BRACHMANN, MACTAVISH, DESCHAMPS, ACKLER & ESS' MIKE WOODRING ALL COLLECT MERRITTVILLE WINS
It was a late start, but a great finish at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night. Modified Rookie Chad Brachmann put in his first win of the 2002 season. The Empire Super Sprints put on a fabulous show as always; Ray Preston won the Dash for Cash, Mike Stelter the 'B' Main and Mike Woodring repeated at Merrittville in the 'A' Main. Jerry Deschamps won his first street stock feature of ‘02; Dave Ackler his third dwarf feature and Boyd MacTavish dominated the sportsman feature for his third of the season.
Russ Davidson and Peter Plante started on the lead row, but Jerry Deschamps was the car to watch as he moved up and split two cars to pop into third spot after the first lap. Peter Reid headed for the cornfield in turn two bringing out the first yellow. Deschamps pulled ahead of Plante for the lead, just before the caution flag flew. Deschamps and Plante were side by side on the restart. Greg Ayres got sideways in turn four on lap four, collecting Kevin Kocarik and a few others. Ed Fargnoli spun out in turn two on lap six collecting several cars again. The top four on lap six were Deschamps, Rob Murray, Rick Champigny, Kirk Wilson. Ron Kingsbury spun on the front straight, while two cars were jammed up in turn two on lap 8. Deschamps maintained the lead on the restart. Another caution came out on ten. Rob Murray pulled out of line on the restart and passed Jerry Deschamps, so although he finished the race in the first position, he was put back two spots for jumping. Deschamps took the official checkered, followed in by Kirk Wilson, Murray, Champigny and Mike Dooley.
Heat 1: Russ Davidson Heat 2: Jerry Deschamps
Final: Jerry Deschamps, Kirk Wilson, Rob Murray, Rick Champigny, Mike Dooley, Mark Pigeon, Peter Plante, Russ Davidson, Aaron Vasas, Rick Simons, Jens Mortensen, JT Miller, Randy Beck, Jeff Cook, Jeremy Wilson, Ron Kingsbury, Chris Ellis, Dolph McCready, 57, Ed Fargnoli, Joe Passero, Tom Haughton, Greg Ayers, Kevin Kocarik, Peter Reid.
Mark Brubacher and Kellie Mason started the dwarf feature on the lead row, but it was Mason that took the lead, and Brubacher who fell to the tail by the end of the first lap. The first caution of the race came out when Jeff Johnson looped it in turn four. Mason held the lead on the restart, but the field was starting to catch her. Ken Robins was chasing her hard, while Dave Ackler snuck up into third spot. Ackler slid up into the lead at the halfway point, and Mason fell to second. Chris Rimmen came from nowhere to slide into third spot on lap seven and into second on the tenth lap. Ackler held on to get the checkered followed by Rimmen, Wayne Robins, Johnson and Mark Brighton.
Heat 1: Ken Robins Heat 2: Mark Brighton
Final: Dave Ackler, Chris Rimmen, Wayne Robins, Jeff Johnson, Mark Brighton, Wally Billing, Kellie Mason, Greg Belyea, Mike Green, Ken Robins, Scott Billing, Nolan King, John Wrobel, Derek Bredin, Frank Blajszczak, Doug Summerhayes, Rob Bredin, Mark Brubacher, and Dave Russell.
Brad Malloy and Stan Zanchin began the sportsman feature on the lead row, but it was Zanchin who took the early lead. Boyd MacTavish moved from sixth to third on the first lap, and slid into the lead on the third lap. Ken Cosgrove got himself in the guardrail in turn two on lap 7 bringing out the yellow. The pace car was almost drilled by the leaders as he came onto the track before the yellow was out on the track. John McKinney was told he had a flat and was breaking out of the line up to go to the pits when he stalled in turn three as everyone else took the green bringing out a yellow on the restart. Bill Bleich, Rob Knapp, Dennis Giancola, Mike Kruchka and Butch Zimmerman all get collected in turn two bringing out another caution. The top five on ten were: MacTavish, Malloy, Gary Kruchka, Wayne Conn and Chad Chevalier. Conn slid into third spot on the restart and into third on lap 13. Chad Chevalier slid ahead of Malloy on lap 16. Darren Zumpe spun himself out in turn two on lap 17 bringing out a caution. Rob Pietz gained some space and drove into third on the restart and into second on lap 18. Malloy spun out in turn four after running strong all evening. Boyd MacTavish held it to the checkered followed by Chevalier, Conn, Gary Kruchka and Bill Willard.
