Keysor Knows How to Hustle

Stellar Run in The Hickory Hustle Nets Brad Keysor First North Carolina Swing Championship

October 22, 2020 – Hickory, NC …After missing the show the last two years, Brad Keysor of Liverpool, NY, found the tight confines of Hickory Motor Speedway to his liking, and proved he knows how to hustle, taking the win in the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), Hickory Hustle and along with it the 17^th Annual North Carolina Swing Championship.

The lone caution of the thrilling race came out on lap 44 when John Held made contact with 2018 North Carolina Swing Champion Keith Powell sending him around and feeling contact for the second year in a row with the Hickory candy-striped wall. Both drivers were able to continue and after the race Held apologized for the “rookie” mistake to which Powell said, “I was just getting ready to go and I got into a little jingle, no fault of John’s it was just close racing.”

Keysor Hits the Hustle Hammer

Starting from the inside of the second row after a random draw, Keysor quickly fell into line behind pole-sitter and three-time North Carolina Swing Champion, Rob Warren. He didn’t stay there long though. Keysor worked the inside pass on Warren as the duo flew out of turn two on lap five. He took the lead and never relinquished it for the next 70 laps, ending up in victory lane by nine and a half seconds over Warren. Rookie, Ryan Cloonan of Oswego, NY made a pass under Bob Gangwer with less than ten to go to finish on the podium in third.

“This feels good,” said Keysor. “I really have to thank 1st to Finish Race Servers for flawless servers all week considering everything going on, Icings on Top, BreezeGraphics.com, Hairbag Studios, get well Kevin, and of course SUPRS for putting this on.”

The driver of the Chasing Cameras #3 “Lil’ Red Roadster” thought for a moment then said, “This week has been interesting, but what’s really interesting is to not have won a race during the week, then to win this and it’s nice to win it after I’ve not been able to run it the last two years. It was a really good race. I mean, one caution in 75 laps, that’s phenomenal. Everyone was so respectful, the lapped cars did an outstanding job. You know, we had some problems this week with lapped cars racing the leaders, but not tonight. They did outstanding. There’s something to learn from that.”

“The car was just hooked up tonight. I basically used the same set up that I have at three other tracks. It was so good that if I hadn’t of won tonight, the crew chief and car owner would have been looking for another driver and I’d be looking for another ride.”

Keysor came into the night leading the SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Championship, and now his North Carolina Swing Championship gives him 10 more to pad his total. Keysor was on the podium with three second places throughout the first four races of the Swing and never finished lower than sixth. He is the tenth driver to take the North Carolina Swing Championship back home to New York, and the thirteenth different driver to win the NC Swing.

Battle of the Best of the Rest

Behind Keysor, the action was fast and furious between two former NC Swing Champions and a rookie racer that has shown he has the mettle to hang with the SUPRS veterans.

Three-time NC Swing champ Rob Warren had little hope going into the race for a win after a long week that saw him spend more time digging himself off the wall than in his usual place soaking up the champagne. Right before the start of the feature, he leaned on his good friend Brad Keysor for some help. “I have to thank Brad,” he admitted. “I had nothing for a set-up and he gave me what he had right before the start. I had zero lap time with it and didn’t know how to drive it, but it was better than what I had.”

That set-up helped Warren fend off the persistent challenges of Bob Gangwer, who was hoping to claim his second North Carolina Swing Championship after winning one in 2013. “I didn’t like hearing those two cars behind me that close, but I think I shredded the right front and I really needed that caution to cool the tires. I didn’t have anything for Brad though. I have to thank Bob and Ryan for running me so clean. They were right there and there was a lot of close racing, but I never felt a bump.”

For third place finisher Ryan Cloonan, it felt good just to get his first Hickory Hustle under his belt. “This has been a very long, challenging week,” he said of the North Carolina Swing. “Tonight, the Hustle was a lot of fun. Second to fourth was nose to tail for 75 laps and that’s what I call good racing.”

“That race tonight proves how stiff the competition is in SUPRS,” said the fourth place finishing Gangwer. “Ryan hasn’t seen these tracks before, neither has John, (Held who got the call as first alternate when Dave Ohh couldn’t make the show), and Kyle got his first Hustle in so hats off to them on a great run. I think it’s a testament to the skill these guys have to only have one caution in 75 laps. Congratulations to Brad, he was the class of the field for sure and a class guy too, always willing to help anyone, anytime. He deserves this.”

Black Kat Klassic Next

After just a short turn-around from the North Carolina Swing, the Black Kat Klassic crosses the SUPRS racers paths on October 27, 2020. This race at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina has a full format of Time Trials, Crack the Whip, Heat Races and a 50 lap feature. Practice begins at 7:45pm, with the first race set to start at 9:05pm.

Catch the Kat

Supermodified and sim racing fans alike can view timing and scoring including track telemetry of the Black Kat Klassic with SUPRS LIVE! To keep up with your favorite SUPRS racer in an instant just point your browser to www.SUPRS.net/site/live.

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