2024 Sunset Speedway - Steve Slaughter Classic

The 2024 Sunset Speedway season opened with the Steve Slaughter Classic, the feature event of which was the one-hundred-lap Steve Slaughter Classic Pro Late Model race. Ten additional events are on the Sunset schedule to determine the Pro Late Model class champion.

Saturday, May 11
Saturday, May 25
Saturday, June 22
Saturday, July 6
Saturday, July 20
Saturday, July 27
Saturday, August 17
Sunday, September 1
Saturday, September 14
Sunday, September 22

The Pro Late Model cars in the Sunset Pro Late Model championship are constructed to specifications and controls common to most stock car series. The chassis is a tube frame covered with fiberglass bodies. Depending on the engine choice, a car can weigh as much as 2800-lbs. Crate motors from General Motors (GM 604 & GM 602) and Ford (347) are used in the series. Competitors use a spec tire from American Racer and Bilstein A2 shock absorbers to regulate expenses. There are also rules restricting the options for transmissions, ignition components, body material, brakes, etc.

The season opener at Sunset Speedway was a one-hundred-lap contest around the 0.333-mile banked oval.

Several APC United Late Model competitors were entered in preparation for round one at Sunset Speedway on the Victoria Day weekend.

The pace lap for the Steve Slaughter Classic Pro Late Model race. The fastest qualifier, Josh Stade, is on the pole in the No. 17 Canadian Flat Roof System Toyota Camry. Unlike many other Late Model events, the top qualifiers were not inverted. Beside Stade is Jordan Howse, driving the No. 8 BW Towing Chevrolet SS. The second row is occupied by the No. 9 Shear Metal Products Ford Mustang of Brandon Watson and Travis Hallyburton driving a Chevrolet Camaro.

Jordan Howse, past Sunset Speedway Pro Late Model track champion, won Saturday evening’s Steve Slaughter Classic Pro Late Model race. Howse was second fastest during time trails in the No. 8 BW Towing Chevrolet SS and was gridded on the front row with the polesitter, Josh Stade. At the start, he slotted in behind the leader, Stade. Howse kept the pressure on, and by lap 73, he was in the lead for good and collected the victory.

Josh Stade captured the runner-up position in the Steve Slaughter Classic Pro Late Model contest. The APC United Late Model regular is fast at Sunset Speedway but often needs better luck. Stade led comfortably during the 2021 APC series visit when the left front suspension failed. On Saturday, he qualified on the pole in the No. 17 Canadian Flat Roof System Toyota Camry and led much of the race but could not hold off Jordan Howse.

Another APC United Late Model visitor was the series defending champion, Kyle Steckly. Steckly is splitting his time between the APC series and the US-based ASA STARS National Tour this year. He qualified fifth fastest in the familiar No. 22 APC Auto Parts Centres sponsored Chevrolet SS. By lap 11 of the race, Steckly was by the fourth-place starter, Travis Hallyburton. Before halfway, he passed Brandon Watson for third and held the spot to the checker.

The 2020 NASCAR Canada champion, Jason Hathaway, was entered in the No. 3 Fast Eddie Speedwear Chevrolet Camaro. Hathaway has been out of the driver’s seat since 2021. He is coming out of retirement to return to the NASCAR Canada series and used the Steve Slaughter Classic as a tune-up. During the qualifying session, Hathaway was fourteenth fastest. However, he wasted little time moving to the front and finished fourth.

Two cars were entered under the Shaw Motorsports banner – the No. 82 Chevrolet SS for Samantha Shaw and Dale Shaw in the No. 83 Chevrolet SS. Dale won the inaugural APC United Late Model Championship in 2015. In recent years, he has reduced his participation to focus on the family business and support his rental drivers. However, Shaw hasn’t lost any speed. He was gridded seventh and finished in the fifth position.

Brandon Watson, the first two-time APC United Late Model champion, was entered in the No. 9 Shear Metal Products-sponsored Ford Mustang. Watson, who hasn’t been a regular in the APC series since 2021, was gridded in third place for the one-hundred-lap contest. Just ten laps into the event, he was in second place, but fifteen circuits later, Watson began sliding down the race order. He would cross the finish line in sixth.

The winner of the Steve Slaughter Classic Pro Late Model, Jason Howse, in the No. 8 MacMaster of Orangeville / BM Towing Chevrolet SS. Howse is joined by family and friends to celebrate his victory. He is a regular at Sunset Speedway and a past Pro Late Model track champion. Howse only competes in the APC United Late Model series on a limited basis, but he upset regulars when he finished first in 2021.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS
1	2	Jordan Howse	McMaster GMC Orangeville / Chevrolet SS	100
2	1	Josh Stade	Canadian Flat Roof Systems / Toyota Camry	100
3	5	Kyle Steckly	APC Auto Parts Centres / Chevrolet SS	100
4	4	Jason Hathaway	Fast Eddie Racewear / Chevrolet Camaro	100
5	7	Dale Shaw	Shaw Motorsports / Chevrolet SS	100
6	3	Brandon Watson	Shear Metal Products / Ford Mustang	100
7	20	Gord Shepherd	Bromley Automotive / Chevrolet SS	100
8	12	Dwayne Baker	Zancor Homes / Ford Fusion	100
9	11	Jo Lawrence	Elite Racing Team / Ford Fusion	100
10	4	Travis Hallyburton	R. Semple Solutions / Chevrolet Camaro	99
11	6	Kendra Adams	Mobil 1 / Chevrolet Camaro	99
12	9	Danny Benedict	North Country / Chevrolet SS	99
13	18	Samantha Shaw	Shaw Motorsports / Chevrolet SS	99
14	19	Billy Zardo	KRM Medweld / Ford Fusion	98
15	17	Connor Pritiko	Dumus Developments / Chevrolet Camaro	98
16	15	Glenn Styres	Glenn Styres Racing / Chevrolet Camaro	98
17	14	Cory McAllister	TwoSpeed Motorsports / Chevrolet SS	97
18	21	Keith Temple	Clear View / Dodge	96
19	8	Dustin Mombourquette	IHL Canada / Ford Mustang	85
20	16	Paul Maltese	Presto Appliance Repair / Chevrolet Camaro	79
21	13	Taylor Holdaway	TBA / Chevrolet SS	33
22	10	Jake Sheridan	Cameron Crane & Riggers / Ford Mustang	5
-	22	Shae Gemmell	APC Auto Parts Centres / Chevrolet SS	-