Hagersville, Ontario- September 3, 2018- Hathaway, as defending winner of the Inaugural Short Track Nationals at Jukasa Motor Speedway in 2017, was looking forward to a great repeat finish at the 2018 event this past weekend. After being fast all day, a flat tire ended Hathaway’s chances of a top place finish on Sunday night.
The #3 Kubota Chevrolet was fast right off the trailer. The team tuned on the car during the rain shortened practice in the early afternoon and Hathaway was pretty comfortable in the car.
The 42-car field was packed will some of the best late model short track talent that Canada and the US had to offer. With a $50,000 first place finish payout the Team came with their A-game and was well prepared.
Hathaway qualified 5th in the field.
The pace was quick right off the drop of the green flag and by lap 31 Hathaway was up in the top 3 in the running order. Hathaway logged laps in the 200-lap event as the top 5 cars broke off into a pack of their own.
When the mandatory break came on lap 97, Hathaway’s car had tightened up and he had slipped back to 5th. Crew Chief, Craig Masters bought Hathaway down pit road and serviced the car with fuel, tires and adjustments for the 2nd half of the race.
Hathaway got a great restart when the green flew after the break and pulled into 4th. Once again, the top 5 cars broke away from the field.
On lap 124 Hathaway earned 3rd and was poised for a great 75 lap run to the checkered flag when his race machine blew a right front tire on the fastest part of the race track sending him hard into the outside wall, ending his night.
Hathaway was checked out by the Track medical staff and released.
“That was a big hit tonight.” Said Hathaway “It’s too bad really, we were having a good race, running in the top 5 all day long. We have been surrounded by some of the best talent in late model circles today, which was really cool. The track put on a great event. ”
