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The Steve Slaughter Classic marked the opening weekend for Sunset Speedway's 2025 season.
The bill included Junior Late Models, Mini Stocks, Super Stocks, Pro Late Models and the popular LUDUH Hot Rod division.
In addition to their appearance on the opening night the Hot Rods would compete eleven times at Sunset.
The cars competing in the Sunset 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 1984. No convertibles or front-wheel-drive vehicles can participate in this series. Changes to the rules in the off-season included the addition of pick-up trucks and an increase in the eligible year range from 1974 to 1984. The Hot Rods must have a stock roof, grill, and tail, while 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 results from two heat races on the 0.333-mile asphalt oval would determine the starting order for the thirty-lap LUDUH Hot Rod feature event.
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Starting on the pole for the opening round of the LUDUH Hot Rods at the Steve Slaughter Classic was Steve Book in the No. 47B 1960 Studebaker Hawk. Gridded on the outside of Book is the No. 74 1965 Rambler Ambassador driven by Herb Walters. The second row is occupied by third-place starter Rob Bromley in the No. 8 1972 Dodge Challenger and the No. 2 1966 Pontiac Beaumont driven by Tyler Hawn. |
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Last year, under similar circumstances, Herb Walters was victorious in race one of the LUDUH Hot Rod series, driving the No. 74 1965 Rambler Ambassador. This year, the car owner, Tom Walters, put his cousin Herb in the seat. In the first heat race of the season, he finished second to Steve Book and won the final qualifier. Walters started the feature on the outside of the front row and moved to the front early for the win. |
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The No. 74B 1960 Studebaker Hawk is piloted by Steve Book. The three-time OSCAAR Hot Rod champion joined the category in 2018. At the Steve Slaughter Classic, Book won the opening heat and finished third in the second qualifier. The combined results placed him on the pole for the feature. Early in the race, Book ran side by side with Herb Walters. However, Walters grabbed the lead and Book finished second by a margin of 1.124 seconds. |
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Tyler Hawn finished third in the first LUDUH Hot Rod event of the season. Hawn has competed in the class since its inception in 2017. He has four OSCAAR Hot Rod titles, with his most recent coming last year. Over the Winter, the team removed the 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo body and replaced it with the chassis' original 1966 Pontiac Beaumont metal. In the round one feature, Hawn was gridded fourth and passed Rob Bromley during the contest for a third. |
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Josh Berry made his debut in the Hot Rod division. He was Sunset Speedway's 2024 Bone Stock champion. Berry raced the No. 22 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle. The qualifiers proved challenging for Berry. He finished last in heat one and contact in the second forced him to retire early. The crew worked hard to make the feature. Berry started last but advanced during the thirty-lap contest and took the checkered flag in fourth place. |
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Standing on the right side is the LUDUH Hot Rods opening round winner at the Steve Slaughter Classic, Herb 'The Cheque Casher' Walters. Walters' previous victory came at last year's Steve Slaughter Classic. Beside Walters is his cousin Tom Walters. The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer owns the No. 74 1965 Rambler Ambassador. He surrendered the Rambler to Herb while he recovered from eye surgery. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Herb Walters | 1965 Rambler Ambassador | 30 | - |
| 2 | 1 | Steve Book | 1960 Studebaker Hawk | 30 | - |
| 3 | 4 | Tyler Hawn | 1966 Pontiac Beaumont | 30 | - |
| 4 | 8 | Josh Berry | 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle | 30 | - |
| 5 | 3 | Rob Bromley | 1972 Dodge Challenger | 30 | - |
| 6 | 6 | Jay Cutting | 1964 Ford Falcon | 30 | - |
| 7 | 5 | Luke Gignac | 1964 Dodge Polara | 29 | - |
| 8 | 7 | Ben McPherson | 1965 Pontiac Parisienne | 28 | - |
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