Thorold, Ontario (August 16) In the
first race night at Merrittville Speedway without Pit Steward
and 1972 Modified Point Champion Bob St. Amand Senior – three
drivers won their first features of 2009 - August 15th.
Mark D’Ilario – a 2009 Rookie in
the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds won his first 35 lap
feature since moving up this season from a successful Sportsman
career.
The Lucas Oil Weekly Racing
Series program presented by Avondale Food Stores and enjoyed by
TRW Employees featured the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman
Division in the much rain-delayed 50 lap Lucas Oil Shoot Out by
dirttrackdigest.com. Tyler McPherson scored his first win of the
season while Brad Rouse won the overall Season Title.
The third new winner was Alan
Sleight who won his first career Hoosier Stock Feature.
In the Modern Corporation Open
Wheel Lites – Adam Leslie came home the winner while Rob
Goulding topped the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Division.
All 5 Feature Winners were
presented a special Feature Winner plaque from the FOAR SCORE
Fan Club.
The 6th and final event of the
night was the rain-delayed Enduro Qualifier accelerated by
Niagara College from last week. For the third straight event –
the winner was James Mercer.
The night began with each L. St.
Amand Enterprises 358 Modified Driver congregating on the
front-stretch with their cars for a Memorial Tribute to Bob St.
Amand Senior.
“Bob Senior didn’t command
respect of the drivers and crews,” eulogized (Merrittville
co-announcer) Clint Kruchka, “… he earned it … Saturday Nights
will not be the same without him.”
Sportsman Competitor Brad Rouse
then joined the gathering with his car which he had renumbered
as # 30 – the number which Bob ran on his pristine root beer
colored race cars.
Rouse who is married to Bob
Senior’s grand daughter Amanda Curvin added, “it was an honor to
run Senior’s number tonight.”
Every single car in the pit area
paid their respects to Bob St. Amand Senior as black stripes
were seen running through everyone’s car numbers.
With the pole position left
vacant in honor of Bob Senior at the start of the L. St. Amand
Enterprises 358 Modified Feature during the parade laps – two
rookies would make up the front row when Starter Doug Leonard’s
Green Flag.
Justin Sharp was first to lead
the 35 lap Event before Mark D’Ilario took control along the
backstretch. The Smithville native broke away right away –
holding a 10 car lead by lap 3.
A string of cautions before lap
10 would slow D’Ilario’s pace several times with the rookie
holding off the early challenge of veteran Scott Wood. On a
second try at a restart on lap 10 Wood had control of top spot
but D’Ilario was quick to retake the lead.
Wood now was facing a challenge
from second generation driver Brian Stevens but once the race
settled down there was about 10 car lengths separating each of
the top three drivers – D’Ilario, Wood and Stevens.
By lap 20, Wood was closing in
on the leader but with D’Ilario now coming up on lap traffic –
he was again able to stretch his lead. Closing in on the five to
go mark at lap 30, Wood was able to close in again – making
great strides through into the turns but not able to make it
stick exiting.
Brian Stevens took over second
spot twice in the closing laps only to lose it to Wood after the
first time. The final time for Stevens worked on lap 34 but he
could not catch the winner D’Ilario.
“We’ve been working hard for
this one,” revealed first time 358 Modified Winner Mark D’Ilario,
“I was fast running the top … just kept it straight and right on
the cushion … I was a little worried about Scott on the bottom
on the restarts … but once it got to single file … I knew that I
would be OK.”
D’Ilario, Stevens and Wood were
followed by Mat Williamson and defending Points Champion Chad
Brachmann.
Twice rain-delayed the Original
Pizza Logs Sportsman Division was featured in the 50 lap Lucas
Oil Shoot Out by dirttrackdigest.com and it was second
generation driver Jipp Ortiz out front at the start.
Just before a lap 7 caution,
Nick Cupolo began to challenge the leader – one that was
successful on the backstretch after the restart with the Thorold
driver taking control of top spot.
The next caution came on lap 9
and unfortunately it was for Ortiz who lost control of his car
in turn 4. Leader Cupolo was now facing a challenge from Rob
Knapp on the restart.
Knapp would take over top spot
with another caution again slowing the field. Cupolo regained
the lead on lap 12 with Knapp soon facing a challenge from Tyler
McPherson for the runner-up spot.
Eventually McPherson would take
second with Knapp now challenged by Greg Panunte as the race
neared the halfway point. Panunte would take second on lap 28 as
the field came up on slower cars.
In a battle of the 99’s –
Panunte and Cupolo soon got side by side in a see saw battle
before Panunte took control on lap 33. The battle for runner-up
spot soon became a three wide challenge between Cupolo,
McPherson and Knapp.
When it sorted out – McPherson
was back in the runner-up spot and began to track the leader
down. McPherson was back in the lead on lap 44 before the final
caution slowed the event on lap 46.
“Sometimes … laps cars can play
in your favor,” noted Tyler McPherson in Victory Lane, “Greg and
everyone else are real fast … sometimes starting behind them in
4th … you can see how they’re running … I knew I was fastest up
top.”
At the finish – McPherson was
followed by Panunte, Rob Knapp, Nick Cupolo and Chad Chevalier.
“Starting from 11th,” revealed
Greg Panunte post race, “I am really happy to finish 2nd … my
congratulations to Tyler.”
