January 15, 2019-Mansfield, OH… A last lap pass provided a thrilling finish to the Buckeye 50, and gave Bob Gangwer his first feature win of the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), 15th Anniversary Season Tuesday at Mansfield Motorsports Park.Gangwer narrowly beat out Keith Powell, who held off Derrick Backus at the line to finish second.
Caution Sets Up Wild Finish
A spin on the backstretch by Steve Callahan, who was challenging for the lead, and then a subsequent crash and running out of fuel by a struggling Rob Warren, set up the shoot-out to the finish.
With the laps ticking off as Race Control worked to get drivers in their correct running order for the restart, the race laps were “frozen” with one to go.
Derrick Backus, Keith Powell and Bob Gangwer were the top three as the green and white flags came out together, but Backus was slow to get up to speed. Keith Powell shot to the outside of Backus as they flew under the flagstand, but ran out of racing room.
It Just Stuck
Bob Gangwer had already set himself up for a last ditch effort to go to the front at the bottom of turn one and was able to clear the top two as the trio dove into the high-banked corner. With Backus to the high side and Powell waiting for both to make a mistake, Gangwer’s Belfab chassis stuck to the bottom and he came out of turn two with the lead.
“I knew it was the only chance I had, so I put it to the bottom, and when those two, (Backus, Powell), got together, it was the one gift I needed to just get in front of them going in,” explained Gangwer. “I went in pretty deep and I was afraid it was going to wash up, but it just stuck.”
First Win for SUPRS Belfab Chassis
The win was not only Gangwer’s first of the season, but also the first for SUPRS latest chassis addition to rFactor. Built by Kevin Timmins of BreezeGraphics.com, the SUPRS Belfab supermodified chassis, is the most detailed to come to supermodified sim racing yet.
Built from blueprints given to SUPRS by the late Jim Belfiore, it is a tribute to Belfiore’s dedication to the real supermodified division, and his own exacting attention to detail. This car model even has the official Belfab Racing graphics designed by Belfiore’s son Justin and is the first model in supermodified sim racing to have the iconic “moving” Belfab wing.
“This one is for my good friend Jimmy,” said Gangwer solemnly. I miss him and I wish he could have been around for this. He helped SUPRS out a lot and helped me out a lot, so this one’s for Jim.”
Warren, Rodrigues Do Well to Start Night
Rob Warren and Nelson Rodrigues both had bad nights in the feature, even though Rodrigues led a good portion of the 50. Earlier in the evening however, both drivers won their heat races after Keith Powell set the fast lap in Time Trials, stopping the clock at 12.581.358
New York State of Mind
The SUPRS racers head east now to New York to run the first race of 2018-19 Empire State Super Series Regional Tour with “Blind Date Night.” SUPRS LIVE! video streaming, track telemetry, statistics and standings will be available for this race beginning at 9:00pm est. on January 15, 2019.
Fans can learn more about the original online supermodified sim racing 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.
SUPRS RACE RESULTS
- The Buckeye 50
- Race 20 of 46
- January 15, 2019
- SUPRS rFactor W v7.3 mod
- Mansfield Motorsports Park
- 50 Laps
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2)
- 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 12.791, 12.581
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 12.734, 12.662
- 61-Derrick Backus; Mexico, NY, Disturbed Motorsports: 12.712, 12.705
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Race Servers, Designs of Elegance: 12.768, 12.889
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; RW Woodworking, Belfab Racing Products 12.997, 12.782
- 3-Brad Keysor; Liverpool, NY; Southern Hills Storm Football, Justice League: 12.802, 12.803
- 38-Kyle Clark; Mexico, NY; Walker’s Cleaners & Tuxedo Rental, Disturbed Motorsports: 13.136, 13.196
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; Stoneham, MA; Star Speedway: 13.306, 13.155
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 13.741, 13.239
- 83-Frank Keene; Coca-Cola, No Fear Racing: NT
Heat Race 1-10 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)
- 35-Rob Warren
- 55-Steve Callahan
- 61-Derrick Backus
- 41-Keith Powell
- 25-Bob Gangwer
Time of Race: 2:11.294
Heat Race 2-10 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues
- 38-Kyle Clark
- 42-Carl Becker
- 3-Brad Keysor
- 83-Frank Keene (DNS)
Time of Race: 2:07.087
Feature-50 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting position, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 25-Bob Gangwer; * | P9 | 12.853
- 41-Keith Powell; P7 | 12.721| +.096
- 61-Derrick Backus; * | P5 | 12.706 | +.127
- 38-Kyle Clark; P3 | 12.843 | +.360
- 55-Steve Callahan; ! | P6 | 12.682 | +.833
- 42-Carl Becker; P1 | 13.018. | +1.608
- 3-Brad Keysor; P8 | 12708 | +1 Lap
- 35-Rob Warren; P4 | 12.733 | +DNF (Fuel) +5 Laps
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; * | P2 | 12.807 | DNF ( Crash) +25 Laps
- 10-Frank Keene; P10 | NT | DNS
Time of Race: 18:54.30
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
