SERIES

Five Different Winners Highlight First Half Of Ontario Touring Series

Story by Bryce Turner and Ashley McCubbin has been a long-time coming for one of the hottest drivers in the APC Series. Jake Sheridan entered the year with a best points finish of third, coming back in his 2018 rookie season, and had just one win to his credit. He admitted that it’d been a rough couple of years, where he felt like the team couldn’t catch a break.

Success

But this season has been a different story, especially in recent races. The Mt. Brydges, ON racer recorded the most points of any driver in the last three races and notched his second series victory. A brake pedal problem limited Sheridan to a fourth-place finish at Peterborough Speedway, where he still saw the race as a turning point for his season.

In the next event, at Delaware Speedway, he started seventh and began to move his way forward in the first quarter of the race. However, under a Lap 24 caution, he was one of two drivers to not pick his lane accordingly per the “choose procedures,” which were added to the series in 2023 to resemble the NASCAR national divisions.

“It was the first time we were running that system, with the cone on there and choosing like that, so unfortunately we caught a piece of it and we ended up going to the back,” said Sheridan. “Had a couple of long green flag runs and we had a really good handling race car in (turns) three and four and were able to take advantage of the choose rule on restarts in the rest of the race.”

Sheridan’s methodical climb through the field saw him reach the top-ten just before the halfway mark, before running fifth after 56 laps. The steady climb continued, as the No. 52 Late Model took over second, just nine laps later, and began closing the gap to the leader.

Sheridan reeled in Kyle Steckly, passing him for the lead on Lap 81. Following a late caution, with eight laps to go, he was able to hold off Jo Lawrence for the victory.

“(Steckly) was fast and we had to catch him from about a straightaway back,” said Sheridan. “Most of our passes were under green, so it wasn’t handed to us…(Lawrence) and (J.R. Fitzpatrick) were coming hard, we were able to hold them off. We had a really good piece to the end and to do that, coming from the back, was pretty cool.”

Sheridan’s first series win since 2021 also came at his home track, where he already visited victory lane in weekly competition on opening night.

“That’s a track that means a lot to me and my family’s racing history,” said Sheridan. “To do that there was just extra special. But to be back in APC Series victory lane, especially this year...there’s a lot of competition out there, a lot of good race cars and new equipment out there, so to do that now is just a testament to our program.”

The series then visited Flamboro Speedway, where Sheridan finished second, after recording a season-worst eighth place result at the track in race two.

“To make a good points day out of it was what we were after,” said Sheridan. “We really didn’t do that well the first time around…to tidy that up and to run like that against the field of cars that we did says a lot. To be up there with (Fitzpatrick) throughout the race was special.”

Sheridan says the key to contending for the championship will be to keep on top of their maintenance program, have the best prepared car possible and pick and choose their battles to get solid finishes. He’s looking forward to the next race, at Sauble Speedway, where he recorded his first career victory and enjoys the track.

Peterborough And Delaware

The third round of the season saw the APC Series visit Peterborough Speedway. Blair Wickett led early before Kyle Steckly made the pass on Lap 15. The Milverton, ON driver led the rest of the way to score the victory; he now owns a win in each of the three season he’s competed in. Jo Lawrence, Danny Benedict, Jake Sheridan and Shawn Chenoweth rounded out the top-five.

Next up was a Canada Day appearance at Delaware Speedway. Josh Stade led the first quarter of the race before Steckly took the spot. Steckly controlled the race until 20 to go, when Sheridan made the pass, after coming from behind. Sheridan took the win, ahead of Lawrence, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Steckly and Shae Gemmell.

Flamboro Speedway

It may have happened a day later than originally scheduled, but it does not mean the excitement was any less for the fans that attended the 100-lap London Recreational Racing 100 at Flamboro Speedway.

Gemmell, a past Grisdale Triple Crown champion, started on the front row and battled for the lead at the drop of the green flag. He took the top spot at lap seven, though he was unable to drive away from the field. He would be challenged for the spot by Fitzpatrick on Lap 30, relinquishing the lead.

The veteran faded to as low as third, but kept himself in the thick of the battle, taking the runner-up spot with just 15 laps left on the board. He then inherited the lead when Fitzpatrick had issues with eight laps to go, holding off Sheridan on the final restart for the victory. Sheridan broke into the top-five at Lap 23, remaining there throughout the race, to back up his Delaware victory with a runner-up finish. Wickett looked to put his mechanical gremlins in the rear-view mirror, as he rounded out the podium, in front of Lawrence and Stade.

The 2023 season has been full of parity, with five different winners in the first five races for the first time in series history. Meanwhile, it’s a non-winner in Lawrence who has a slim advantage in the standings, leading Sheridan by just one point.

Benedict sits third in the standings, seven points back, followed by Steckly and Fitzpatrick, tied at 13 points behind. Gemmell and Stade are also tied, but 22 points back.

Qwick Wick Super Stock Series

The Qwick Wick Super Stock Series began its 2023 season at Peterborough Speedway, where Shawn Chenoweth controlled much of the 50-lap race. Chenoweth led the first 36 laps before his day ended early. Carson Nagy inherited the lead, after running as far back as eighth; he led the remaining laps to score his second series victory. Lane Zardo, Miles Tyson, Gord Shepherd and Chase Pinsonneault rounded out the top-five.

Next up was Delaware Speedway, where Trevor Collver grabbed the lead on lap 5, stretching his advantage with each of the 45 laps that followed. The lack of cautions worked in his benefit as the drivers behind were unable to reel him in, with Collver visiting victory lane.

The battle for second was another story, as it came down to the wire. Nagy made his way to third on Lap 35 and reeled in Chenoweth over the next couple of laps, though he was unable to find a way underneath him. This allowed Zardo to challenge back for the spot.

The persistence from Nagy paid off, as he made his move with a couple laps remaining, passing Chenoweth on the last lap for the runner-up spot. Zardo and Pete Vanderwyst rounded out the top-five. At Flamboro Speedway, Brandon McFerran started on pole and paced the field for the complete distance en route to his first series win. Notably, it marks his second crown jewel victory at Flamboro after winning Frostoberfest last season. It was also much needed for the No. 56S, after mechanical issues plagued him in the first two events. Zardo, Chenoweth, Nagy and Ryan Dyson rounded out the top-five. Nagy leads in the standings by three points over Zardo. IT