Stouffville NASCAR team wins Barrie race in crowd-pleasing duel

There’s something about the Barrie Speedway that appeals to the Stouffville-based EHR-Team Three Red racing team.

For the second straight year, Jason Hathaway drove the EHR-Team Three Red Rockstar Energy Drink/Choko Authentic Apparel Chevrolet to victory on the Simcoe County oval during the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 Wahta Springs 300 race Saturday.

Hathaway drove a dominating race while holding the lead for 182 laps.

The fifth career victory by Hathaway was his second this season on the series that has just one more race to go a.

“This team gave me a phenomenal car tonight”, he said. “I didn’t have to push it until the last restart. We were able to cruise at the front of the field for about 130-laps just saving our rear tires.

“That was our game plan heading into this race, and my guys made sure we were able to implement it perfectly.”

A green-white-checkered finish set Hathaway up for a two-lap drag race with longtime friend J.R. Fitzpatrick that brought the capacity Barrie Speedway crowd to their feet late in the event.

“Anytime you put JR and I beside one another on a race track, you know it’s going to be entertaining”, Hathaway said. “I’m happy it was him I was racing for the win, because we know how to race one another. We leaned on one another, and neither one of us was going to give an inch – but it was just perfect Saturday night short track racing.

“Fitzy and I will go back and forth on text and twitter talking about this one all week.”

The victory also atoned for a pair of frustrating outings during the last two events, at Riverside International Speedway and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

“I’m happy I was finally able to bring my guys home the finish that they deserve”, Hathaway said. “We had great cars at Riverside and CTMP, and just didn’t have the luck to bring it all together. Tonight, we made our own luck. It’s exactly what this team needed.”

Hathaway is in fifth place in the series standings with 352 points.

He trails Andreww Ranger by five for fourth place.

L.P. Dumoulin is the overall series leader with 418 points.

The final race of the series is scheduled to take place at Kawartha Speedway near Peterborough with the running of the Pinty’s 250 Sept. 20

Published by: Michael Hayakawa – Stoufville Sun-Tribute

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