By Dave Sully

 

(Thorold, Ontario)  Modified point leader Pete Bicknell and BRP Can Am Late Model

driver Steve Dixon each scored their second victories on Saturday night, August 18th at Merrittville Speedway.  For Bicknell it was only his second win of the season at the track he co-owns, despite having the point lead.  For Dixon, who made the long haul to Merrittville from Smethport, PA, it was his second career series victory.  Bicknell’s win was keyed by his ability to locate the fast line around the sometimes slick race track, while Dixon executed a dramatic last turn, last lap, pass of leader Jim Johnson to claim his win.

 

 

Tim Jones from Sanborn set the early pace in the caution free thirty-five lap modified feature, outdragging polesitter Roger Chrysler to the first turn from his outside pole starting position.  Ken Cosgrove and Bicknell were early movers, with Cosgrove taking second on lap three after stating fifth, and Bicknell claiming third one lap later after going away seventh.

 

 

Cosgrove and Jones swapped the lead on laps six and seven, with Bicknell taking advantage of that duel to seize second from Cosgrove on lap nine.  From there he stalked

Jones for two laps before easing past him inside in turn two on lap eleven.  Jones made a valiant effort to stay with him, fighting back to get inside on the ensuing lap, but Bicknell held sway and gradually pulled away.  His only miscue was when he hit the inside wall in turn four on lap thirty-two. 

 

 

At the line it was Bicknell all by himself in front, followed by Jones, who finished a solid second, rookie phenom Chris Steele, the nineteen year old open wheel lite graduate, who started ninth, and Chad Brachmann, who made a gallant run from thirteenth to round out the top five.  With the current caution free feature, the modifieds have now run an incredible 165 consecutive green flag laps, dating back to the final ninety-five laps of the SDS race and through the previous thirty-five lap event.

 

 

Bicknell offered, “The track was a little slick in the center, but it had a great bottom and a great top.  As long as you didn’t try to run through the center too much it was great. 

We could run pretty much wherever I had to.”  Of his dalliance with the wall, he added, “Once I hit it pretty hard.  I was watching a lap car.  I wanted to try to get a run under him.  I just turned a little bit too soon and hit her pretty good. The car jumped out right across the track.  I did it last week too, so it’s getting to be a habit.”

 

 

Second place runner Jones explained his strong finish, noting, “We had the chassis set up just right, and we had a few motor problems the last couple weeks with the carburetor.  Just everything was on.”

 

 

Dixon’s win was more dramatic and came at the end of a race which was full of shoulda, coulda, wouldas.  Runaway point leader Jeff Chesebro started on the pole after the redraw and fans were sensing a repeat of the SDS race a couple of weeks back when Danny Johnson drew the pole and won going away.      

 

 

That scenario played out for five laps when a caution flew for a spin in turn four.  Under caution, Chesebro suddenly slowed and limped to the pits with a broken tie rod, turning the lead over to Jim Johnson.  Johnson led on the restart, but was caught by Randy Hall, the previous Merrittville Can Am winner, who moved into a contention with a dramatic

restart following a lap nine caution that saw him vault from fourth to second in one lap.

The two swapped the lead twice before Johnson re-establish command on lap twelve.

 

 

As Hall tried to mount another challenge he went wide in turn four on lap fifteen, making contact with the cars of Larry Knowles and Matt Cobb.  The contact also damaged Hall’s car, but he was able to remain in the race, as was Knowles.  Cobb wasn’t as lucky and left via the hook.  Unfortunately for Hall, he suffered terminal damage as well, which forced him to retire on lap seventeen.

 

 

Johnson moved out to a comfortable lead on the restart and seemed destined for the win, when Dixon who started seventh began to make his presence felt, gradually moving forward until he took over second on lap twenty-three.  From there the final seven laps produced a classic dual between Johnson and Dixon, ending when Dixon made the last turn pass after Johnson had repelled his advances at least four times.

 

 

Rookie Mike Williams finished a hard earned third after soldering up from his twelfth place starting position.  He was followed by Bob Buono and Grigsby, who made a great recovery after spinning on lap five.

 

 

Dixon explained the final frenetic laps, noting, “Johnson was better on the top of the track and I was better on the bottom.  I just kept working him, and got by him once.  I thought I had him, but I pushed in the turn and he got back by me.  Then it came down to the last lap, and I knew the only way I could get by was to do a slide job on him.  I got enough room and got up against the cushion, did a slide job and beat him to the line.”

 

 

Johnson noted, “I chose the top lane, and I was good on the top.  I came off of turn four on the outside to get to the checkers.  I figured I was pretty good, but the last lap slide job Steve pulled was perfect.” 

