IT’S BILLING, REID, BAKER, ISABELLE, MACTAVISH AND WOOD WITH MERRITTVILLE TOP BILLING
Thorold, Ontario...July 6th, 2002…Headlining the action at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night were the 358’s with Scott Wood taking his first of 2002, Boyd MacTavish making it 2 in a row, Jeff Isabelle and Wally Billing both grabbing checkered in the dwarf twin events and Peter Reid doubling up his street stock wins. John Lewis held off the challengers and took the checkered in the spectator one on one race.
Don Turner and Harry Sittler lined up on the lead row for the start of the 35 lap modified main event. Sittler powers to the lead but Freddie Carleton pours it on and gets around him on the outside and slides into 2nd on lap 1 – and then into the lead out of four on lap 2. Rick Richner was sitting back in 3rd after 3 laps with Chris Ricker stopping pitside on lap 4. Pete Bicknell slid up the inside on lap 6 with Scott Wood moving into 6th on lap 7. The leaders had a jump on the rest of the pack by the ninth lap. The top 5 after 10 laps: Fred Carleton, Harry Sittler, Rick Richner, Greg Panunte and Scott Wood. Bicknell still sits in 11th after 12 laps – meanwhile Richner is looking for some room to get around Sittler on lap 14 but Sittler puts on some extra speed and pulls ahead. Yellow on lap 15 as Todd Gordon spun in turn 4. Bicknell uses this caution to head to the pits with a left front flat leaving him tail for the restart but giving Carleton the lead when the green comes out. Robbie Krull drives into 5th on this restart but Paul Ashton stalls soon after in turn 2 bringing out the yellow once again on lap 17. The top 5 now are Carleton, Sittler, Richner, Wood and Krull with Ashton leaving the track on the back of the hook. Carleton once again has the lead on the restart with Wood using the outside and working his way into 3rd on the next circuit. Chad Brachmann takes the high side and moves into 4th out of turn 4 on lap 19, Sittler has the lead on lap 21 but then three wide action races down the front chute with Wood, Sittler and Carleton fighting for the lead. Wood uses the inside groove and grabs 2nd on lap 24. Brachmann makes his move around the outside on turns 3 and 4 on lap 25 pushing him into 3rd spot as Wood moves to the lead. Brachmann takes it too high in lap 26 and falls to 3rd. Wood holds a straightaway lead on lap 28 with Sittler powering back and trying to manoeuvre back into 2nd but Brachmann races to the outside and started passing when he spun in turn 1. Yellow flies on lap 29 – action continues with close racing until Robbie Krull looking to make up some positions goes too high through 3 and 4. Carleton moves into 2nd on lap 32. Greg Panunte challenging for 3rd spot with one to go – the action is close and it’s a photo finish but Wood takes it for his first Merrittville checkered of 2002.
Heat 1: Harry Sittler
Heat 2: Rick Richner
Heat 3: Fred Carleton
Final: Scott Wood, Fred Carleton, Brian Stevens, Greg Panunte, Harry Sittler, Larry Lampman, Pete Bicknell, Robbie Krull, Dan Miller, Todd Gordon, Rick Richner, Chad Brachmann, Scott Kruetter, Kenny Winfield, Don Turner, Mark Goulding, Dwayne Winfield, Andy Green , Paul Ashton, Brad Gravestock, Chris Ricker.
Former street stocker and sportsman rookie Darren Zumpe takes the early lead in the 25 lap sportsman event. Fellow sportsman rookie Billy Bleich breaks in turn 3 bringing out the caution on the 1st lap. Mark Feor roars to the lead as the sportsman take the turns 3 wide. Rob Knapp spins out in turn 4 and then some shuffling left Dennis Giancola and Wayne Conn on the infield off the front straight. Giancola pulls back into line but Conn can’t fire it back up and is towed into the pits - three laps down and two cautions with Feor again in the lead on the restart. Rob Pietz brings out the yellow on the 4th lap in turn 2 while Bob Davidson spins in turn 4 on the same lap. After 4 laps the leaders are: Feor, Zumpe, John McKenney, Gary Kruchka and Chad Chevalier. Dave Leach pulls to the infield as Feor still holds onto the lead. Boyd MacTavish moving up the pack and slides into 5th after 6 laps. McKenney trying to get the better of Zumpe and gets it on lap 8 while MacTavish moves into 3rd spot.
Yellow again on lap 10 as Zumpe spins on the outside of turn 2 and Doug Spiece smoking him. On the restart MacTavish powers to the lead across the start / finish of lap 11. Joe Meisel is in 3rd after 12 laps with three wide racing bringing Tammy Willard into 4th on lap 14. Pietz moves up to 6th on lap 15 and then into 4th on lap 16. MacTavish holds the lead by ¼ lap on the field with Meisel closing into second on the back straight of lap 18. Pietz makes the move into 3rd on lap 20. Yellow again on lap 21 as McKenney comes to rest against the rail in turn 2. On the restart, it’s MacTavish still in first with Pietz moving into second – Chevalier tries to break into the top 5 with 2 to go bust doesn’t make it as he breaks. An exciting finish sees Boyd MacTavish take his 2nd checkered in a row after starting 14th.
Heat: Darren Zumpe
Heat 2: Rob Pietz
Heat 3: Brad Malloy
Final: Boyd MacTavish, Rob Pietz, Joe Meisel, Mark Feor, Jeff Leggett, Chad Chevalier, Tammy Willard, Bob Davidson, Rob Knapp, Gary Kruchka, Dennis Giancola, Stan Zanchin, Mike Kruchka, John McKenney, Tony Kowell, Brad Malloy, Billy Bleich, Brad Rouse, Wayne Conn, Doug Spiece, Darren Spiece, Dave Leach.
