Rick Spencer-Walt Scores Seventh Feature Victory of 2017
Taking the lead in the early stages of the second 35-lap feature on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway, Rick Spencer-Walt led the rest of the way en route to scoring his seventh feature victory of the 2017 campaign as part of a busy weekend that saw him race both days in two different cars.
Spencer-Walt started off Saturday night at Sunset Speedway qualifying seventh for the first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model feature. From there, he would move up to sixth in the early stages, moving up to fifth by the first caution with 23 laps to go. Restarting inside the top-five, he remained fifth through the next pair of cautions, before getting alongside Danny Benedict for fourth on Lap 22, and completing the pass a couple laps later. He would try and chase down the top-three in the final stages, but wasn’t able to as he crossed the finish line in the fourth position.
Starting fourth for the second 35-lapper, he would move into the third spot off the drop of the green flag, before passing Danny Benedict to move up into second on Lap 4. He then tracked down Jordan Latimer for the lead, getting alongside him for the top spot on Lap 7, and completing the pass three laps later. From there on, he put together a string of solid laps, continuing to stretch out his advantage over the feature until the lone caution flew with three laps to go. He would get a good restart, holding off a late charge from Benedict, to score his fifth NWAAS and seventh overall feature victory of the season.
While it seemed like an easy road to victory, Spencer-Walt admitted that wasn’t the case in victory lane.
“In qualifying, we had the MSD wires melting on us so we didn’t get the qualifying run we wanted, starting us back in the first one,” he said. “I tried to keep myself off the curb in both ends and Jr (Hanley) has this car turning so good that I could get on the curb and then screw the laps up. That was a good session right there to be out front and lead a bunch of laps because I was able to learn something about the track and find a better line for me.”
Although already busy with the late model, Spencer-Walt performed double duty on Saturday as he jumped behind the wheel of the No. 02 Legend for Grassroots Racing. Adopting to a whole new style of car, he finished seventh in both of his qualifying heats. Starting tail of the feature as a rookie, he got faster with each lap behind the wheel, beginning to make up track position, before going around for a spin in turn two on Lap 20. Restarting tail of the field with 10 to go, he was able to make up some ground, crossing the finish line in 16th. Special thanks to Andrew McFadden for the opportunity.
Then on Sunday, he made the trip up to Sauble Speedway to take part in the Battle of the Beach behind the wheel of his familiar No. 31 Late Model. Starting on pole following time trials and the invert, he would lead over half of the feature, before getting turned in turn two by Brandon Watson. Restarting tail of the lead lap cars, he began to make up ground, before being involved in a second incident. Restarting once again at the back, he battled his way to a sixth-place finish by the checkered flag.
The top-fives continue to add to this season’s results, though, marking 11 podium finishes in 21 features this season. Notably, the team has now posted six straight top-four finishes at Sunset Speedway heading into a two-week break for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Late Models.
Walt Motorsports is proud to be supported by Gohydrovac.ca, Jim Wilson Chevrolet, Frame Shop Huntsville, Auto Trim Design, Heidis RV, HOTC, Greensteelroof.ca, Crowe Bros, RCP Dyno and Tuning, Speedy Auto Machine, Bent by Kent, SportsClip, Pizzaville Alcona, Speedy Glass Orilla, EPIC Racewear, Byer’s Equipment, and Orser Technical Services.
Keep up with Rick Spencer-Walt and Spencer-Walt Motorsports by liking their facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Walt-Motorsports/524817640964689?fref=ts and following Rick Spencer-Walt on twitter at
https://twitter.com/Rwalt31.
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