Thorold, Ontario (September 6) A
great final point night crowd at Merrittville Speedway September
5th saw some thrilling racing in between the final Autograph
Night of the season as well.
Quite a display of Team Brian’s
Tire greeted race fans as they entered the grandstand area –
including Pete Cosco, Travis Braun, Brad Rouse, Fred Carleton,
Brad Sheehan, Rob Murray, Kory Howe and Kevin Aube.
All of the race cars through 4
of the divisions would see action during the night. Aube’s
Niagara Auto Sales Pro 4 Truck was on display in advance of
Friday September 11th’s kickoff to the J&S Heating
Tripleheader.
The Lucas Oil Weekly Racing
Series program presented by Brian’s Tire Repairs featured the L.
St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modified Division in the annual 50 lap
John Spencer Memorial. The Reunion Committee sponsored event was
won by 2009 Rookie Mike Bowman.
Robbie Rounce and Shayne Pierce
both won their first events in the Original Pizza Logs Sportsman
and Hoosier Stock Divisions respectively.
In the Modern Corporation Open
Wheel Lites – Adam Leslie came home the winner while Aaron Wiley
topped the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder Division.
Before the Autograph Session
began – race fans witnessed quite a redraw to set the top 12 for
the 2009 edition of the John Spencer Memorial.
As each eligible driver was
called out to draw they were required to give their spots to
another driver. Chad Brachmann was one of the first to pick and
was quite happy after he was able to pass off 12th spot to Pete
Bicknell.
The very unique draw saw Rick
Richner and Brian Stevens on the front row and at the drop of
Honorary Starter Rick Kavanagh’s green flag it was Richner out
front.
Two early cautions would slow
the field right away but on each restart, Richner was quickly
challenged by the Brian’s Tire #96 of Fred Carleton before
Carleton took control on lap 7.
Like Richner before him however
Carleton’s pace was also slowed by two cautions – cutting a
comfortable lead the second generation driver had earned.
The battle for the runner-up
spot saw Richner being challenged by Mike Bowman with Bowman
eventually taking the spot.
After a lap 10 restart – it was
Carleton and Bowman in a breakaway pack.
Starter Doug Leonard’s yellow
flag came out again on lap 23 after Todd Kendrick came to a stop
just off the racing surface in turn 2.
Carleton and Bowman fired at the
same time on the ensuing restart with Bowman getting the jump
and the lead before being slowed the next lap after last week’s
winner Wayne Conn slowed with a flat tire.
Bowman again set the pace on the
restart before another incident involving last week’s winner
Conn brought the field to a stop on lap 30.
Conn bounced off the cushion
between turns 1 and 2 and rolled his car.
Bowman again set the pace when
racing resumed and immediately ran away from the field before
being slowed again on lap 34 after Mark D’IIario scraped the
front stretch wall and ended up with a flat right rear tire.
Two more cautions would slow
Bowman but on each restart – he was able to pull away from the
field.
While Bowman was out front,
Carleton was now being challenged by 7 time John Spencer
Memorial Winner Pete Bicknell. Bicknell took over the runner-up
spot on lap 40 and set his sights on the leader.
Even after a lap 47 multicar
incident slowing the field one last time – Bowman’s run was
flawless and Bicknell could not catch him in the three lap dash
to the checkered flag.
“This car was just awesome
again,” relayed now 2 time 2009 Winner Mike Bowman, “we really
haven’t touched it since our first win … thanks to Pete and
Randy at BRP … my crew … this is just awesome … we’re starting
the tour now with some momentum.”
While Bowman won the feature and
will join several of his Team Merrittville Drivers on the 358
Mr. DIRTcar Championship Trail at the Cornwall Speedway Sunday
September 6th, Larry Lampman merely had to start the 50 lap
event to win the 2009 Points Championship – his third in the
division.
“Really … I just have to thank
everyone for this,” prided Larry Lampman, “my family … car
owners Dan and Veronica Miller … mom and dad and our great
sponsors … tonight though … I think we were real lucky to finish
where we did.”
The 2009 running of the John
Spencer Memorial had real meaning to it as many members of the
Spencer Family were in attendance – joining the Reunion
Committee to honor the driver that lost his life back in the
50’s as a result of a racing accident at Stamford.
Mike Bowman became the 12th
different winner of the Event over its two eras. A list from the
modern era includes Bicknell, Carleton, Lampman and Chad
Brachmann. The original annual trophy also includes former
winners Jerry Winger, Murray Stricker, Bruce Van Dyke, George
Winger, Bill Rafter, Sandy MacPherson and Lloyd Holt.
Bowman and Bicknell were
followed by Carleton, Lampman and Brian Stevens.
Robbie Rounce took the lead at
the start of the 25 lap Original Pizza Logs Sportsman Feature
and with Nick Cupolo right with him – the two right away pulled
away from third place runner Steven Schumacher.
With the two battling for top
spot – Schumacher was able to close in slightly before a caution
on lap 14.
Before the field returned to
green, Co-announcer Clint Geoffrey announced to the fans and the
field that Brian Staff would donate $100 to the driver that
finished in 7th spot.
After hearing the news, Rounce
regained control on the restart while Jim Johnstone took control
of third spot.
A lap 15 caution set Cupolo up
for another run at Rounce – the two leaders running side by side
until Cupolo had the advantage on lap 21. Just as another
caution eased the battle Rounce took back the top spot.
Just before the caution – near
disaster almost struck the lead pack after Johnstone climbed the
wheel of another car but was able to back out of it without
incident.
