4/19/2025
Merrittville Speedway
MODIFIEDS MESSY AS MERRITTVILE OPENS 74TH SEASON WITH BOWMAN, MCPHERSON, WINGER, FONTAINE AND GOULDING IN VICTORY LANE
THOROLD, Ontario (April 19th, 2025) … With luke warm temperatures but ultimately dry conditions, Merrittville fans were kept warm with the fire of racing engines as the 74th season opener roared to life on Peter’s Construction Group Opening Night. Mike Bowman of Stevensville, ON’s scored the win in his return to Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified racing. St. Catharines, ON’s Cody McPherson picked up where he spent most of 2024, in voctory lane in the Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s ESSO DIRTcar Sportsman. In the Rona Doidge Modified Lites, Ridgeway, ON’s Tyler Winger started his season the way 2024 ended, winning the feature. A pair of Port Colborne, ON natives in Jason Fontaine and Rob Goulding scored the wins in the Hoosier Stocks and All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders.
The Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified feature began with Scott Wood and Brad Rouse on the front row, with Rouse leading early before Mike Bowman was able to get out front. Things got messy for the modified’s following a restart on lap 17. Jacob Dykstra, Gary Lindberg and Pete Bicknell tangled in the first corners with Bicknell and Lindberg getting hooked together leading to another caution. One lap later it was Jay Mallory and Todd Gordon who would find themselves facing the wrong direction on the back stretch. Bowman would control another restart ahead of Rouse, but after James Friesen suffered a mechanical failure on lap 21, the field would be bunched up again for another restart. With 10 to go Martin Polhill and Jacob Dykstra got involved in an incident that lead to another yellow and some rough housing under caution. Both drivers were parked for their actions. One lap later, Bicknell and Dave Flannigan got together off turn 4 leading to another yellow. Bowman would once again hang on to the lead on the restart and finally see the checkered ahead of late charging Lindberg and Rouse.
The Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s Esso DIRTcar Sportsman ran caution free, with Dan McKay and Boyd MacTavish bringing the field to green. McKay lead early, controlling the first half of the race. At lap 14, defending champion of the division Cody McPherson was able to work past McKay to take the top spot. On lap 21, Brett Senek would take over the second spot but with 3 seconds to make up to leader McPheson, it was too little too late. McPherson scored the win to start his title defence in 2025.
The Rona Doidge Modifed Lite feature began with Josh Sliter and Tyler Winger outfront, with Winger leading the first lap. On lap 4, Nick Sarantakos went for spin. The caution came out again on lap 7 when Cohen Corbett would spin off turn 4 and stall. Josh Sliter took the lead on the restart, however a mechanical failure would force Sliter off on lap 12, handing the lead back to Winger. On lap 18, Cohen Corbett spun in the exact same spot after recovering to 3rd, setting up a Green White Checkered. Winger would control the single file restart and hold off R.J. Pietz to pick up where he left 2024 with another win.
Rob Murray and Mark Fawcett lead the Hoosier Stock field to green. Jason Fontaine took the lead on lap 8. After Evan Curtis spun in front of the back half of the field to bring out a caution, Fontaine would continue to lead. The caution came out again on lap 12 for a spin by Zach Bleich. While Fontaine continued to lead, Rob Murray and Mark Fawcett fought hard for second spot. Their battle would allow Fontaine to slip away and win the season opener.
The All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders began with Sierra Robison and Mason Anderson on the front row, however Robison’s night would take turn after flipping on lap 2 when multiple drivers came together at the front end of the field. All drivers involved would be okay. Anderson took the lead on the restart and built up a lead of several carlengths.The lead was erased after back to back cautions on lap 8 and 9. With four laps to go, Rob Goulding took over the top spot and checked out himself on the way to his season opening win ahead of Dave Wininger and Anderson.
