Brad Keysor Wins Christmas Special, Goes Home with Burgers’ Smokehouse Ham
December 17, 2019 – Fairchance, PA…Brad Keysor of Liverpool, NY was faster than a one horse open sleigh and sped to victory in the 25 lap feature event of the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), Sixteenth Christmas Special Tuesday at Pantucky Speedway. 2018 winner Keith Powell was second and 4-Time Christmas Special winner Rob Warren was third.
Just like he did when he won the Turkey Shoot and won the Burgers’ Turkey that goes along with it, Keysor donated his Burgers’ Smokehouse Ozark Country Ham to injured supermodified racer Jeff Russell for Christmas dinner.
Racing Goals
Keysor’s goal all night long was to win the race so he could turn around and donate his Burgers’ Smokehouse ham to Russell. “The focus was to get a win, I wanted to follow up what I did at Thanksgiving because I figured he and his family could benefit from that and really enjoy it.”
Powell Good, Keysor Better
Keith Powell brought the field to the green flag after starting on the pole of the 25 lap feature and looked like he would be the man to beat for the second year in a row. Right away though, Powell’s progress was slowed with Nelson Rodrigues spun on the initial start. The field reset, and once again Powell got the jump and moved into the lead past Keysor.
However on lap three Powell got loose down the back stretch allowing Keysor to draw up along side the #41 “Mayfield Missile” as Powell fought to gain control.
Keysor, who had concentrated throughout practice on making the second groove work for the “Lil’ Red Roadster,” kept his car on the outside, and as the duo came off of turn four Keysor had taken the lead. The Liverpool, NY racer never relinquished the top spot from there on out, even through several cautions.
Calculated Restarts
Through the multiple restarts, most of them caused by Bob Gangwer and Zach Sears at the back of the pack, Keysor had one thought in mind. “My focus was to get clean restarts,” he said. “I knew Keith was good for first few laps,” Keysor continued. “I knew that if I could keep him behind me for a while when we went green, I’d be OK because Keith was going to do everything he could to keep Rob behind him since they are in a points battle. I just knew as long as I kept the car straight and kept him behind me for a few, I’d be good to go.”
Warren Sets Track Record
Rob Warren started the night off right by establishing a track record for winged supermodifieds with a lap of 13.910 seconds.
Keith Powell won the six lap Reindeer Dash, while Powell’s teammate, Steve Callahan, picked up the 10 lap heat race win.
Christmas Break
The annual SUPRS Christmas Break begins now and lasts for a little over two weeks so that members can spend time with their family and friends during the Christmas and New Year season.
The next scheduled race is the 16th Annual Crazy Canuck Snowball Derby and Can-Am Challenge after the first of the year on January 7, 2020. This wild and unpredictable race moves to a new venue in Delaware Speedway for 2020, but the action should be no less intense, pitting drivers against each other in two-man teams and nearly 80 total laps of racing for the night. Practice gets underway at 8:00pm with racing set for 9:05pm.
Social Graces
Fans can learn more about the original and oldest online supermodified sim sanction, the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, when they visit www.SUPRS.net. Join SUPRS active and vibrant Social Media channels by “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our friends and fans. Please don’t drink and drive!
Enjoy all the action from the 16th Christmas Special on YouTube
SUPRS RACE RESULTS:
16th Christmas Special
- Race 16 of 43
- December 17, 2019
- SUPRS rFactor W v7.3 mod
- SUPRS Pantucky Speedway
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap highlighted)
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Race Servers, Designs of Elegance: 14.048, 13.910 Track Record
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; Stoneham, MA; Star Speedway: 13.980, 14.091
- 3-Brad Keysor; Liverpool, MY; Southern Hills Storm Football, Justice League: 14.083, 14.011
- 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 14.436, 14.124
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 14.168, 14.181
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; RW Woodworking, Wing Side Up Enterprises: 14.270, 14.273
- 22-Zach Sears(R); Round Lake Beach, IL; Midwest Supermodified Series, Adkin’s Glass: 14.813, 14.427
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 14.973, 14.738
Reindeer Dash-6 Laps (showing finish, car number, driver name)
- 41-Keith Powell
- 3-Brad Keysor
- 35-Rob Warren
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues DNF – Black Flag – Spin Rule
Time of Race: 3:09.112
Heat Race-10 Laps (showing finish, car number, driver name)
- 55-Steve Callahan
- Zach Sears(R)
- 25-Bob Gangwer
- 42-Carl Becker
Time of Race: 4:07.123
Feature – 25 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting position, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 3-Brad Keysor: ! | * | ** | P2 |13.917
- 41-Keith Powell: * | P1 | 14.050 | +0.564
- 35-Rob Warren; P2 | 13.961 | +0.753
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; P5 | 14.020 | +1.010
- 25-Bob Gangwer; P4 | 14.042 | +1.153
- 42-Carl Becker; P9 | 14.139 | +2.978
- Zach Sears(R) P6 | 14.137 | +4.899
- 55-Steve Callahan; P3 | 14.203 | +2 Laps
Time of Race: 11:51.470
Notes:
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
- Bob Gangwer and and Carl Becker advanced the most places from where they started-two.
- Rob Warren had the fastes speed of the race at 138.379 mph.
- There were four cautions for a total of 11 laps.
