Rivals Split Twin 35 Wins as Another Driver Grabs Mid-Season Championship

Rob Warren, Keith Powell Win Features, Brad Keysor Wins Mid-Season Championship by One Point

January 28, 2020 – Oswego, NY…After an intense night of close racing that saw the top two in the season long points championship fighting for wins, another driver snuck in and stole the show at the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), Mid-Season Championship Twin 35s Tuesday at Oswego Speedway. Rob Warren and Keith Powell have renewed their battle for SUPRS supremacy at the top of the points championship and each won a feature while also claiming bonus points for leading a lap and advancing the most places.

But it was Brad Keysor’s consistent, patient race craft that helped him to finish in second place for both features, and gave him just enough points to eek out his first Mid-Season Championship Crown and to take the 15 bonus points that go with it.

Consistency Key for Keysor

Keysor knew he had a fast race car, but also kept in mind his goal of winning the Mid-Season Championship. “It was a fun race. Kind of a frustrating night,” he said. “I was faster than Rob in first race, but was fortunate to come on in second.”

With the second place and fast time, he knew he was in contention for the overall Mid-Season Championship, but nearly blew it late in the race. “In the second one, it was about navigating the start and trying to get up there,” the Southern Hills Storm Football Team sponsored driver said. “The car was absolutely on, then right when I saw the yellow come out, (in the second feature), I hit the wall.”

Keysor had one last shot when the restart came, but lost his chance. “I was a little too aggressive on the restart when Keith got really loose. There was a split second that I though I could have stuck in there and I’m gone, but thinking about the big picture, I thought twice about it,” he explained.

“It was good to have a new rookie here tonight and a good nine car field with some good close racing. This was a good points night and it’s what I needed to try to be in the mix with Rob and Keith for the season Championship,” Keysor said.

First Feature Action

In the first feature, Warren had his hands full for most of the 35 laps, not only with his own evil handling race car, but also with Brad Keysor who pressured him consistently until nearly crashing in turn three.

“I got loose in both races,” said Warren. “These guys are so fast, pulling out all the stops, and Brad probably could have won the first one. But I was running my low and slow line trying to keep the car under me, and I kept him back there.”

“Congrats to Keith on the second win and to Brad on the consistency to get the Mid-Season Championship. It was a fun night of racing. A first, a third, and a second in time trials, we’ll take it,” Warren concluded.

Lots of Action Behind Warren

Keysor gathered his car up and then had his own battle with Nelson Rodrigues, Keith Powell and Bob Gangwer. With second through fifth racing nerf bar to nerf bar, Warren was able to then easily pull away over the last 12 laps of the race.

When Rodrigues got loose, Keysor was able to take second back, leaving third to fifth fighting for every inch of race track they could find. Keysor hung on for second over Nelson Rodrigues, who had one of his best runs to date at Oswego finishing third.

Powell Takes a Chance

Defending Mid-Season Champion Keith Powell elected to take the SUPRS Challenge, giving up his spot on the pole to move to the rear in an attempt to win the race and 20 bonus points. He didn’t quite make it to the top, ending up in fifth after running as high as fourth as he battling for most of the race with Bob Gangwer. His charge through the pack though gained him the SUPRSCharger award of 10 points.

Second Feature

Keith Powell’s win in the second Twin 35 was a bit more relaxed as he handily won the race even after a late race caution that packed up the field.

“I’m super stoked to get this win. To hold Rob off at Oswego, that’s really something,” Powell said after the race. “Congrats to Rob and Brad for having some really good cars here tonight.”

Rough Race for Rodrigues

Behind Powell, Rob Warren, Nelson Rodrigues, and Brad Keysor had a good race going with all three drivers nose to tail battling for second through fourth. That is, until Rodrigues got loose out of turn four, tried to save it, but had it spin around then slam the third turn wall.

When the racing resumed, Keysor easily disposed of Warren two laps after the restart. With ten laps to go, Keysor was consistently clicking of the fastest lap of the race, lap after lap, the Liverpool, NY racer lowered the lap time as he reeled Powell in. Then, he whacked the front stretch wall and it looked like his charge was over. However, Rodrigues spun again bringing out the caution flag to bunch the field for a seven lap shootout to the finish.

Powell refused to bow to the pressure and came home the winner over Keysor and Rob Warren who finished in third.

Race Notes

Earlier in the Brad Keysor had set fast time, stopping the clock at 16.367 seconds. He was joined in the Fast Car Dash by Nelson Rodrigues, Rob Warren and Keith Powell. The six lap race was won by Powell.

Rookie, Zach Sears, picked up his very first SUPRS checkered flag after winning the 10 lap heat race. Sears then went on to pull down a fourth place in the second feature.

