2024 Sunset Speedway - APC United Late Model

2024 marks the tenth season of the very successful United Racing Series.

The 2024 APC United Late Model championship kicks off on the Victoria Day weekend at Sunset Speedway with a race called the Dayco 100. In early June, the teams make the first of two stops at Flamboro Speedway for the Spectra Premium 100. In the middle of June, the Peterborough 100 is held at Peterborough Speedway. On the Canada Day weekend, drivers compete at Delaware Speedway during the NTN BCA 100. The next race sees the championship make its final appearance at Flamboro Speedway for the London Recreational Racing 100. Then in early August teams compete at Sauble Speedway. Round seven, called the Stewart's / Kubota 200, will take place at Sunset Speedway. The penultimate event of 2024 is at Sauble Speedway and is titled the Stewart's / Kubota 100. Titles are determined on September 7th at Delaware Speedway in Castrol's Great Canadian 300.

The series rules remain unchanged from last season, with the cars constructed to specifications and controls common to most stock car series. The chassis is a tube frame covered with fiberglass bodies. A car can weigh as much as 2800-lbs depending on the engine choice. Crate motors from General Motors (GM 604 & GM 602) and Ford (347) are used in the series. Competitors use a spec tire from American Racer and Bilstein A2 shock absorbers to regulate expenses. There are also rules restricting the options for transmissions, ignition components, body material, brakes, etc.

To determine the starting order of the race, drivers participate in a qualifying session. The five fastest qualifiers selected starting positions one through five during a random draw. Before each race, the cars receive a technical inspection and are impounded until the start of the event.

A new restart procedure was introduced in 2023 by series officials for the APC United Late Model and Dayco Super Stock divisions called the 'choose rule.' On restarts, competitors are allowed to choose their lane. Their selection may be determined by the condition of the track, how many cars are ahead of them or the handling of their vehicle. If a driver changes their choice after the designated 'choose spot,' they must start from the rear of the field.

A special announcement for this season is the NTN BCA Bearings Triple Crown. Three marquee events, held at August 3rd at Sauble Speedway (150 laps), August 10th at Sunset Speedway (200 laps) and September 7th at Delaware Speedway (300 laps). The three-race mini-series has a prize fund of $15,000. First place pays $3,500, second $2,500, third $2,000 and fourth thru tenth $1,000.

Round seven of the APC United Late Model Series was held at Sunset Speedway. Drivers would compete on Sunset Speedway's 0.333-mile banked asphalt oval for two hundred laps.

This event was the second race in the NTN BCA Triple Crown. At the midpoint of the Stewart's and Kubota 200, competitors had the option of staying on the track or pitting to make minor adjustments.

Nineteen drivers line up on Sunset Speedway's back straight for the Stewart's and Kubota 200. The original entry list had twenty entries; however, Jake Sheridan lost an engine in practice. On the pole is rookie Cole Quinton, who qualified second fastest in the No. 18 SPIRA Chevrolet SS. Sharing the front row with Quinton is Josh Stade, driving the No. 17 Pioneer Toyota Camry. Behind the leaders are Jr Farrelly and Jo Lawrence.

For the fourth time this season, Josh Stade started on the front row of a Late Model event at Sunset Speedway. Stade has always been fast at Sunset but plagued with issues; however, that was not the case in round seven. The driver of the No. 17 Pioneer Toyota Camry qualified third fastest and started on the outside of the front row. He stayed in contention during the race. On lap 103, Stade took the lead and held the spot to the checker.

Finishing in the runner-up spot, 2.476 seconds behind the winner, Josh Stade, was the points leader, Kyle Steckly. During qualifying, Steckly recorded the sixth fastest time in the No. 22 APC Auto Parts Centres Chevrolet SS. He hoped for a top-five result to collect some solid points, as Sunset Speedway is not one of his better tracks. After the midpoint, he was in second place but could not challenge Stade, so he finished second.

Round seven would be Danny Benedict's second APC race of the year. It was held at his home track, Sunset Speedway. In the spring, Benedict finished seventh, driving the No. 54 North Country Chevrolet SS. He qualified in fourteenth place for the series' second visit to Sunset. At the drop of the green, Benedict began his march to the front and, by lap 64, was in the lead. He chose to pit at the midpoint but charged back for a third-place result.

The 2020 APC United Late Model champion, Jo Lawrence, joined the new Elite Racing Team for 2024 in the No. 78 Ford Fusion. Some of the team's early outings were disappointing, but by round four at Delaware Speedway, he earned a runner-up result. Lawrence was gridded fourth for the Stewart's and Kubota 200. He remained in contention during the race, running as high as second, but ultimately finished in fourth.

It appears that Blair Wickett's luck has turned around. The No. 97 Ry-Matt Mini Storage Ford Mustang driver has always been quick but equally unlucky. Wickett's record includes five top-five finishes in 2024, which includes a second and third. At Sunset Speedway, he qualified on the pole and, after the invert, would start fifth. In the second half of the race, Wickett was in third but lost spots to Danny Benedict and Jo Lawrence to finish fifth.

Rookie points leader Cole Quinton drives the No. 18 SPIRA Chevrolet SS. To date, he has two top-10 finishes at his home track, Flamboro Speedway. Quinton was second fastest when the series made its second stop at Sunset Speedway. After the inversion, he started the race on the pole and led the first fifty-four laps of the contest. At the break, Quinton was third but slid down the order and finished twelfth.

Standing in the center and collecting his second APC United Late Model Series victory is Josh Stade. In the previous round, he finished a disappointing tenth at Sauble Speedway, his home track. The decision was made to cut off the back half of the car and redo it, which obviously paid off. On the left is the reigning champion and points leader, Kyle Steckly, who finished in the runner-up spot. Completing the top three is Danny Benedict.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS
1	2	Josh Stade	Pioneer / Toyota Camry	200
2	6	Kyle Steckly	APC Auto Parts Centres / Chevrolet SS	200
3	12	Danny Benedict	North Country / Chevrolet SS	200
4	4	Jo Lawrence	Elite Racing Team / Ford Fusion	100
5	5	Blair Wickett	Ry-Matt Mini Storage / Ford Mustang	200
6	14	Shae Gemmell	APC Auto Parts Centres / Chevrolet SS	200
7	3	Jr Farrelly	Berne Workwear / Chevrolet SS	200
8	9	Taylor Holdaway	humberviewparts.ca / Chevrolet SS	199
9	11	Rick Spencer-Walt	Grassmere Construction / Ford Fusion	199
10	8	Ray Morneau	Liuna! / Ford Mustang	199
11	13	Shawn Chenoweth	London Recreation Racing / Chevrolet Camaro	199
12	1	Cole Quinton	SPIRA / Chevrolet SS	199
13	15	Lane Zardo	NTN-BCA / Chevrolet SS	199
14	17	Erik Dalla Riva	SDR Seating/Mike's Towing / Chevrolet SS	198
15	16	Kendra Adams	Mobil 1 / Chevrolet Camaro	198
16	10	Tyler Di Venanzo	Bremner Construction / Chevrolet Camaro	196
17	18	Kody Ferri	Team 10 Garage / Chevrolet Camaro	195
18	7	Connor Pritiko	Domus Developments / Chevrolet Camaro	102
19	19	Mike Bentley	Platinum Contracting / Ford Mustang	10
DNS	-	Jake Sheridan	Pride Seeds/Vibrent Farms / Ford Mustang	0

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