LONDON, Ontario — Running on both Friday and Saturday this past weekend to celebrate Canada’s birthday, it was experience in victory lane in the pair of Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod features as part of OSCAAR Nationals presented by JRS Auctions.

Steve McCaw won the first JRS Auctions heat on Friday ahead of Tyler Hawn, Jeremy Taggart, Jo Lawrence, Robb Starr, Connor Ellis, Bill Clarke, Ryan Cowan and Jamie Cairns.

Dalen Martin was victorious in the second qualifier in front of Cole Weber, Steve Book, Matt Hopkins, Rob Bromley, Jerry Broom, Dave Evison, Kyle Woods, and Nick Clarke.

A strong qualifying effort alongside the series invert allowed Dalen Martin to start inside the top-five. He wasted no time making his way forward, putting the No. 26 Mustang out front in the early stages of the feature. From there, he drove away from the field en route to picking up the checkered flag in McColl Racing Enterprises victory lane.

Steve McCaw started eighth, and got stuck behind traffic two-wide ahead in the first half of the feature. Though as the field strung out, he was able to thread his way through for a runner-up finish in his series debut. Tyler Hawn rounded out the podium with Steve Book and Mat Hopkins completing the top-five.

Jeremy Taggart had much better luck this year at Delaware Speedway, picking up a sixth in front of Rob Bromley, Cole Weber, Jerry Broom, and Jo Lawrence. David Rockwood was 11^th, followed by Robb Starr, Nick Clarke, Ryan Cowan, Jamie Cairns, Connor Ellis, Kyle Woods, Bill Clarke, Jordan Morris, and David Evison. Notably, there were several drivers with mechanical issues throughout the event as six drivers failed to finish the event.

Returning back to the track on Saturday, all of the drivers returned with hopes of either carrying their momentum forward, or turning around their luck from the opening night.

Jeremy Taggart kept his good times rolling with a trip to victory lane in the first JRS Auctions heat ahead of Rob Bromley, Steve Book, Matt Hopkins, Ryan Cowan, Robb Starr, Jeremy McLean, Connor Ellis, and Douglas Fischer.

Dalen Martin kept adding win stickers with a victory in the second qualifier Cole Weber, Tyler Hawn, Nick Clarke, Jordan Morris, David Rockwood, Dave Evison, Kyle Woods, and Bill Clarke.

Despite starting eighth, Dalen Martin began his march forward in the feature to the front just like the night before. He was able to take the lead relatively quickly, once again distancing himself from the field at the checkered flag. though following technical inspection, he was found illegal with the win taken away.

Tyler Hawn’s consistency over the weekend, as well as holding off Cole Weber’s late-race charge in the late stages paid off, as he got to visit McColl Racing Enterprises victory lane at the end of the night. Rob Bromley made it two podiums in three races with a third, while Mat Hopkins and David Rockwood rounded out the top-five.

Robb Starr put together one of his best series performances to date with a sixth, in front of Steve Book, Dave Evison, Jeremy Taggart, and Ryan Cowan. Connor Ellis fought mechanical gremlins for an 11^th, ahead of Bill Clarke, Jordan Morris, Douglas Fisher, Nick Clarke, Kyle Woods, and Dalen Martin.

The next event for the Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rods is at Full Throttle Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 15.

ABOUT UNITED RACING SERIES: The United Racing Series debuted in 2015, and immediately drew attention from around the province with the formation of the APC United Late Model Series. Fans, drivers, and sponsors alike were left wanting more after a wildly successful inaugural season that saw the championship battle come down to the final laps. The series that took Ontario by storm has continued to grow for years and has brought Late Model racing in Ontario to what it truly should be. The United Racing Series is also the home of the Qwick Wick Super Stock Series and the OSCAAR Modified and Hot Rod Series. The goal of the United Racing Series continues to bring out top talent and create a racing atmosphere that is one of a kind. http://www.unitedracingseries.com .

ABOUT OSCAAR: OSCAAR has been bringing excitement to race fans across Ontario since 1990 currently featuring the open wheel ground pounding OSCAAR Modifieds and one of the Provinces fastest growing series, the OSCAAR Hot Rods which is a throwback series featuring full steel bodied cars from 1952 – 1975. In November 2022 OSCAAR has merged with the United Racing Series.

Race Report by Ashley McCubbin