“It helps to start up front,”
commented 3rd place finisher Rob Knapp, “we’ve ran good through
most of the Shoot Out … I was just trying to hold my spot from
start to finish.”
Chad Chevalier made a late race
charge to take fifth from Brad Rouse but 6th was good enough for
Rouse to be crowned 2009 Lucas Oil Shoot Out Champion.
“It has been a busy week,” added
a relieved Brad Rouse, “it was an honor to run #30 once again …
we just did what we had to do. Thanks to everyone for
everything.”
With Ron Loggie setting the pace
at the start of the Hoosier Stock Feature – action back in the
pack was unbelievable – three and four wide from start to
finish. Third generation driver Brent Begolo among the drivers
that were pulling off some spectacular moves – hugging the
guardrail through the turns trying to advance positions.
However back at the front – the
top 5 eventually broke away from the field with Loggie leading
Vince Fargnoli, Ken Sargent, Billy Bleich and Alan Sleight.
By lap 9 Ken Sargent had taken
control of the runner-up spot and approaching the half-way point
began to close in on the leader.
Eventually Sargent became the
new leader out of turn 4 to complete lap 11. Sleight soon took
second despite having a corner of his hood come loose and bend
up – surely obscuring some of his vision.
The first caution slowed the
field on lap 16 after former leader Loggie lost control of car
in turn 4 after falling victim to a flat tire.
Another caution on lap 18 with
yet another on the restart found Sargent still in control.
Sleight now in the runner-up
spot was trying to outguess Sargent’s line in the two laps to
the finish. Along the backstretch of lap 19 the two were side by
side and through the final two turns.
Out of turn 4 for the final time
– Sleight got a good run on the high side and at the stripe just
edged out Sargent for his first win.
“I knew I wasn’t going to get by
him on the bottom,” informed Al Sleight, “I knew it was the last
lap … I had one chance … it was either going to be first or
third for me.”
Sleight and Sargent were
followed by Billy Bleich, Vince Fargnoli and Rob Murray,
Former champion Wally Billing
led the field to start the Modern Corporation Open Wheel Lite
Feature. The driver on the move though in the early stages was
Jamie Gilbert. Starting back in the pack – Gilbert was in second
by lap 4.
Gilbert took the lead on lap 5
with Josh Sliter and Adam Leslie following his charge to round
out the early top 3.
Lap 8 saw Adam Leslie take over
the runner-up spot with a huge distance separating him from
leader Gilbert at the half-way point.
Eventually Leslie would reel the
leader in – catching him by lap 12 – and becoming the new leader
one lap later.
Leslie and Gilbert would break
away from the field with lap traffic coming in to play with 3
laps to go.
Still under green from the start
– Leslie was able to hold off Gilbert’s challenges for the win
with Paul Klager, Adam Murphy and Josh Sliter closing out the
top 5.
“I was a little worried at
first,” relayed Adam Leslie, “we all kind of got clustered up
there … but everything seemed to work itself out… the lap cars
also had we worried too … but this time they played in my favor.”
Chris Laskey was first to lead
the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Feature with a couple early
cautions slowing the pace.
On a lap 8 restart, Laskey was
joined by cousins Trevor and Rob Goulding in a breakaway pack of
leaders with former champion Trevor briefly taking the lead
before Laskey got it back quickly.
Threading through lap traffic on
lap 12 – it was Trevor again in control of top spot before
current point leader Rob Goulding was in control.
“That was wild,” revealed Rob
Goulding, “I wasn’t expecting much out of tonight at all … lap
traffic definitely played a role. I think I may have to shake
some hands for this one tonight.”
Following the Gouldings was Rob
Overholt in third with Chris Laskey and Kyle Pelrine rounding
out the top 5.
More than 50 cars started the
final Enduro Qualifier accelerated by Niagara College - but like
the first two – the winner was James Mercer.
Mercer started on the pole to
win by virtue of being the first to register and never looked
back. Stan Larmet finished in the runner-up spot and now will
start the 100 Event Sunday September 13th from the 3rd
position.
UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE
SPEEDWAY
The Pen Centre presents Three
Dog Night – Saturday August 22nd featuring the final round of
the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Triple Crown Series and a Best
Appearing Dog Contest.
Race Fans and Race Teams alike
are welcome to bring their pets for the intermission contest
that is worth the price of admission alone.
When the Gates open at 5:30 – a
special Grandstand Ticket Offer will be available. With the
purchase of 2 Adult, Student or Seniors Tickets at just $10 each
– you can get a third for $5.
Showtime is 7:00.
For further info call
905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.
Join us this season on a
Saturday Night for A LUCAS OIL WEEKLY RACING SERIES EVENT
featuring FIVE Weekly Racing Divisions featuring local heroes
and up and coming new stars!
Make your plans … call
your friends and maybe even get a car pool together and enjoy a
staycation at the speedway with plenty of free parking and
camping spots!
You’re among friends at Boston
Pizza and Merrittville Speedway. Check your 2009 Merrittville
Speedway Grandstand Ticket stubs for a special offer from the
Niagara Street Welland Boston Pizza location.
Your Local Dirt Track is where
it's at!! Merrittville Speedway "The Best Family Entertainment
in Niagara"
