Tuesday, March 19, 2019

CANADA: Late race wreck knocks Nick Kennedy out at Motoplex; tied with Max Anderson and Tony Newman for most last-place finishes

Nick Kennedy picked up the 2nd last place finish of his SCRL Tim Hortons Canadian Series career in the Season 2 A&W Cruisin' the Dub 300 at the Motoplex Speedway & Event Park when his #18 Dr. Tint / FRS Dodge was involved in a multi-car crash after 22 of the 30 laps.

The finish, which came in his 17th career start, was his first on the circuit since March 13, 2017, the Season 1 GP3R 100 at Circuit de Trois-Rivieres when he was involved in a multi-car crash without completing any of the 15 laps, 9 races ago.  In the SCRL Tim Hortons Canadian Series, it's the 1st for car #18 and the 10th from a crash. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 5th for the #18 and the 207th from a crash.

Nick Kennedy is one of the most successful drivers in the five year history of the SCRL, having 11 career wins in various series, being one of only two drivers to win three races in a row, and being a former champion in the SCRL Red Bull Formula One Series, but was still looking for his first Canadian Series win. Having competed in Season 1 where he scored a best finish of 3rd at Motoplex and Riverside and finishing 5th in points, Kennedy signed up to compete in Season 2 to try and end his winless streak. Kennedy's Season 2 started off with a 16th at CTMP, 15th at ICAR, 30th at CTMP Oval and 4th at Delaware in the last round.

On race day, Kennedy would roll off the field starting 22nd while starting last was the #94 Carquest Canada Dodge of Rocco Twyman, but Twyman wouldn't stay there for long as the #69 Lake Excavating / EMCO Waterworks Dodge of Ty Dent took the final spot in Turn 1 and would trail for the first lap before he knocked the #15 Bill Mathews Motors Ford of Bafode Sacko into the final spot on Lap 2, but it was the next lap that Kennedy would entered the battle on Lap 3. Kennedy wasn't going to go down without a fight, as he too remained in last for only one lap, passing CTMP last-place finisher the #71 L'Equipeur Dodge of Brian Fox into the final spot.

Fox would remain in last for two laps before the #47 WeatherTech Canada / Bellemare Dodge of Eddie Wycombe entered the battle on Lap 7. Wycombe was again last for only one lap as the #17 Castrol Edge / Mahindra Tractors Dodge of Carter Friesen took the final spot on Lap 8. Friesen would keep a hold of the final spot till Lap 16 when the #60 Mopar / Mobil 1 Dodge of Samet Ozkan took the last spot when he was forced to pit due to damage and he was trailing the field by a full lap when the battle quickly ended. As Ozkan was trying to head into the pits, he overshot and slide up the track right in front of the #90 Veloce / Battery Expert Dodge of Marko Tellez as Tellez's front end was destroyed and as his car traveled up the track, Kennedy had nowhere to go and was collected. Both cars were able to limp back around to the pits and into the garage, with Kennedy being scored as having completed 22 laps and Tellez one more by crossing the start/finish line, but it wasn't until three laps to go that Ozkan finally kncked both drivers into the final spots, while Ozkan limped home to finish 25th.

Rounding out the Bottom Five were the #47 of Eddie Wycombe and the #94 of Rocco Twyman, both who had been involved in the same crash, were one lap behind to the race leaders.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #18 has finished last in a SCRL Tim Hortons Canadian Series race as well at Motoplex.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
27) #18-Nick Kennedy / 22 laps / crash
26) #90-Marko Tellez / 23 laps / crash
25) #60-Samet Ozkan / 26 laps / running
24) #47-Eddie Wycombe / 29 laps / running
23) #94-Rocco Twyman / 29 laps / running

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