BRANTFORD, ON - Doug Brown managed to salvage a 15th-place finish from the “Pizza Pizza 300” at Barrie Speedway on Saturday night in an event that featured plenty of bumping and banging and even some rolling on the tight one-third mile oval.
What started out as strong and determined run for the Haldex-sponsored team turned into a night of playing catch-up for the Brantford driver when contact with the Monte Carlo of JR Fitzpatrick sent him to the pits for replacement of a broken tie-rod end on lap 74.
By the time his teammates had repaired the damage, he returned to action 29-laps down to the leaders and virtually left with simply riding out the night to gain points and positions.
The veteran racer had qualified 13th in the 20-car field but like his efforts the week before at Cayuga, he was on the charge early and had moved up to seventh place by lap 22 – a position he held for the next 50 laps before contact with Fitzpatrick.
It’s been the toughest season in his racing career but he and his team will finish out the schedule with events at Antigonish, NS on September 20th then return to Ontario for the series’ season finale at Kawartha Speedway on September 27th.
“I can’t believe what a season of disappointments this has been,” car chief Harold Brown remarked when the night was over. ”In all my years of being involved in this sport, I’ve never seen so many incidents that knocked us out of events with what appeared to minor accidents yet turned into major issues.”
“It seems that others can run into you and manage to escape with flat tires or broken body panels and we end up with lost laps or DNFs.” he added, showing his and the team’s frustrations.
Look for some changes with the team come 2009.
Scott Steckly of Milverton maintained his lead atop the series’ standings recording his fourth win of the season after wrestling the lead from Ayr’s Don Thomson, Jr. on lap 247 then outdistancing Mt Albert’s Kerry Micks to the finish line. Thomson finished third followed by Barrie, Ontario drivers John Gaunt and Mark Dilley to round out the top five.
The race was slowed by 14 caution flag periods for accidents and debris on the race track and was halted for a serious crash when several cars including the Dodges of Dave Whitlock and Derek Lynch along with Fitzpatrick tangled on the front stretch on lap 238. The impact of the melee sent Whitlock’s Dodge onto its roof but fortunately the driver escaped without any injuries.
Prepared By Ken Spencer - HB Motorsports
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