New SUPRS member, Sawyer Stout, took to the track like a fish out of water, which is really no surprise since he is the son of long-time supermodified car owner Steve Stout. Sawyer drove well and Rob Warren said, “He did a great job when I came up to lap him and knew where he was supposed to be.” Stout finished the first feature a lap down. In the second feature he got loose and spun on the front stretch while battling Carl Becker and ending up in the water barrels and out for the night.

Focus on Florida

The SUPRS racers now change their focus on a huge week of supermodified sim racing in the Sunshine State, and will start the five night SUPRS Florida Speedweeks beginning Monday February 3, 2020 at New Smyrna Speedway.

At the end of the week, after racing at the aforementioned New Smyrna Speedway, Black Creek Raceway, Dodge Raceway Stadium, USA International Speedway, and wrapping up the five night swing at 5 Flags Speedway all the points will be tallied for every feature race and the 2020 Florida Speedweeks Champion will be crowned.

Drivers will battle on tracks from 1/3rd of a mile to 3/4 mile and use both NASCAR Heat and rFactor supermodified sim racing platforms. Fans will be able to watch all five nights of SUPRS 2020 Florida Speedweeks thanks to Hairbag Studios and SUPRS LIVE! on both SUPRS.net and on Twitch.

SUPRS Social

Learn more about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series by visiting www.SUPRS.net, “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and Viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube. Watch live supermodified sim racing most Tuesday nights on SUPRS Twitch channel.

SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Mid-Season Championship Final Points

SUPRS RACE RESULTS

• Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Mid-Season Championship
• Race 21-22 of 42
• January 28, 2020
• Oswego Speedway
• Oswego, NY
• SUPRS rFactor W v7.3 mod
• 35 x 2 Laps

Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap highlighted)

1. 3-Brad Keysor; Liverpool, NY; Southern Hills Storm Football; Nebraska Corn Huskers: 16.536, 16.367
2. 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1^st to Finish Race Servers, Designs of Elegance: 16.460, 16.423
3. 7-Nelson Rodrigues; Stoneham, MA; Star Speedway: 16.428, 16.561
4. 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 16.469, 16.436
5. 22-Zach Sears^R; Round Lake Beach, IL; Midwest Supermodified Series, Adkin’s Glass: 16.755, 16.582
6. 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; RW Woodworking, B&G Racing Photos: 16.835, 16.661
7. 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 16.702, 16.818
8. 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 17.334, 17.276
9. 40-Sawyer Stout^R; Kasper, S&S Cleaning, ACME Racing: 18.370, 18.873

Fast Car Dash– 6 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)

1. 41-Keith Powell
2. 35-Rob Warren
3. 7-Nelson Rodrigues
4. 3-Brad Keysor

Heat Race 1 – 10 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)

1. 22-Zach Sears^R
2. 25-Bob Gangwer
3. 55-Steve Callahan
4. 42-Carl Becker
5. 40-Sawyer Stout^R

Feature 1– 35 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting place/best lap time/distance behind winner)

1. 35-Rob Warren; * / ** / P1 / 16.388
2. 3-Brad Keysor; ! / P3 / 16.351 / +3.477
3. 7-Nelson Rodrigues; P2 / 16.411 / + 3.704
4. 25-Bob Gangwer; P5 / 16.378 / +4.077
5. 41-Keith Powell; ^ / P9 / 16.452 / +4.326
6. 22-Zach Sears^R; P4 / 16.573 / +8.004
7. 55-Steve Callahan; P6 / 16.702 / +11.582
8. 42-Carl Becker; P5 / 17.061 / +1 Lap
9. 40-Sawyer Stout^R; P8 / 16.960 / +1 Lap

Time of Race: 15:46.097

• * Denotes Lap Led
• ** Denotes Most Laps Led
• ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
• ^ Denotes SUPRSCharger

Feature 2– 35 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, starting place/best lap time/distance behind winner)

1. 41-Keith Powell; * / ** / P4 / 16.380
2. 3-Brad Keysor; ! / P5 / 16.157 / +0.513
3. 35-Rob Warren; ^ / P8 / 16.323 / +0.714
4. 22-Zach Sears^R; P3 / 16.399 / +3.027
5. 55-Steve Callahan; P2 / 16.465 / +3.247
6. 25-Bob Gangwer; P5 / 16.625 / +3.759
7. 42-Carl Becker; P1 / 16.956 / +7.255
8. 7-Nelson Rodrigues; P6/ 16.389 / + 1 Lap
9. 40-Sawyer Stout^R; P9 / 17.042 / DNF (Crash)

Time of Race: 12:47.468

• * Denotes Lap Led
• ** Denotes Most Laps Led
• ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
• ^ Denotes SUPRSCharger