As the laps wound down it was
Rounce being challenged again by Cupolo and Schumacher with the
trio side by side down the backstretch of the final lap.
Coming around to the checkered –
it was Rounce by a bumper over Cupolo. Schumacher settled for
third while Johnstone and Tyler McPherson closed out the top 5.
“The track was great … I just
love the high groove,” revealed Robbie Rounce post race, “I
don’t think I would be here if I had to run the bottom … Nick
had me sweating bullets a few times.”
Chad Chevalier’s 8th place
finish was good enough to earn the Port Colborne driver his
second Sportsman Title.
“It was a long season … we
didn’t finish out of the top 10,” commented Chad Chevalier, “we
couldn’t have done it without our sponsors and Dan and
Veronica.”
Greg Panunte finished 7th and
won the $100 bonus from Brian Staff.
Pat Thompson was first to lead
the Hoosier Stock Feature before Devin Habiuk took control out
of turn 4 to complete lap 4.
A lap 7 caution saw Habiuk in
control on the restart before Kevin Knapp took control on lap
8.
The rookie and the veteran were
in quite a side by side battle – slowed by another caution on
lap 9.
Habiuk set the pace on the
restart before Knapp regained top spot on the backstretch.
A driver on the move was Rob
Murray who was into the runner-up spot by the half-way point.
Eventually Murray pulled even with Knapp with Knapp holding a
slight lead.
Eventually Murray took control
of top spot on the front stretch of lap 14.
Knapp – now in the runner-up
spot would pressure Murray trying to take back the lead. Knapp
came too close however and made contact with the leader.
The new leader on the restart
was Shayne Pierce.
Pierce drove away to a 5 car
lead at the finish with the battle for second spot – 3 wide.
At the checkered, Pierce was
followed by Brad Sheehan, Al Sleight, Ron Loggie and early
leader Devin Habiuk.
Later in the night Habiuk took
home the Thorold Blackhawks 50-50 Main Prize.
Kellie Mason took control at the
start of the Modern Corporation Open Wheel Lite Feature before
Blair Young in the Greg Mills #4 took control.
Rick Brubacher eventually took
control of the runner-up spot while Young had pulled away to a
good lead.
Before a lap 10 caution,
Brubacher had begun to close in on the leader. Young set the
pace on the restart before Adam Leslie took control in turn 2.
Two cautions in the last half of
the race would slow Leslie but the battle for the runner-up
spot. Young and Brubacher would soon be challenged by Chris
Steele as well.
Unfortunately Brubacher would
lose control of his car on lap 19 – setting up a one lap dash to
the finish.
Leslie would hold on for top
spot as did Young for second. Steele settled for third while
Paul Klager and Jason Corless closed out the top 5.
While Victory Lane was waiting
for Leslie, Jamie Gilbert was celebrating his first championship
with an impressive series of donuts just out of turn 4.
“We were real fast out of the
box … right from the start,” boasted Gilbert, “it’s a 2003 car
but it’s new for me … I wouldn’t be here though without my crew
chief and everyone that helped.”
For Leslie – a motor problem is
maybe a good thing to have, “It keeps shutting off in the
corners … I don’t know what’s wrong,” informed Leslie, “we had a
pretty good year though … all in all.”
The Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder
Feature saw Austin Wood as the early leader before losing
control of his #38 in turn 2 with one lap in the books.
The incident ended the third
generation driver’s night early after Rocco Conte got caught up
in it – sending both cars to the pits.
Greg Wilson was the new leader
on the restart before Jocelynne Wiley took control. With Wiley,
Wilson and Matt Deschamps vying for top spot three wide – a
second caution on lap 2 found Wiley again out front on the
restart.
Rob Overholt was quick to take
top spot until another caution on lap 7.
Matt Deschamps took control on
the restart before Overholt was back out front. With 5 laps to
go, Aaron Wiley was the challenger for Deschamps. Lap 11 saw
Wiley take over the runner-up spot.
Eventually Wiley would overtake
Overholt for the lead and in the closing laps both Wiley and
Deschamps would pull away from the field.
At the finish it was Wiley ahead
of the 2009 Champion Matt Deschamps by a half a car length.
“I was so nervous,” admitted
Deschamps, “this season has been absolutely great … many thanks
to so many … especially Rob Goulding … he helped me build this
car and set it up … and to everyone that helped.”
Behind Wiley and Deschamps was
Overholt while cousins Rob and Trevor Goulding closed out the
top 5.
UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE
SPEEDWAY
J&S Heating presents the Triple
Header 58th Season Finale September 11th to 13th with something
for everyone on each event.
Friday September 11th features
the opening night of the Rose Webber Memorial for Open Wheel
Lite and Classic Dwarf Cars in addition to 4 Cylinder Cars and
Trucks including a Dash Cash for Cash between the two classes.
Also on the card a $1000 to win Street Stock 50 lap Event.
Saturday Night the Rose Webber
Memorial concludes in addition to a 50 lap Sportsman Super
DIRTcar Series Event and another 50 lap $1000 to Duel on the
Dirt Event for Merrittville’s Hoosier Stocks vs. the Brighton
Speedway Pro Stocks. Rounding out the final Saturday Night will
be the conclusion of the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint Event –
started back on May 30th.
Gates open both nights at 5:30
with show time at 7:00.
The weekend and the season will
conclude with the 100 lap Enduro accelerated by Niagara College
Sunday September 13th. After the gates open at 12 Noon – a 25
lap Ladies Event will precede the 100 lap Main Event.
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"
