Thorold, Ontario (August 23) The
string of first time winners at Merrittville Speedway continued
August 22nd with rookie Mike Bowman winning his first L. St.
Amand Enterprises 358 Modified Feature. Brad Sheehan was another
first time winner as well in the Hoosier Stock Division.
The Lucas Oil Weekly Racing
Series program presented by the Pen Centre featured the Turn 4
Collision 4 Cylinders in their final Triple Crown Event of the
Season and while Aaron Wiley won the 20 lap event – Matt
Deschamps took home the Series Title.
Brad Rouse won the Original
Pizza Logs Sportsman Feature while Shawn Sliter won the Modern
Corporation Open Wheel Lite Feature.
Ken Winnfield was first to lead
the 35 lap L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modified Feature before
Rob Pietz took control with caution slowing the field with one
lap complete.
Wayne Conn – also running in the
lead pack climbed Pietz’ right rear tire which sent his Andrew
Sittler-owned 37S into a wheel stand in turn 4.
Pietz again set the pace on the
restart until Mike Bowman became the new leader in turn 2 of lap
2. By lap 11 Bowman was into lap traffic – but the top three
including Fred Carleton and Chris Steele weren’t slowed.
On a lap 13 restart Steele
became the new leader with Bowman back out in front on lap 14. A
multi-car incident on lap 16 eased a see saw battle between the
two front-runners with Steele in control on the restart.
Steele quickly pulled away to a
comfortable lead but into lap traffic once again – Bowman and
Carleton began to close in.
A lap 29 caution would find
Steele having to go high to avoid the stranded car – but in
doing so – the former karter lost momentum and lost a couple
positions unfortunately after not maintaining his speed.
Bowman was back out in front
until one final caution on lap 32 set up a three lap dash to the
finish.
Bowman ran to a 5 car length
advantage at starter Doug Leonard’s double checkered flags with
Fred Carleton second. Pete Bicknell and Larry Lampman made last
race charges to take 3rd and 4th while Tim Jones was 5th.
“This new car worked awesome
tonight,” revealed defending Sportsman Point Champion and 2009
Modified Rookie Mike Bowman in Victory Lane, “we struggled with
it last week … we just couldn’t get a break and tonight we’re
here.”
The 20 lap Hoosier Stock Feature
began with Pat Thompson and Andrew Iker on the front row with
neither having control until Thompson eventually took control
of top spot.
With racing through the pack
three and four wide and at times five wide – an early caution
found Thompson back in control before Kevin Knapp took over the
lead.
Knapp was soon challenged by
Brad Sheehan with Sheehan the new leader out of turn 4 to
complete lap 5.
Rob Murray and Ken Sargent soon
took over second and third with Al Sleight and Knapp rounding
out the top 5. The leaders soon jumped out to a 15 car lead on
the pack.
Murray was reeling in his step
son Sheehan with the two running identical lines.
Sheehan’s line though kept him
out front to the checkered flag with Sargent and Sleight closing
on the two front-runners at the finish. Billy Bleich made a late
race charge to take fifth.
After a celebratory donut in the
infield in turn 4 Sheehan informed, “I got out to the early lead
which surprised me … I didn’t know how fast to go … I didn’t
know where anyone was behind me – I took it smooth and here I
am.”
The start of the Turn 4
Collision 4 Cylinder Triple Crown 20 lap Finale saw an all Wiley
front row after the husband and wife race team of Aaron and
Jocelynne won their heats.
Jocelynne was first to lead
before Aaron took over top spot along the backstretch.
Although Jocelynne stayed glued
to her husband’s car – Rob Overholt eventually took over the
runner-up spot. With the two racing for position – Aaron Wiley
was able to open up a comfortable lead on the field.
By lap 8 Wiley was into lap
traffic with Matt Deschamps now into the show spot.
With the leaders battling the
slower cars sometimes 3 wide – Overholt soon was able to close
in on the leader.
With two laps to go – the top
three were within 4 car lengths of each other but through to the
finish – Wiley managed to pull away slightly.
“I’ve won the Triple Crown a
couple years in a row,” remarked a relieved Aaron Wiley in
Victory Lane, adding, “ but this year … it’s been my nemesis …
everything that could go wrong has gone wrong this year … until
tonight.”
Wiley was followed by Overholt
and Deschamps while Jocelynne settled for fourth. Garnet Wilson
rounded out the top 5.
Brad Rouse found himself out
front of the 25 lap Sportsman Feature after an early incident
between leaders Richard Farraway and Robbie Rounce found both
drivers pitside for the night.
Rouse set the pace on the
restart but quickly Brandon Easey was in control. Easey, Rouse
and BJ Willard as the top three began to pull away from the
field. Soon Willard and Rouse were battling for the runner-up
spot with Willard taking over the lead on lap 7.
A lap 13 caution found Willard
in control once again with Rouse now challenging to take back
top spot.
Rouse took control of the lead
on lap 15 and as the laps wound down – the two were involved in
quite a see saw battle with the pair eventually side by side.
Rouse clearly had an advantage
as leader on lap 18 but in the closing laps Willard closed in
back in. The lead was back and forth and on the last lap
Willard gave it one last try.
The margin of victory for Rouse
at the finish was almost too close to call but the Lucas Oil
Live Leaderboard had Rouse out front – by a mere 4 one
hundredths of a second.
“I was driving like a rookie at
times,” confessed Rouse in Victory Lane, “I didn’t hit the
cushion right each time … it almost hurt me – the car was fast
though … we’ve done a lot of work on this thing the last couple
of weeks – we’ll just have to see where we are with it next
week.”
Greg Panunte, Chad Chevalier and
Jim Johnstone finished out the top 5.
Bob Bredin set the pace at the
start of the Modern Corporation Open Wheel Lite Feature before
the new leader was Kory Howe with the pace brought to a stop
with one lap in the books after former champion Wally Billing
gently rolled his car in turn 2.
Howe again set the pace on the
restart before Shawn Sliter took control along the backstretch.
With Sliter opening up a good
lead on the field in his nephew’s borrowed car – Paul Klager and
Adam Leslie were both on their way to the front – with the two
second and third before the half-way point.
Despite enjoying a good lead at
the half-way point, Sliter would come up upon slower cars. By
lap 14 increasing lap traffic allowed Klager to close in with
two laps to go.
Sliter drove the unfamiliar car
to a car length lead at the checkered flag with Klager and
Leslie as the top 3. Jamie Gilbert and Kory Howe closed out the
top 5.
While the field was getting the
checkered flag, Adam Murphy came to a stop in turn 4 with flames
pouring out from under his car after an oil line let go.
“I found my motor making a
little noise,” revealed Shawn Sliter, “I might have bent a valve
… this car is fast however … I’ll drive this car anytime …
thanks to my brother Ray and Josh.”
Merrittville Speedway Inside
Track Motorsport News Pit Notes
The flags were again at half
mast in memory of Gene Austin who passed away August 19th.
Austin was a former driver in the 50’s and 60’s and since the
first Nostalgia Night in 1991 was a fixture at each one since.
UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE
SPEEDWAY
Ball Hockey International
presents Minor Sport Night – Saturday August 29th assisted by
the Niagara Ice Dogs featuring the final round of the King of
the Crates Sportsman Series powered by Niagara Motors in
addition to regular events for all Lucas Oil Weekly Racing
Series Divisions – the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds,
Hoosier Stocks, Modern Corporation Open Wheel Lites and Turn 4
Collision 4 Cylinders.
Gates open at 5:30. 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"
