MERRITTVILLE’S DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND OFF TO HOT START
Thorold, ON….August 3rd, 2002…Donut Diner Coffee served up some of the best action brewing at Merrittville Speedway Saturday night as Kacey Lynn Family Fun Night saw Dan Gilbert secure his first win this year in the second 12-lap pro stock feature. Kirk Wilson, Wally Billing, Steve Devos, and Karen Kocarik got their second wins of the season in street stock, dwarf, prostock and ladies respectively. Rob Pietz garnered his fourth win of the season, and Pete Bicknell secured his points lead with his fifth feature win of 2002.
Rob Murray and Ron Kingsbury began the street stock feature on the lead row, but it was Murray to the lead as the yellow came out. Ed Fargnoli looped it in turn two and took Mike Dooley with him. Kevin Kocarik was in second spot for the restart. Dave Dykstra relieved Kocarik of second on the next lap. Fargnoli spun again in turn four, but was able to get out of the way before the yellow could fly. The top five after five laps were: Murray, Dolph McCready, Kirk Wilson, Jerry Deschamps and Kocarik. Paul Plante got the black flag as his car was pouring out some heavy smoke. McCready tried to make a last lap pass and both he and Murray nearly went off the track leaving Wilson with second as Dolph just squeaked past him. Murray and McCready were awarded tail in the feature for un-sportsmanlike behaviour after the race giving Kirk Wilson his second win of the season –Jerry Deschamps was awarded second.
Bob Bredin and Rick Brubacher began the dwarf feature in the lead, and Bredin stayed there to lead the first lap. Scott Billing put himself in the rail in turn three bringing out the first yellow on lap one. Bredin lost control in the second lap, and looped her around in turn four bringing out another caution. Greg Belyea took the lead on the restart. Wally Billing moved into the lead on the back straight of lap three, and never looked back. Dave Russell moved into second on lap four. The top five after ten were: Billing, Russell, Belyea, Jeff Johnson and Wayne Robins. Robins moved under Johnson for fourth with only two laps to go but Billing held on for his second checkered of the season.
The first of the twin 12-lap pro stock features found Jeff Dayman in the early lead, with Dan Gilbert trying to chase him down. Steve Devos pulled alongside Dayman on lap three. Yellow on lap four as Rick Baker spun out all by himself in turn one. Jay Tries spun out in turn four on the restart, but was able to get out of everyone’s way without causing another caution. The top five on lap eight were: Dayman, Devos, Sean Keus, Gilbert and Mike Ward. Devos got a nose under Dayman as he went too high in turn four, giving him the lead on lap nine. Devos came around to take his second checkered of the season.
The second prostock feature had Gilbert and Ward starting in the lead. Gilbert took the lead with Ward knocking on his back bumper. Devos flew into third spot after only four laps. The top five after five laps completed were: Gilbert, Ward, Devos, Baker and Dayman. Keus moved up to site side by side with Dayman for fifth with five to go, and he nailed it a lap later. Devos was on the inside of Ward for second with one lap to go, but Ward battled back. Gilbert took his first prostock feature of the season.
Danielle Landry had the early lead in the ladies race, but Karen Kocarik stole her thunder on the second lap and starting putting a good lead on. Kocarik took her second feature win of the ladies series and was followed in by Danielle Landry, Charlene Dooley, Julie Davidson, and Marty Wilson. Thanks to Videl’s Salon of St. Catharines for an added bonus to the ladies winner – a manicure and hair cut.
