Kennedy tops bruising Delaware race Tue, September 8, 2009
by JIM CRESSMAN
AUTO RACING: Hard-driving D.J. Kennington and Steve Robblee take each other out of the Total APC 200 Great Canadian RaceDELAWARE -- Brandon Watson couldn't even drive to Delaware Speedway.
But the 16-year-old with a beginner's licence for only four months has already learned to avoid trouble. And there was plenty during the Total APC 200 Great Canadian Race Sunday.
Only 19 of the 39 cars that took the green flag were around to take the checkers as the carnage began on lap six and continued until lap 189, when race leaders D.J. Kennington and Steve Robblee took themselves out on the backstretch.
From a $10,000 payday for the winner to only $300 for both. The beneficiary was Jesse Kennedy of Southwold, running third at the time of the wreck between Kennington and Robblee, who earlier in the day won his ninth track late model crown.
And Watson moved up for a second-place finish and took home $2,500, although dad drove back to Stayner.
This was just his second time at Delaware this season, the fourth in his three years of late model, but the longest and richest ($35,500) race he's been in.
"This is great, a big race and I usually don't finish that well here," Watson said. "I knew it was going to be a race where I'd have to try to keep my fenders clean and stay out of the wrecks and we did. You know it's going to happen because you've got a full field. You've just got to be patient."
Kennedy, who won this race in 2007, was driving a car owned by Dan Delisle of LaSalle after Kennedy's own car took a big hit two weeks ago.
"Dan said I could lease the car, 'but I'm going to gamble on you that you're going to win the race and we'll split the cash,' " Kennedy said.
"Unfortunately, the power steering went on lap 95, so I was manhandling it the rest of the day. I'm 40 now and hadn't driven a car without power steering in 15 years. I'm pretty much wore out.
"We're going to split the winnings and with our half go fix our car. I saw that black flag used a few times today (for rough driving) and that's what needs to be used more to smarten these guys up."
Kennington and Robblee exchanged words in the pits before being separated by track officials.
"We had heated words, but after we cleared the air, everything is cool," Robblee said. "That's hard racing for 10 grand. He didn't want me to go by and I didn't want him to go by. Call it racing. I hated it for both of us because D.J. and I are friends.
"With (a ninth track title), I should be a lot more happy than I am right now. We didn't quite close the deal, but we went down swinging."
Kennington said it was a case of both drivers wanting to win but unwilling to give an inch.
"Steve Robblee and I are good friends. When you get racing hard, it gets tough. We both wanted to win it. He was having brake troubles and maybe he just should have relaxed for a second," Kennington said.
"I'll be the first to admit I moved Jesse to get the lead back (on lap 187). I love racing Delaware, I had a lot of fun today and I hope the fans enjoyed it."
Kennington has three more NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races, where he's second in points, then closes out his season with six NASCAR Nationwide races.
Rob Clarke of London was third. Fourth-place finisher Ron Sheridan of Mt. Brydges was earlier denied his first track championship.
"You've got to come into the last race more than three points ahead of Steve Robblee," he said.
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