DURHAM, Ontario — While OSCAAR was unable to race at Full Throttle Motor Speedway last year as a result of rain, the series has a long-standing history with the Durham, Ontario oval. As we countdown the days until the 2017 season opener, let’s take a glance back in time.
The series made their inaugural trip to what was known as Varney Speedway Motorplex at the time in July 2012. Familiar names found their way to the front, with Brent McLean scoring the win ahead of Gary McLean and Brian McLean. Davey Terry and Justin Demelo rounded out the top-five.
While there were five cautions throughout the event, it was either for a small spin or mechanical failure as no hard wrecks occurred throughout the 30-lap feature. Notably, six of the 17 drivers which started failed to finish.
The following year, the track was supposed to be home to a two-day Rick Woolner Memorial show. The first event was put in the books easily, while the second was postponed to Sunset Speedway a couple weeks later due to rain.
The first round saw Gary McLean lap the ¼-mile bull-ring in 12.575 seconds for the top spot ahead of Terry, Brent McLean and Monty Kelly. The odd qualifiers were then sent to heat one, while the even qualifiers ran heat two, with Gary McLean and Brian McLean victorious.
The feature that night once again came down to a battle among family, with Gary McLean winning this time around ahead of Brian McLean and Brent McLean. Terry got the honor of the first finisher behind them, with Monty Kelly fifth.
This event was only slowed down four times by caution, with one of those including on-track contact. In the end, most of the drivers finished with only five of the 18 failing to do so.
When the second half of the Rick Woolner Memorial was run at Sunset Speedway, Gary McLean picked up the victory to take the event win overall.
OSCAAR then spent a couple seasons away from Full Throttle Motor Speedway, before returning to the facility in 2015 with a pair of events.
The return in June saw a familiar name at the top of the speed charts in time trials as Gary McLean lapped the track this time in 12.494 seconds for the top spot ahead of David Balych, Shane Stickel, Terry and Ryan Dick.
Though when it came to the feature, it wasn’t the McLeans ruling the roost this time as Shane Stickel scored his first career OSCAAR victory ahead of Gary Elliott, Gary McLean, Chad Strawn and AJ Emms. The event ran cleanly, with only couple cautions to start followed by nothing for the second half of the event as Emms led the first 20 laps, before being passed by Stickel.
Heading back in September, it was a game of familiar faces up front with Gary McLean picking up the feature victory ahead of Cory Horner, Brian McLean, Emms, and Elliott. Horner led the first 17 laps in search of his first career series victory before being passed by the veteran. Oh, and McLean was once again pole sitter for the event, this time laying down a lap of 12.343 seconds.
With a third and first in the pair of events, McLean was deemed the overall event winner for the season.
As we get ready for the fifth OSCAAR Modified feature at Full Throttle Motor Speedway, it’s anybody guess as to whom will walk away victorious. Will we have a repeat winner, or someone new?
The track is also set to make history once again with OSCAAR, playing host the inaugural OSCAAR Hot Rod Series event, too. With two of OSCAAR’s top divisions partnered with seven of the track’s own, it’s bound to be weekend full of excitement.
Keep your eyes on the OSCAAR website as there will be more content coming as we near closer to the start of the 2017 season.
RELATED: Check out this YouTube playlist of the 2013 September qualifiers and feature at FTMS ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbjbz56SkAw&list=PLHyoIxZJRDuLhoU8nXI0FDlrQV26CpSBD
By: Ashley McCubbin
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