The pro stock feature takes the green with Danny Gilbert and Rick Baker side by side. Baker pulls ahead on the back stretch and never looks back. Brian Halliwell running side by side with Sean Keus on lap 2. Gilbert runs a little loose on lap three and Halliwell moves into third. Butch Zimmerman meets the wall on lap 5 bringing out the first caution and ending his night. Baker keeps the lead on the restart as Halliwell smokes the famous turn 4 wall bringing out another yellow on lap 6. Top 5 at this point are Baker, Keus, Steve Devos, Dereck Lemyre and Steve Miller. Baker once again holds the lead on the restart as Lemyre sits in 3rd with Keus looking to take it from him. Jason Tries spun in turn 2 on lap 8 as Devos moves into 3rd spot. Jeff Dayman makes his move on the outside on lap 10 as Devos slides into 2nd on lap 11 out of turn 2. Dayman keeps the pressure for 5th spot into the last lap but Baker leads from start to finish and grabs the win catapulting him into the pro stock points lead by two.
Heat 1: Sean Keus
Heat 2: Steve Devos
Final: Rick Baker, Steve Devos, Sean Keus, Dereck Lemyre, Danny Gilbert, Jeff Dayman, Jason Harper, Brian Halliwell, Steve Miller, Jason Tries, Butch Zimmerman.
It’s a false start for the beginning of the street stock feature and on the restart of the race Ron Kingsbury and JT Miller fight for the lead. Peter Reid splits the pack and pops into 3rd on the start and pushes into the lead going into turn 3 of the 2nd lap. The packs stacks on turn 4 with Rob Murray, Ed Fargnoli, Kingsbury and Rick Champigny all collected. After 3 laps the leaders are Reid, Miller, Dave Dykstra, Aaron Vasas and Paul Plante. The red comes out as the tow trucks work to separate Murray and Champigny. On the restart it’s Reid as the leader with Dykstra knocking on his backdoor as Miller slides back to 6th. Jerry Deschamps powers his way into 3rd on lap 6. Reid laps Champigny on lap 9 as Tim Buck hits the wall on the front straight and limps to the pits under his own power. On the 13th lap Miller heads into the pits. Surviving the 15 lap fast and furious event is Peter Reid with his second win of the season.
Heat 1: Peter Reid
Heat 2: Dave Dykstra
Final: Peter Reid, Dave Dykstra, Jerry Deschamps, Aaron Vasas, Dolph McCready, Mike Dooley, Kirk Wilson, Russ Davidson, Kevin Kocarik, Paul Plante, Chris Ellis, Ed Fargnoli, Rick Simons, Ron Kingsbury, Rick Champigny, JT Miller, Rob Murray, Tim Buck, Bob Reid.
Twin Dwarf 12’s highlight the evening with the first event seeing John Wrobel and Kellie Mason on the lead row. Wrobel takes the early lead as Mark Brubacher spins out in turn 1 on the 1st lap. Ken Robins moves into 2nd after 3 laps. Bill Perry and Kellie Mason collide on the front straight resulting in Perry taking a spectacular spin then crash into the wall just below the starter stand. The tow truck drivers were busy once again removing both cars from the track. Wayne Robins is the leader on the restart as Mike Matice jumps and is put back. Wally Billing powers to the lead out of turn four on lap 8. Dave Russell guns it and tries for the lead but Wally gets top Billing by ½ a track at the finish.
Heat 1: Wayne Robins
Heat 2: Wally Billing.
Final: Wally Billing, Dave Russell, Wayne Robins, Jeff Isabelle, John Wrobel, Dave Ackler, Mike Matice, Greg Belyea, Chris Rimmen, Jeff Johnson, Eric Dadonna, 67, Mike Green, Nol King, Derek Bredin, Bob Bredin, Mark Brubacher, Doug Summerhayes, Frank Blajszczak, Ken Robins, 21, Kellie Mason, Bill Perry.
Nol King and Mike Green start the second dwarf 12 lapper in the lead row as Green moves into the lead right after the green. Eric Dadonna moves into 2nd on the 2nd lap as Chris Rimmen moves into 3rd. Jeff Isabelle moves into 4th on lap 3 as Jeff Johnson breaks on the back chute. Wally Billing powers through the pack and moves to 5th as Green races into lap traffic. The top 5 have a tight race as Dadonna tries to get around green for the lead on lap 9. Isabelle makes a move on Rimmen and nabs 2nd on lap 11 and into the lead out of turn 4 on the final circuit to take his 2nd Merrittville checkered in as many visits.
Final: Jeff Isabelle, Mike Green, Chris Rimmen, Wally Billing, Eric Dadonna, Wayne Robins, Mark Brighton, Greg Belyea, Dave Ackler, Mike Matice, Ken Robins, John Wrobel, Scott Billing, Nol King, Derek Bredin, Bob Bredin, Mark Brubacher, Doug Summerhayes, frank Blajszczak, Jeff Johnson, Kellie Mason.
Spectator one on one action puts the old rivals on track as the Chevy takes on the Ford. The Chevy is victorious in round one as the Ford pick up almost went off turn 4. In the second it’s 2 chevs – one red and one blue – the red pickup spun his tires on the start the blue took off and won the night. The blue chevy pickup driven by John Lewis takes the trophy.
Saturday July 13th Robbins Towing/Brewer’s Paradise presents a full card of racing plus a superstitious smash off featuring a big car demo derby. For more information, call 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.