 

 

In other action, Robbie Knapp from St. Catharines wired the field from the pole in the twenty-five lap sportsman feature, winning his second race of the season by a large margin over Mark D’Ilario.  Mike Dooley from St. Catharines picked up his second Hoosier Stock victory of the year, taking the lead from teammate Kevin Kocarik on lap five and cruising home from there.  Thirty-year veteran Kirk Wilson traveled up from ninth to finish second. 

 

 

Shawn Sliter from Pt. Colborne continued his hot streak in the open wheel lites as he took his fourth win of the year.  Sliter grabbed the lead on lap six after starting twelfth and was home free.  The big mover in the race was ten time feature winner Paul Klager, who came from the rear to finish fourth after early mechanical problems sent him to the pits.

 

 

Finally, Trevor Goulding from Welland captured his second mini stock victory of the season, holding off Garnet Wilson after taking the lead on lap thirteen of the fifteen lap event.

 

 

NOTES:  The hammer finally fell on sportsman driver Darren Zumpe.  After being involved in some rough driving in recent events, he was ordered from the speedway property after driving into Mat Williamson at the end of their heat race, locking the cars together and causing a lengthy delay.  At first he refused to leave, but finally exited the facility after conversing with track GM Erica Bicknell.  His fate for the rest of the year has yet to be determined, but it is clear that track officials have had enough of Mr. Zumpe’s driving style of late……… Canadian Todd Wellman from Chatham, Ontario, made his BRP Can Am debut.  Driving a conservative race and staying out of trouble, he finished a very respectable eleventh in the eighteen car starting field………….What the Can Am Late Models lost in car count they made up for in excitement, as series promoter Gary Montgomery labeled it one of the best series races of the year.  Few would disagree.

 

 

L. St. Amand Modifieds: (35 laps)  Pete Bicknell, Tim Jones, Chris Steele, Ken Cosgrove, Chad Brachmann, Scott Wood, Fred Carleton, Scott George, Rick Richner, Brian Stevens, Larry Lampman Jr., Dan Miller, Dereck Lemyre, George Bosse, Roger Chrysler, Robbie Krull, and Boyd Mactavish.  Heat winners were Brachmann and Lemyre.

 

 

BRP Can Am Late Models: (30 laps)  Steve Dixon, Jim Johnson, Mike Williams, Bob Buono, Paul Grigsby, Larry Knowles, Bob Babbitt, Ron Baker, Jason Tingue, Keith Cameron, Todd Wellman, Bob Bartlett, Neil Patterson, Randy Hall, Matt Cobb, Rick Baker, Jeff Chesebro, and Rick Beales. Heat winners were Knowles and Chesebro.

 

 

Original Pizza Logs Sportsman: (25 laps)  Robbie Knapp, Mark D’Ilario, Brandon Easey, Kevin Sharp, Chad Chevalier, Jim Johnstone, Bill Bleich, Mike Bowman, Brad Rouse, Wayne Conn, Travis Braun, Mat Williamson, Alan Sleight, Nick Cupolo, Robbie Rounce, Tyler McPherson, Norm Mark, BJ Willard, and Ray Hockridge.  Heat winners were Knapp, Rounce, and Bowman.

 

 

Hoosier Stock Finish: (20 laps)  Mike Dooley, Kirk Wilson, Bill Hogue, Rob Murray, Kevin Kocarik, Peter Reid, Cody McPherson, Brent Begolo, Kevin Knapp, Paul Wichert, Shayne Pierce, Jason Fontaine, Brad Herron, Vince Fargnoli, Rob Disher, Jeff Dayman, Dave Small, and Bill Bleich Jr.  Heat winners were Begolo, Kocarik, and Wilson. 

 

 

Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites: (20 laps)  Shawn Sliter, Adam Leslie, Dave Russell, Paul Klager, Wayne Robins, Todd Kendrick, Dan Russell, Wally Billing, Jamie Gilbert, Kellie Mason, Lorne Collings, Bob Bredin, Roger Shenstone, Ray Sliter Jr., Joey Mastroiani, Derek Bredin, Kory Howe, Josh Sliter, Rick Brubacher, and Kevin Aube.  Heat winners were Tallman, Gilbert, and Mason.

 

 

Turn 4 Collision Mini Finish:  (15 laps) Trevor Goulding, Garnet Wilson, Abel Castelein, Tony Kelly, Ken Kadwell, Greg Wilson, Mike Giberson, Jocelyn Wiley, Rob Overholt, Carey Gore, Ed McLean, Brandon Iuduciani, Baden Curtis, Evan Curtis, and Mark Swayze.   Heat winners were Gore and Goulding