BICKNELL, LEDINGHAM, WEBBER AND SARGENT ALL NOTCH UP ANOTHER WIN,

WITH ZUMPE TAKING FIRST CHECKERED OF 2001 AT MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY

Robbin’s Towing presented an exciting race card featuring all five divisions plus a 30-car 8 cylinder demo derby smash for cash that wowed the capacity crowd on this beautiful summer night at Merrittville Speedway. Lee Webber (17), Ken Sargent (25), Rob Ledingham Jr. (19jr) and Pete Bicknell (42) all repeated in the dwarf, prostock, sportsman and modified classes respectively. Darren Zumpe (11z) was the lone first time winner of 2001 by picking up the street stock checkered.

Darren ZumpeJeff Cook (a1) and Bill Wade (15w) started the street stock feature on the lead row, but Cook quickly took the lead. Wade relieved him of his position on the second lap. Peter Reid (05) moved into second and Darren Zumpe (11z) into third on the third lap. Zumpe secured the lead on lap five. Greg Ayres (17) moved up to challenge Reid on lap seven, but just couldn’t get around him. A caution came out on lap eight as Wade, Cook and Chris Charest (3) were all collected in turn four. Reid and Kirk Wilson (08) jumped the restart, passing cars before they passed the cone on the front straight away causing them to lose positions at the end of the race. Wilson took the checkered first but was penalized two positions for jumping on the restart. Zumpe won the feature followed by Lloyd Cichocki (8c), Wilson, Ayres and Jerry Deschamps (f30).

The dwarf cars took turns one and two five wide before they sorted out their positions and Wally Billing (37) blew into the lead ahead of Jim Varble (15). Ray Webber (77) pulled into second spot after they had completed three laps. Wayne Robins (48) pulled into third spot on lap four, shuffling Varble, further and further back in the pack. A caution came out on lap five as Ken Robins (22) came to rest on the front straightaway. The top five after five laps were, Billing, Ray Webber, Dave Russell (88), Lee Webber (17) and Bill Perry (9). Billing held the lead on the restart, as Lee Webber jumped into third spot, and then flew around his brother Ray for second in turn three. Lee Webber closed the gap between himself and Billing by lap eight, but couldn’t get around him until lap 12. Lee Webber held it to the line and was followed in by Billing, Russell, Perry and brother Ray who fell three positions in the last lap.

Ken SargentShawn Keus (7s) took the early lead in the prostock feature. The yellow came out early as Herb Hunter (95h) spun it around in turn four on the first lap. Jeff Dayman (5) moved up into second spot in turn three on the restart lap. The pack tried to go four wide down the front straight, but there just wasn’t room, luckily there were no wrecks. Rick Baker (78) was up in third spot on lap five, with Mike Ward (95w) behind him in fourth. Keus spun himself out on lap 5 between turns one and two – a costly mistake, moving him from first to tail in one quick move. Ward took the lead on the restart, while Ken Sargent (25) moved up to challenge Dayman for second spot. The yellow came out again on lap ten as Danny Gilbert (400) spun out and was t-boned by Gord McKey (14). Ward had a left front flat on the restart, and although he was told about it, he decided to take his chances and complete the last five laps of the race. Ward held the lead until there were only two laps to go and Dayman jumped ahead of him, and Sargent went with him. Sargent overtook Dayman on the last lap, Dayman placed second, followed by Ward, Baker and Steve Devos (13).

The next event of the evening was the Robbins Towing St. Catharines Business Club Invitational. Members of the St. Catharines Men’s Club got behind the wheels of street stock cars for a 10-lap feature. Barry Robbins (17) dominated the event – bringing the Greg Ayers #17 to victory lane for the first time in 2001. Rounding out the top five was: Mark Celvic (11z), Donny Vanderzalm (06), Rudy Vanam (6) and John Dick (49j).

Rob LedinghamDarryl Ebersole (66) lead the first lap in the sportsman feature, but the yellow was quick to come out as Joe Meisel (15j) found himself resting against the front wall out of turn four. Bobby Davidson (73) left the track with a flat tire on the caution. Ebersole held the lead on the restart but Shawn Sliter (71s) relieved him out of turn four. John Hagerman (71h) moved up to challenge Ebersole for second spot, and got it on lap six. He made a play for the lead and got it going out of turn four on lap seven. Randy Chrysler (21k) went flying around the outside of the track and landed in fifth spot on lap 10, after starting 14th. A caution came out on lap 11 as Davidson lost a tire in turn one. Rob Ledingham Jr. (19jr) pulled to the lead on the restart. The cars formed a parking lot in turn four on lap 12. Sliter slid out and collected five other cars in the melee. Sliter was hooked up to two tow trucks to be cradled off the track but managed to get it running again, and joined the tail of the field with significant damage. Ledingham took the lead on the restart, and after some shuffling behind him, Chrysler landed in second spot on lap 16. A caution came out again on lap 21 as Jack McKinney (57) slowed in turn four. Ledingham held it to the line and was followed in by Chrysler, Chad Brachmann (3b), Boyd MacTavish (93) and Tim Jones (9).