John McKenney took the early lead in the sportsman feature. The field was taking the corners three wide in the early laps. Stan Zanchin moved into the lead on lap five. Chad Chevalier got around in turn four on lap five collecting Bobby Davidson and Rob Knapp. Knapp nearly flipped over, going up on two wheels, but was stopped by Davidson’s car. On the restart Davidson spun in turn four, and was narrowly missed by the field as they split around him, thanks to the one way radio connection the race director has with the field. Another major crash in turn four on lap nine as Chevalier, Knapp, Davidson, Greg Wilson and Darren Zumpe are all collected. Bill Bleich almost went into the wall on lap 15, but instead wiped out in turn one collecting Adam Ferri. Wayne Conn jumped the restart, leaving him two cars behind where he was in the field. Zanchin blew up on lap 20 heading for the pits, after being in fourth position. The top five with five to go were: Rob Pietz, Boyd MacTavish, Jeff Leggett, Mark Feor and Joe Meisel. Pietz came around to take his fourth checkered flag of the season.
Don Turner jumped into the early lead in the modified feature. Yellow came out on the track on lap four as Pete Bicknell, Greg Panunte, Brad Gravestock, Brian Stevens and Larry Lampman were all collected in turn four. Everyone was able to pull away except Panunte, who was taken to the pits on a tow truck and stayed there. Todd Gordon moved into second on the restart, while Bicknell started flying up on the outside of the field. Another caution on lap 8 as Lampman sat disabled in turn four, but got going again when the yellow came out. Rob Krull powered into the lead on the restart, as Brachmann passed Bicknell further back in the field. The top four after ten laps completed were Krull, Jamie Turner, Gordon and Scott Wood. Wood spun out in turn four bringing out the yellow, Bicknell and Stevens traded paint, and Stevens was sent to the pits. Brachmann was up to third after 13 laps. Turner moved into the lead as Krull went too high in turn four. Bicknell moved into third on lap 17. Bicknell secured second in turn three of lap 24, and began the run on Turner for the win. Bicknell took the lead with three laps to go, and held it.
On a sad note, we at Merrittville would like to express our condolences to Lee Webber on the passing of his wonderful wife Rose. Lee was the former dwarf champion in 2000 and 2001 with Rose always by his side. Words can not express how sad we feel for his loss and the racing community will miss her dearly.
Action continues Monday August 5th when Pete Cosco Haulage Ltd. Presents the 10th Annual Trevor Wilkens Memorial Modified Classis 100 lap Turning Stone Casino Super Dirt series event plus 25 lap events for Sportsmen and Street stocks. For more information visit merrittvillespeedway.com or call 905-892-8266.
358-Modified Final: Pete Bicknell, Jamie Turner, Rob Krull, Chad Brachmann, Larry Lampman, Todd Gordon, Rick Richner, Scott Wood, Paul Ashton, Don Turner, Chris Ricker, Kenny Winfield, Pete Cosco, Brad Gravestock, Dwayne Winfield, Brad Rouse, Fred Carleton, Greg Panunte, Brian Stevens.
Sportsman Final: Rob Pietz, Boyd MacTavish, Jeff Leggett, Mark Feor, Wayne Conn, Adam Ferri, Joe Meisel, Gary Kruchka, John McKenney, Chad Chevalier, Darren Zumpe, Dennis Giancola, Brad Malloy, Stan Zanchin, Bill Bleich, Rob Knapp, Bobby Davidson, and Greg Wilson.
Pro Stock 1st Final: Steve Devos, Sean Keus, Jeff Dayman, Mike Ward, Dan Gilbert, Rick Baker, Dereck Lemyre, Butch Zimmerman, Bill Wade, and Jay Tries.
Pro Stock 2nd Final: Dan Gilbert, Mike Ward, Steve Devos, Sean Keus, Rick Baker, Dereck Lemyre, Jeff Dayman, Butch Zimmerman, Jay Trees and Bill Wade.
Dwarf Final: Wally Billing, Dave Russell, Greg Belyea, Wayne Robins, Mark Brighton, Scott Billing, Jeff Johnson, Dave Ackler, Chris Rimmen, Bill Perry, Ken Robins, Mike Green, John Wrobel, Ken Scott, Kellie Mason, Nolan King, Rick Brubacher, Derek Bredin, Bob Bredin.