Thursday, May 9, 2019

Throwback CANADA: Late race crash gives Zachary Fitzwater first last-place finish in Series first race at Circuit ICAR

Zachary Fitzwater picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Tim Hortons Canadian Series career in the Season 1 Grand Prix ICAR at Circuit ICAR when his #84 Schick Hydro Chevrolet was involved in a multi-car crash after completing 6 of the 8 laps.

The finish came in his 2nd career series start. After the league had been rebranded into the SCRL, Fitzwater was one of thirty five drivers that signed on to compete to see who would be the first ever champion. In his first ever start, Fitzwater made history, starting on the pole and leading every single lap to become the series first ever winner and was looking to become the first ever back-to-back winner in series history as the series visited the 2.113 mile road course at Circuit ICAR.

On race day, Fitzwater would roll off the field starting in the final spot. A slippery track caused for the race to be slowed by two cautions, one of which forcing the race to be extended two laps by way of the Green, White, Checkered(GWC) rule. With all thirty cars still running, Fitzwater had remained in last the entire race and was trailing the field when the drivers took the green and entering Turn 1, a pileup happened, causing Fitzwater to run into the back of another car, most likely the #97 Vannini Motorsports Ford of Evan Rudd, damaging the radiator, and forcing Fitzwater to pull into the pits and then the garage just before the white flag was flown, his car unable to complete the race.

Finishing 29th was the #29 Bonzai Racing Dodge of Dinkdrinker, himself getting a damaged car and unable to complete the final two laps. 28th was the #22 Canadian Tire / MotoMaster Dodge of Derrick Edison, damaged as well and unable to complete the final lap, but did limp around to cross the start/finish line to be running at the end. Finishing 27th was the #7 Hy-Tech Drilling / National Exhaust Dodge of Jay Barker, who limped around to be running at the finish, but was also two laps down.

Rounding out the Bottom Five as the last car on the lead lap was the aforementioned #97 of Evan Rudd.

Fitzwater would go the rest of the season without another win or last-place finish and would finish 18th in points. Fitzwater's brightest days were coming as he has collected 10 career wins at the time this blog is being posted and has collected two championships, winning the Season 3 SCRL Rainbow Dash Truck Series title and just won the Season 7 IROC Series Championship

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #84 had finished last in the Canadian Series as well as at ICAR.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
30) #84-Zachary Fitzwater / 6 laps / crash
29) #29-Dinkdrinker / 6 laps / crash
28) #22-Derrick Edison / 6 laps / running
27) #7-Jay Barker / 6 laps / running
26) #97-Evan Rudd / 8 laps / running

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