The finish, which came in his 29th start, was his first on the circuit since the Season 3 Virginia 500 at the Martinsville Speedway when he was involved in a multi-car crash after 2 of the 50 laps, 18 races ago. In the SCRL NASCAR Legends Series, it's the 4th for car #8 and the 4th for camshaft issues. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 15th for the #8 and the 31st for camshaft issues.
Fitzwater is one of the most longest active and most successful drivers in the five year history of the SCRL, having picked up 11 career wins and is a former two time champion, his first championship coming in Season 3 of the SCRL Rainbow Dash Truck Series and his most recent coming in Season 7 of the SCRL IROC Series. In his first race in his second ever Legends season, Fitzwater finished 13th at Riverside. In his only other start at Ontario in the SCRL, Fitzwater struggled as he was knocked out in a early crash, finishing 34th.
On race day, Fitzwater rolled off starting in 5th while starting last was the #21 60 Minute Cleaners Mercury Cyclone of Bryan McKayson, a spot he would hold for only one turn as he knocked the #68 Auto Specialists / Auto Lad Ford of Trevor Collins into the final spot, but it was Riverside race winner the #10 unsponsored Ford of Sammy Sabre Jr. who would trail for the first lap. Just as the field ran down the backstretch, Fitzwater's car began to smoke as he quickly pulled to the apron to get out of the way of the drivers in Turn 3. As he coasted into the pits, a chain reaction started as the #32 Bestline Products Plymouth of Derrick Edison was bumped from behind and pushed up into Sabre Jr., sending Edison for a wild flip before landing on all four wheels. Despite going farther then Edison, Fitzwater was scored in last while Edison was scored 41st.
Finishing in 40th was the aforementioned #10 of Sammy Sabre Jr., who limped around the track with severe right side damage, and while he finished a lap down, he was running at the finish. The remaining Bottom Five would finish on the same lap as the race leaders; 39th was the #64 Woodfield Ford of Josh Nixey and 38th was the #5 unsponsored Dodge of Logan Bueckert.
SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This marked the first SCRL NASCAR Legends Series last-place finish for the #8 at Ontario.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
42) #8-Zachary Fitzwater / 1 lap / camshaft
41) #32-Derrick Edison / 1 lap / crash
40) #10-Sammy Sabre Jr. / 19 laps / running
39) #65-Josh Nixey / 20 laps / running
38) #5-Logan Bueckert / 20 laps / running
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