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Sharp Shines Through For Modified Feature Win, McPherson, Winger, Fawcett and Keus All Pick Up Checkered’s

THOROLD, Ontario (July 18th, 2026) … As southern Ontario was threatened by poor weather through Saturday afternoon, the clouds lifted to give the perfect window to get a full night of racing at Merrittville Speedway as Fastek Inc presented Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing. Justin Sharp of St. Catharines, ON won the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified Feature. In the Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s ESSO DIRTcar Sportsman, Cody McPherson of St. Catharines scored his sixth feature win of 2026. Ridgeway, ON native Tyler Winger returned to victory lane in the Rona Doidge Modified Lites. Mark Fawcett of Canfield, ON won in the Hoosier Stocks and Cierra Keus of Port Robinson claimed the win in the All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders.

It’s been a season of feast or famine for Justin Sharp. Two runner up finishes have been overshadowed by DNF’s and one wild ride that landed him upside down in a Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified feature just two weeks ago. However, Saturday’s feature finally turned the tide, as he quickly jumped out to a lead from the outside of the front row. Fred Carleton appeared to be catching Sharp for the top spot until a caution with 20 to go. On the restart, Carleton jumped early and cost himself two spots. Next, it was Nelson Mason to challenge for the top spot on another extended green flag run. Pete Bicknell got past Mason for the runner up spot following a restart with 14 to go. Bicknell kept Sharp honest but couldn’t mount a challenge for the lead, even after one final restart with six laps to go. Sharp finally got the monkey off his back with a trip to victory lane, while Mason got back to the runner up spot and Gary Lindberg slipped by Bicknell late for third.

John Babion and Daniel McKay lead the field to green in the Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s ESSO DIRTcar Sportsman feature, with McKay out to an early advantage. After a caution on lap eight, Terry Smith took over the top spot, while Nigel Pendykoski and Cody McPherson appeared to have the fastest cars. Both utilized the outside groove to work themselves into the top five. After consecutive cautions at lap 20 and 21 of the 25 lap feature, McPherson lined up on Smith’s rear bumper for a restart. Smith tried to keep the field at a slow pace coming back to green but McPherson was on him, pushing him out of the restart zone. Smith fended off McPherson for one more lap before throwing a hail mary block into turn one with three laps to go that McPherson attacked perfectly to get by. McPherson would have to survive one last Green White Checkered after a caution on the white flag lap. Smith tried to get back by but McPherson proved too much, claiming his sixth win of the season.

It felt like Tyler Winger was in a league of his own in the Rona Doidge Modified Lites on Saturday night. From the drop of the green flag in the feature, Winger was on the after burner, passing for the lead in the first set of corners from his starting position on the outside of row two. By lap five, Winger had built a four second advantage on the field as the caution came out for the first time. He built another sizable margin out front on the restart before a second caution when Tony Kelly and Josh Sliter tangled. Leroy Buscumb and R.J. Peitz both appeared to have cars that could potentially challenge Winger if they had the chance. However, they duelled over second for the majority of the feature and were never able to pose a threat to Winger, who went on to win his third feature of the season.

In Hoosier Stock action, Mark Fawcett capitalized on his front row starting spot to get out to an early lead. Jason Fontaine ran second while point leader Dave Bailey worked passed Gofast Teeple on lap six. Kyle Pelrine followed suit in pursuit of his third win in as many weeks. Both he and Bailey moved past Fontaine to pursue Fawcett. A caution with five laps to go erased Fawcett’s margin out front but he would be able to get away once again on the single file restart, beating Bailey to the line for his first feature win of the season.

The All Star Concrete Four Cylinder feature saw multiple cautions and lead changes in the first half of the laps. Sierra Robison held control of the race for the early portion until Cierra Keus took over the top spot just before the race reached halfway. Keus would go on to lead the race's remaining laps, finishing ahead of Robison. Brendan Lefrancois finished third after starting 14th, with Mason Anderson and Ken Hair rounding out the top five finishers.

Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing returns next Saturday presented by Carquest Auto Parts. All five of our Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing series will be in action including Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds, Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s ESSO DIRTcar Sportsman, Rona Doidge Modified Lites, Hoosier Stocks and All Star Concrete Four Cylinders will all be in action. Pit Gates will open at 5pm, with grandstands opening at 5:30pm, and racing 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 –- July 18th, 2026.

Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds – JUSTIN SHARP, Nelson Mason, Gary Lindberg, Pete Bicknell, Tommy Flannigan, Fred Carleton. Brad Rouse, Shanye Pierce, Jacob Chevalier, Todd Gordon, James Friesen, Dave Flannigan Jr. , Jay Mallory, Scott Wood, (DNF) Brian Page, (DNF) Darrell Farraway, (DNF) Ken Winfield, (DNF) Gofast Teeple

Qualifying Heats - Justin Sharp, Fred Carleton, Gary Lindberg

Baron Roofing/Semenuk’s Esso DIRTcar Sportsman - CODY MCPHERSON (6), Terry Smith, Nigel Pendykoski, Billy Bleich, Tyler Puchalski, Matteo Panunte, Daniel McKay, Madyson Rouse, Brad Overbeeke, Austin Seburn, John Babion, Russell Friesen, Noah Mamo, Carter Gaboury, Trevor Pitt, Jeff Panunte, Elijah Knutt, Cameron Olm, (DNF) Dustin Duga, (DNF) Lance Waldeck

Qualifying Heats - John Babion, Cody McPherson, Nigel Pendykoski

Rona Doidge Modlites - TYLER WINGER (3), Leroy Buscumb, R.J. Pietz, Fabio Olivieri, Dillan Sliter, Josh Sliter, Brent Begolo, Cohen Corbett, Chris Watson, Max Trivieri, Cole Hardy, Evan Leonard, Nick Sarantakos, Jesse Palmer, Anthony Kelly, Dave Cornish, Ryleigh Sliter, Jamie Gilbert, Travis Ruch, Chris Sherk, (DNF) Tony Kelly, (DNF) Dan Kviring

Qualifying Heats - Tony Kelly, Brent Begolo, R.J. Pietz

Hoosier Stocks – MARK FAWCETT, Dave Bailey, Kyle Pelrine, Chris Crowe, Zack Bleich, Trevor DeBoer, Jeff Bean, Pete Reid, Kevin Kocarik, Mitch Petta, Spencer Maytum, (DNF) Gofast Teeple, (DNF) Jason Fontaine, (DNF) Chase Kish, (DNF) John Trivieri

Qualifying Heats - Chase Kish, Jason Fontaine

All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders – Cierra Keus (2), Sierra Robison, Brendan Lefrancois, Mason Anderson, Ken Hair, Jeremy Cooper, Clinton Barrick, Hana Rothwell, Dave Wininger, Braden Keus, Connor Chambers, Rochard Hadler, Jay Moulton, Savannah Fontaine, Tyler Chesniak, Joshua Dmytrow, (DNF) Dave Mamo,

Qualifying Heats – Clinton Barrick, Mason Anderson

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