(BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA) Road racing is a bit of an abnormality for ASRS drivers, who spend most weeks turning left on tracks of various shapes and sizes, while each track is different the common ground is the left turns. Only once in 2016 ASRS drivers were presented with right turns, this week at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Justin Fuller and Jake Douglas brought the field of 22 to the green flag and to the first corner, a right hander, proved exciting for all drivers except for Fuller who pulled away. Fuller opened up a sizeable lead as many championship hopes were on the line for others including Barry Zellmer, Jason Stewart and Pete Baskins.
Fuller led the first 17 laps before the competition caution flew. Most of the drivers had pitted prior to the yellow flying, which set up a nine lap scramble to the finish of the race and the end of the regular season, as the Chase for the Championship begins in two weeks at Chicagoland Speedway.
The restart saw action as drivers slipped off the track, slid sideways and battled for position in the closing laps. One thing remained the same, Justin Fuller was putting on a road racing clinic at the front, it’s almost unfortunate the other drivers were struggling to keep up as they banged doors and ran off course.
The biggest move of the race came in the closing laps as Barry Zellmer and Jason Stewart battled for position on track, the two drivers entered the race separated by one point and were in line to send one of the two into the Chase field. Stewart went wide and Zellmer took advantage, making contact with Stewart’s #1.
The push was all Zellmer needed to ensure he made the Chase, as he drove away in his #17 Chevrolet. Stewart gathered it up but lost three positions in the late stages.
Fuller took the checkered flag, David Boden charged from 11th on the starting grid to finish second followed by last week’s winner at Michigan Tom Giannini, Kansas winner Bradley Cross was fourth while Jordan Harnish rounded out the top five.
The Chase for the Championship field is now set with Robby Baskins leading Jim Foose by nine points. Zack Calloway, Scott Haller, Jason Lindner, Shawn Musick, Justin Vaughn and Barry Zellmer all are 12 points behind, Jared Mogard and Jamie Vaughn round out the field of 10, 54 and 57 points behind respectively. Next up for the Camping World Truck Series, Chicagoland Speedway.