Heat 1: Gary Kruchka Heat 2: Bobby Davidson Heat 3: Mark Feor
Final: Boyd MacTavish, Chad Chevalier, Wayne Conn, Gary Kruchka, Bill Willard, Bobby Davidson, Jeff Leggett, Rob Pietz, Bill Bleich, Dave Leach, Ken Cosgrove, Mark Feor, Stan Zanchin, Rob Knapp, Greg Wilson, Dennis Giancola, Brad Malloy, Butch Zimmerman, Darren Zumpe, Brad Rouse.
The four-lap dash for cash for the sprints resulted in Ray Preston walking away with $100. The 'B' Main found Mike Stelter, Billy Krull, John Karklin Jr. Rob Dietrick, Bill Coffey and Tim Kelly qualifying for the A Main.
Fred Carleton took the early lead in the modified feature using the high side to power around the track. Billy Krull moved from sixth to second in the first lap. Andy Green got together with another car bringing out the caution in turn one. On lap three Pete Bicknell went spinning down the front stretch and into the hay bales in turn one, but fired it up again and joined the tail. Krull and Carleton swapped the lead back and forth over a couple of laps but on lap seven the red came out on the track. Brian Stevens slowed on the back stretch and the field bottle-necked behind him. Todd Gordon took the brunt of the damage, but Bicknell went up on two wheels and nearly rolled his car in the incident. The ambulance was called to the track for Gordon, however he was okay, and left the track with his car. Bicknell's crew got the 42 car back on the track, despite major damage to that vehicle. The top five after eight were: Carleton, Krull, Chad Brachmann, Jamie Turner and Larry Lampman. Krull showed up with some steering problems on lap 19 and started losing position. Brachmann was up to second spot on lap 20. Carleton broke on lap 32 leaving Brachmann with the clear and easy lead. Brachmann took the checkered followed by Scott Wood, Lampman, Turner and Krull
Heat 1: Fred Carleton Heat 2: Jamie Turner Heat 3: Billy Krull
The final event of the night was the ESS Main Event, but before beginning the race, the cars went four wide around the track to give the fans their traditional parade lap. Ryan Coniam took the early lead in the 20-lap feature. Kyle Drum rolled down the front stretch after getting into the wall. The car was heavily damaged, however Drum got out of the car unassisted, and signalled to the fans that he was unhurt. The top five after two were Coniam, Mike Woodring, Lance Yonge, Bobby Podolak and Alain Bergeron. Coniam ran into lapped traffic on lap 9, and Woodring caught him on lap 11. Woodring took the lead on 11 but Coniam powered back, and the two kept going back and forth, until at the checkered it was Mike Woodring ahead. Doug Emery, Coniam, Yonge and Bobby Podolak rounded out the top five.
Heat 1: Alain Bergeron Heat 2: Ray Preston Heat 3: Brian Dumigan
Monday July 1st’s Canada Day Bash will feature a 50 lap modified feature, 30 lap pro stocks and 25 lap events for street stocks and 4 cylinders. Canada Day festivities include mini-flags for the first 500 fans, Canadian Flag pins, books for the kids, Canada Flag cake, and a fireworks extravaganza. Gates open at 5:30, racing at 7:30.
Saturday July 6th David Chevrolet Oldsmobile – the Official Sponsor of the 2002 Merrittville Pace Vehicle – presents a full card of racing plus Twin Dwarf 12’s. For more information, call 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.