PORTLAND, Oregon — Last weekend, the 17 year old entered his last race of the 2012 season piloting the No.18 Reser's Fine Foods Modified at Shasta Speedway in Redding, California. Leading up to this race, Keegan was on a roll with finishing in the top three for the past 4 races eager to finish out the year with a win. After many struggles early on in the 2012 racing season, Walmers hard luck had finally vanished and the good finishes were beginning to roll in.
The Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle development driver headed into Shasta's Speedfest open show with the intent of celebrating in victory lane Sunday afternoon. The team rolled in Friday morning starting out with practice sessions to get his 18 machine tuned in and ready for Saturday's events.
Saturday, Keegan posted fast times in the morning practice sessions making for a confident qualifying run around the 3/8th mile oval. Walmer qualified third fastest with a time of 16.336 seconds. This landed him fifth on the starting grid for the 15 lap heat race where he finished sixth.
On Sunday, an invert of six was drawn from the heat race finishes placing Keegan on pole for the 75 lap main event. Walmer jumped to the early lead and began to pull away from the field in the opening laps. As Keegan began to gain track space over the field Keegan drove his car cautiously as he would save his car if and when he needed to battle for the lead. Near the end of the race, a yellow was thrown with nine laps to go bringing the field back together. As Keegan saved his car for majority of the race this was the time for him to use his machine at full capacity to secure the win. On the restart, the field restarted single file and Walmer began to check out from the field. Keegan cruised to a straight away victory claiming his first ever NASCAR Modified victory.
"After a hard start to the season it feels so good closing out our year with a win. I have to give all the thanks to my crew Josh Bews, Kevin Harding and my dad. They worked their butts off and gave me an awesome car," stated Keegan Walmer.
After Saturday's races, Keegan met a very special fan, a 16 year old cancer patient, Brittany Iddings of Rancho Cordova. Brittany had just been released from a nearby children's hospital in Sacramento that day and wanted to watch some racing as it was her first outing since she was diagnosed. Her family then brought her to Shasta Speedway where she became Keegan Walmer's number one fan. Saturday evening Keegan made a promise to the young cancer patient that if he were to be in victory lane on Sunday that she would join him on track. Brittany was ecstatic about his promise and wanted to be back on Sunday although she didn't feel that he needed to keep his promise, but he did. As Keegan raced to victory lane he announced over the microphone for Brittany and her family to join him on track.
"Keegan didn't have to keep his promise but he did. I can't thank him for all Keegan and his team did. When really he didn't have too, all I wanted was an autograph and got way more. Keegan made my year! He is a great race car driver and look forward to seeing him race again. A thank you doesn't seem like enough," stated the young cancer patient, Brittany.
This concludes Keegan Walmer's 2012 racing season, stay tuned for 2013 season announcements at www.KeeganWalmer.com.
Keegan Walmer Racing and Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle thank partners: Reser's Fine Foods, Advocare, Wholesale Truck Parts INC, Robinson Construction Co, K&K Motorsports, MTFX Graphics, K&N Filters, Scribner Plastics, Allstar Performance, Sunoco Race Fuels, Star Racing Supply and RMG Race Media Group.
For more information on Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle, log on to www.winners-circle-racing.com
About Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle:
Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle is an established talent scout and development program, providing long term, comprehensive racing and career development for up and coming drivers focused on professional Stock Car careers. RSWC drivers are raced, coached, groomed, trained and molded, within a professional racing environment, into what top teams look for when hiring drivers. Drivers involved in the program race in a variety of cars, including USAC Young Guns Focus Midgets, USAC Ford Focus Midgets, NASCAR Grand American Modifieds, NASCAR Late Model stock cars and NASCAR K&N Pro Series stock cars.
