
The rain-shortened event marks the end of the first half for the Super Late Models. The season will continue with round 7 of 12 this Friday night at Kawartha Speedway with the only 75-lap event of the year, the Don Biederman Memorial. Jeff Hanley is the defending champion of the event and has won the past five Memorial races.
By Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)
Click here for Dan Little’s Photo’s
| Supers – Feature |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 6 | 13 | Gary Passer | Innisfil , On | 61.00 | |
| 2 | 5 | 70 | Jeff Hanley | Georgetown , On | 57.00 | |
| 3 | 12 | 7 | Derrick Tiemersma | Newmarket , On | 56.00 | |
| 4 | 10 | 22 | Glenn Watson | Barrie , On | 55.00 | |
| 5 | 9 | 9 | Brandon Watson | Stayner , On | 54.00 | |
| 6 | 8 | 72 | Paul Law | Rosemont , On | 53.00 | |
| 7 | 1 | 77 | George Wilson | Sault Ste., On | 54.00 | |
| 8 | 3 | 2 | John Owen | Port Hope, On | 51.00 | |
| 9 | 7 | 51 | Dave Taylor | - | 50.00 | |
| 10 | 4 | 07 | Todd Campbell | Guelph , On | 49.00 | |
| 11 | 13 | 40P | Charlie Gallant | Pefferlaw , On | 48.00 | |
| 12 | 14 | 16 | Rob Bickle | Port Hope, On | 47.00 | |
| 13 | 16 | 45 | Rob Poole | Cookstown , On | 46.00 | |
| 14 | 17 | 14 | Kyle Passer | Innisfil , On | 45.00 | |
| 15 | 15 | 69 | Mike Bricknell | Ajax , On | 44.00 | |
| 16 | 11 | 29 | Shawn Chenoweth | Ayr , On | 43.00 | |
| 17 | 2 | 10 | Jesse Kennedy | Oneida Nation, On | 42.00 |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat B (Inversion) 3 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 2 | 77 | George Wilson | Sault Ste., On | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 1 | 10 | Jesse Kennedy | Oneida Nation, On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 5 | 40P | Charlie Gallant | Pefferlaw , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 3 | 13 | Gary Passer | Innisfil , On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 4 | 16 | Rob Bickle | Port Hope, On | 3.00 | |
| 6 | 6 | 14 | Kyle Passer | Innisfil , On | 2.00 |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat B (Inversion) 2 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 5 | 51 | Dave Taylor | - | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 1 | 2 | John Owen | Port Hope, On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 2 | 9 | Brandon Watson | Stayner , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 4 | 7 | Derrick Tiemersma | Newmarket , On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 3 | 22 | Glenn Watson | Barrie , On | 3.00 |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat B (Inversion) 1 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 1 | 70 | Jeff Hanley | Georgetown , On | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 3 | 72 | Paul Law | Rosemont , On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 2 | 07 | Todd Campbell | Guelph , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 4 | 29 | Shawn Chenoweth | Ayr , On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 6 | 69 | Mike Bricknell | Ajax , On | 3.00 | |
| 6 | 5 | 45 | Rob Poole | Cookstown , On | 0.00 | DNS |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat A 3 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 1 | 10 | Jesse Kennedy | Oneida Nation, On | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 2 | 77 | George Wilson | Sault Ste., On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 3 | 13 | Gary Passer | Innisfil , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 5 | 16 | Rob Bickle | Port Hope, On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 4 | 40P | Charlie Gallant | Pefferlaw , On | 3.00 | |
| 6 | 6 | 14 | Kyle Passer | Innisfil , On | 2.00 |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat A 2 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | John Owen | Port Hope, On | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 4 | 9 | Brandon Watson | Stayner , On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 1 | 22 | Glenn Watson | Barrie , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 2 | 7 | Derrick Tiemersma | Newmarket , On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 5 | 51 | Dave Taylor | - | 3.00 |
| Supers – Qualifying Heat A 1 |
| Finish | Start | Car | Driver | Hometown | Points | |
| 1 | 2 | 70 | Jeff Hanley | Georgetown , On | 7.00 | |
| 2 | 1 | 07 | Todd Campbell | Guelph , On | 6.00 | |
| 3 | 6 | 72 | Paul Law | Rosemont , On | 5.00 | |
| 4 | 3 | 29 | Shawn Chenoweth | Ayr , On | 4.00 | |
| 5 | 5 | 45 | Rob Poole | Cookstown , On | 3.00 | |
| 6 | 4 | 69 | Mike Bricknell | Ajax , On | 2.00 |
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