Racing action returns to Merrittville Speedway next Saturday when the Spring Sizzler 2025 presented by Lococo’s brings the Southern Ontario Sprints to Thorold for the first of 3 trips. The 360 Sprint Cars will be joined by the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds, Hoosier Stocks, Rna Doidge Mod-Lites, and All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders. Pit Gates will open at 4pm, with grandstands opening at 5:30pm, and action will get underway at 7pm. For more information, visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com and can follow the action on My Race Pass.
Follow Merrittville on social media including Facebook (facebook.com/MerrittvilleSpeedway), Twitter (@Merrittville), and now on Instagram (@merrittvillespeedway). For results, point standings, and more, check out www.merrittvillespeedway.com
RACE RESULTS –- April 19th, 2025
Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds – MIKE BOWMAN, Gary Lindberg, Brad Rouse, Justin Sharp, Fred Carleton, Darrell Farraway, Pete Bicknell, Shayne Pierce, Dave Flannigan Jr., Tommy Flannigan, Nelson Mason, Todd Gordon, Brian Page, Glenn Styres, Martin Polhill, Jacob Dykstra, Scott Wood, James Friesen, Jay Mallory, Derek VanMil, Dylan Davidson, Bill Gill, (DNS) Luke Carelton
Heat Winners – Scott Wood, Brad Rouse, Mike Bowman
Semenuk’s Esso/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman – CODY MCPHERSON, Brett Senek, Daniel McKay, Jeff Panunte, Boyd MacTavish, Matt Sharpe, Noah Mamo, Adam Leslie, Jacob Chevalier, Billy Bleich Jr., Nigel Pendykoski, Matteo Panunte, Taylor Vanderzanden, Curtis Friesen, Doug Walsh Jr., Tyler Puchalski, Jordan Moden, Matthew Jessome, Brad Overbeeke, Tyler Lafantaise, Elijah Knutt, Trevor Pitt, (DNS) Mitch Dumont
Heat Winners – Dan McKay, Boyd MacTavish, Noah Mamo
Rona Doidge Modified Lites – TYLER WINGER, R.J. Pietz, Sean Iftody, Brent Begolo, Anthony Kelly, Leroy Buscumb, Roger Pardis, Ryleigh Sliter, Cole Hardy, Cohen Corbett, Dave Cornish, Dillan Sliter, Jeffery Bernier-Lacombe, Nick Sarantakos, Bella General, Rob Misener, Chance Kotar, Josh Sliter, (DNS) Greg Zack, (DNS) Chris Watson
Heat Winners – Josh Sliter, Tyler Winger, R.J. Pietz
Hoosier Stocks – JASON FONTAINE, Rob Murray, Mark Fawcett, Kyle Pelrine, Spencer Smolders, Zack Bleich, Nick Masi, Gofast Teeple, Dustin Duga, Jeff Bean, Chase Kish, Spencer Maytum, Evan Curtis, (DNS) Dave Bailey
Heat Winners – Rob Murray, Mark Fawcett
Allstar Concrete 4 Cylinders – ROB GOULDING, Dave Wininger, Mason Anderson, Ken Hair, Alex Riely, Hana Rothwell, Fabio Oliveri, Joshua Dmytrow, Jesse McDonald, Cam Thompson, Brendan Lefrancois, Olivier Larocque, Nick Bowman, John Triveri, Savannah Fontaine, Jacob McIntyre, Connor Chambers, Shawn Wilton, Joe Stoevenson, Richard Hadler, Braeden Keus, Cameron Olm, (DNF) Rodney Rutherford, (DNF) Randy Always, (DNF) Sierra Robison, (DNF) Ray Cerenzia, (DNF) Clinton Barrick, (DNF) Austyn Werstroh
B Main – Ken Hair, Austyn Werstroh, Shawn Wilton, Richard Hadler, Savannah Fontaine, Brendan Lefrancois, John Triveri, Connor Chambers. Joe Stevenson, Braden Keus,
Did Not Qualify: Jonathan Macwhirter, Jack Reid, Jay Moulton, Steven Boverhof, Cierra Keus, James Marshall
Heat Winners – Sierra Robison, Mason Anderson, Jesse McDonald
Article Credit: Jonathon Howe
Submitted By: Jonathon Howe