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Now in its thirty-third year, the Ontario Stock Car Association of Asphalt Racers
(OSCAAR) is responsible for sanctioning two divisions: Modified and Hot Rod.
On November 1, 2022, it was announced that OSCAAR had merged with the United Racing Series. The relationship increases OSCAAR’s resources and allows the United Racing Series to expand its brand and footprint in motorsports. In other news, Knightworks Design signed on as the title sponsor for the Hot Rod division. The championship has been renamed the Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod Series. Eleven races are on the 2023 Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod schedule.
The cars competing in the championship are constructed to specifications and rules common to most stock car series. What makes the Hot Rod division unique are the makes and models that compete in the division. The cars must be North American, have a steel body and have been produced between 1949 and 1974. No pickup trucks, convertibles or front-wheel-drive vehicles can participate in this series. The Hot Rods must have a stock roof, grill, tail and the rest of the body panels can be fabricated from 22-gauge sheet steel but must retain a stock appearance. Many other rules governing this class are for safety and to keep the costs down. The opening round of the 2023 Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod was held at Flamboro Speedway. The forty-six-lap event around the 1/3-mile semi-banked asphalt oval was named the Bill Zardo Memorial.
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Bill Zardo’s family members were on hand at Flamboro and did a lap of the track before the Hot Rod feature with his 1971 Plymouth Superbird. Zardo is a member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. He retired in 2001 but returned to racing in 2022 at 80-years of age to compete in the OSCAAR Hot Rod division. The driver, who has much history at Flamboro, passed away on December 13 while preparing to work on his race car. |
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The pace lap for round one of the 2023 Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod Series at Flamboro Speedway. At the head of the twenty-car field for the forty-six-lap Bill Zardo Memorial are the No. 93 1969 Chevrolet Camaro of Jerry Broom and J.R. Fitzpatrick driving the No. 64 Chevrolet Camaro. On the inside of row two is the No. 6 1972 AMC Javelin driven by Steve Bromley and Steve Book in the No. 47 1960 Studebaker Hawk. |
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Cole Weber made it three wins in a row at Flamboro Speedway. Weber driving the No. 9 1964 Rambler Ambassador, grabbed a pair of third-place results in his heat races and was gridded sixth for the feature. He moved into the lead on lap-8 but was soon under pressure from Tyler Hawn. After Hawn retired, Weber had to deal with Dalen Martin. Martin moved into first for two laps, but Weber was back in front at the checkered flag. |
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The No. 26 1971 Ford Mustang was driven by Dalen Martin. Martin scored a win in his first heat and collected a runner-up result in the second contest. He was gridded seventh for the feature; however, an incident on the opening lap required a visit to the pits. Martin restarted from the rear and began his charge. He caught and passed the leader, Cole Weber, on the thirty-first circuit but could not hold the spot and finished second. |
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Three-time OSCAAR Hot Rod champion, Steve Book, drove the No. 47 1960 Studebaker Hawk. Book opened the season with second and fifth-place finishes in his heat races and lined up fourth for the Bill Zardo Memorial. Early in the event, he chased J.R. Fitzpatrick but was eventually passed by Cole Weber and Tyler Hawn. With two laps remaining, Book started putting pressure on Dalen Martin but had to settle for a third place. |
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To add some excitement to the feature, the family of Bill Zardo offered an incentive for drivers gridded at the front of the field to start from the rear. On the line was $600 for a win, $400 for a second and $200 for a third-place finish. Second-place qualifier, Trevor Thompson, accepted the challenge in the No. 00 1971 Chevrolet Camaro and started the forty-six-lap contest in twentieth place. Thompson finished fourth. |
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The 2018 and 2022 APC Late Model Champion, J.R. Fitzpatrick, competed at Flamboro Speedway in the Late Model and OSCAAR Hot Rod divisions. He drove Chris Howse’s Late Model and collected first and third-place results. In the Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod event, Fitzpatrick piloted the No. 64 1974 Chevrolet Camaro, previously driven by Steve Book, and finished sixth in the feature. |
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Tyler Hawn was the 2017 and 2018 Knightworks Design OSCAAR Hot Rod championship in the No.2 1966 Pontiac Beaumont. Two weeks earlier, he won the season opener for the LUDUH Hot Rod series at Sunset Speedway. Hawn earned first and fourth-place finishes at Flamboro in his heat races and started the feature in the fifth spot. By lap-8, he was in second, but a flat and mechanical issue led to his retirement. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Cole Weber | 1964 Rambler Ambassador | 46 | - |
| 2 | 7 | Dalen Martin | 1971 Ford Mustang | 46 | - |
| 3 | 4 | Steve Book | 1960 Studebaker Hawk | 46 | - |
| 4 | 20 | Trevor Thompson | 1971 Chevrolet Camaro | 46 | - |
| 5 | 1 | Jerry Broom | 1969 Chevrolet Camaro | 46 | - |
| 6 | 2 | J.R. Fitzpatrick | 1970 Chevrolet Camaro | 46 | - |
| 7 | 11 | Donny Beatty | 1974 Chevrolet Camaro | 46 | - |
| 8 | 12 | Dave Evison Sr. | 1964 Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova | 30 | - |
| 9 | 16 | Jeremy McLean | 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle | 30 | - |
| 10 | 8 | Jeremy Taggart | 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air | 45 | - |
| 11 | 9 | Kyle Woods | 1954 Packard Super Clipper Panama | 45 | - |
| 12 | 19 | Matt Spry | 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle | 45 | - |
| 13 | 18 | Dan Rothwell | 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 40 | - |
| 14 | 13 | Nick Holman | 1969 Chevrolet Camaro | 37 | - |
| 15 | 17 | Bill Clarke | 1965 Pontiac Parisienne | 34 | - |
| 16 | 5 | Tyler Hawn | 1966 Pontiac Beaumont | 29 | - |
| 17 | 15 | Ryan Cowan | 1959 Pontiac Bonneville | 25 | - |
| 18 | 10 | Nick Clarke | 1969 Ford Mustang | 19 | - |
| 19 | 14 | Connor Ellis | 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle | 7 | - |
| 20 | 3 | Rob Bromley | 1972 AMC Javelin | 2 | - |
| - | - | Brian Wilson | 1970 Chevrolet Camaro | - | Did Not Start |
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