Sears Kicks Off SUPRS Season with Victory at 20th Harvest

October 3, 2023 – LaPorte, IN…Zach Sears of Elyria, OH kicked of the historic 20th year of the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), with a victory in the 75 lap 20^th Annual Harvest of Speed Tuesday night at LaPorte Speedway. The 2023 SUPRS Gold Crest Non-Wing Champion took advantage of a poor start by pole sitter Bob Gangwer, and from his outside front-row spot, jumped into a lead he would never relinquish.

Being bogged down behind some lapped traffic was the only thing to slow down Sears’ dominating performance as he went on to lead all of the laps and set the fastest lap of the race with an incredible clocking of 12.315 seconds. It was Sears first win in the SUPRS Harvest of Speed, and he is now the eleventh different winner in the 20 year history of the NASCAR Heat race.

Former Harvest of Speed winners Bob Gangwer and Gary Waldron rounded out the top three, with Anthony Corsoniti and Daniel Nans fourth and fifth.

Sears Goal to Get Out Front

“It feels good, it’s another list that I can put my name on,” said Sears after being told he has joined SUPRS Champions Ray Sand, Jr., Keith Powell, John Davidson, Dave Ohh, Rob Warren, and Myles Maxon as a Harvest of Speed winner. “Hopefully there’s more this season.”

After setting fast time, then finishing second in the BMK Logistics Fast Car Dash, Sears lined up to the outside of the dash winner Bob Gangwer in the front row. Sears took the green flag with one goal in mind, get out front early and stay there. “I needed to get a good start. That’s all I really wanted to do,” he stated. “I knew if I could get into a good enough lead, I don’t know what happened to Bob, but I just knew if I could get out there and run my own race and keep the nose on it, (I’d win), luckily that’s what I did.”

Patience Pays Off

The driver of the Adkins Glass sponsored roadster has, at times, been short on patience, and has seen more than a few races slip away because of it. He found his groove at LaPorte, racing like a seasoned veteran, and the only worry he had was getting stuck behind lapped cars. Even then, he waited patiently and didn’t force the issue.

“I think when I caught Daniel and Anthony there were racing each other,” Sears stated. “I don’t know if it was for position, or if Daniel was going a lap down, but I got behind Daniel and I saw the time back to Bob dwindling. I finally got past Daniel, and then I got behind Anthony and was trying to do the same thing just keeping the nose on the car. I saw Bob get caught up behind Daniel I finally got by Anthony, and finally got a clean track and was able to run my consistent race that I was before I caught lapped traffic. Luckily I got that clean track or I don’t know if id be sitting here right now.”

Grateful Winner

Sears was grateful for the tips he’d received that helped propel him to the win. “There’s a couple people I have to thank,” he said. “Dave Ohh is a big help. He taught me how to run NASCAR Heat properly.” The former SUPRS Icings on Top Rookie of the Year then went on the thank others saying, “Thanks to all of SUPRS sponsors, 1st to Finish Race Servers, Hairbag Studios, BreezeGraphics.com, Icings on Top, of course HeatFinder.net and The Mod Squad, and Brad Keysor for helping me on the rFactor side.”

Good Run for Waldron

2010 Harvest of Speed winner, and long-time SUPRS member Gary Waldron had a great showing at LaPorte after qualifying fourth quick, then coming home in third place after the 75 lap feature. Waldron stayed out of trouble for most of the race, and overall he was pretty happy with the finish he nailed down.

“It feels pretty good,” the Michigan Hill Gang member said. “I was hoping to do a little better, but I didn’t have quite enough speed in the car. LaPorte has always been one of my favorites, I’ve never really had good luck here other than the win, but third place? I like this and we’re sitting pretty good right now.”

After the race, Waldron from Wyoming, MI, attested to how tough LaPorte can be, and praised the drivers that were getting lapped. “Some of it was just driver error,” he explained as to why he wasn’t able to battle for the win. “Going into the corners too hard, over driving the car, brushed the wall. I seemed to always catch up to second place, but then the lapped cars would get in between us. The lapped cars didn’t do anything wrong, they were running for position too, so it just took patience to get around them.” 

“All in all in was a good race. Congrats to Zach and Bob also for great runs tonight,” concluded the Kenowa Auto Supply sponsored driver.

Dion Parish Memorial Next Race

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SUPRS next event is the 20^th Annual Dion Parish Memorial on October 10, 2023 at Kalamazoo Speedway.

Dion Parish lost his life on September 14, 2002, while testing his supermodified at Kalamazoo Speedway, leaving behind two daughters and a son. It was in his memory that SUPRS began the Dion Parish Memorial Benevolent Fund for Supermodifieds, which continues to help injured supermodified drivers and their families to this day.

Hot laps begin at 7:30 with racing at 8:30pm ET for the rFactor supermodified sim race that honors the namesake of the Dion Parish Memorial Benevolent Fund for Supermodifieds. Brad Keysor will attempt to defend his 2023 victory of SUPRS more prestigious race, and one of three during the season where he winner becomes a Guaranteed Starter for the season-ending, 2024 Summit Classic 125. Fans can enjoy the supermodified sim racing action via SUPRS LIVE! and on SUPRS Twitch channel.