Pete BicknellKen Winfield (82) nabbed the early lead in the modified feature, with Chris Ricker (13) falling behind him. The yellow came out for the first time on lap 3 as Scott Wood (38) spun out and was rammed by Luke Carleton (21). Both cars were towed from the track. Winfield held the lead on the restart, but Ken Cosgrove (9) swung around the outside to secure the lead on the outside of one and two on lap four. The yellow flag reared its ugly head again on lap 7 as Paul Ashton (3a) spun out in turn four. Cosgrove took the outside line for the restart, but Pete Bicknell (42) stole his position, and Greg Panunte (99p) moved up to challenge him for second. Yellow on lap ten as Fred Carleton Jr. (96b) spun out in turn two. Bicknell took the easy lead on the restart, as Billy Krull (z1) flew up the outside of the track and secured second spot. Yellow came out on 12 as Todd Gordon (8eh) lost a tire into the cornfield off of turn one. Panunte tried to challenge Krull on the restart, but he couldn’t get around him. Rick Richner (26) moved up into fourth spot on the restart. Fred Carleton (96) broke on lap 14 but pulled it to the infield before a yellow came out. Billy Krull broke on lap 17, leaving the second place spot to Panunte. Rob Krull (123) broke on lap 21 and slid it off the outside of turn two. After 21 laps there were only 13 cars left out of the 21 that started the race. Don Spatorico (65) pulled his car into the pits on the caution, and didn’t make it back onto the track. The cars made two laps before another caution came out on lap 23. Larry Lampman (42l) spun out on turn four. Bicknell held it to the checkered flag and was followed in by Panunte, Richner, Jamie Turner (11) and Fred Cade (12). Only 10 cars crossed the start finish line to take the checkered.

Join us Sat July 21st - Avondale Food Stores presents 50th Anniversary Reunion Night hosted by Merrittville Speedway Reunion Committee – Two time winner of the Jerry Winger Memorial Richie Vinson defends his title in the 50 lap 358 Modified Main event, plus Sptmn, PS, SS, and Canadian Motor Racing Historical Society Alumni. For Reunion information, contact the Speedway 892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com.

Street Stock Feature Finish: Darren Zumpe (11z), Lloyd Cichocki (8c), Kirk Wilson (08), Greg Ayres (17), Jerry Deschamps (f30), Rick Champigny (06), Peter Reid (05), Aaron Vasas (6), Barry Blanchard (31), Darlene Gifford (34c), Chris Charest (3), Brian Jacobi (49), Kevin Kocarik (7k), Jens Mortenson (68j), Mark Pigeon (5), Jason Harper (19jr), Bill Wade (15w), Mike Dooley (310c), Tom Maude (53t), Jeff Cook (a1) and (15z).

Dwarf Car Feature Finish: Lee Webber (17), Wally Billing (37), Dave Russell (88), Bill Perry (9), Ray Webber (77), Dave Ackler (7), Mark Brighton (33), Jeff Johnson (63), Wayne Robbins (48), Mike Green (3), Jim Varble (15), (74), Nol King (55), John Wrobel (6), Ken Robbins (22), Derek Bredin (117), Frank Blajszcak (51), Chris Rimmen (7x), Scott Billing (31) and Bob Bredin (116).

Prostock Feature Finish: Ken Sargent (25), Jeff Dayman (5), Mike Ward (95w), Rick Baker (78), Steve Devos (13), Brian Halliwell (1a), Brad Malloy (5m), Bill Bleich (108), (28j), Danny Gilbert (400), Gord McKey (14), Herb Hunter (85h) and Shawn Keus (7s).

Sportsman Feature Finish: Rob Ledingham Jr. (19jr), Randy Chrysler (21k), Chad Brachmann (3b), Boyd MacTavish (93), Tim Jones (9), John Hagerman (71h), Brad Rouse (75), Wayne Conn (4c), Gary Kruchka (21), Joe Meisel (15j), Adam Ferri (1), Darryl Ebersole (66), Pete Cosco (17c), Chad Chevalier (12), Tim Lipsitt (29), Glenn Styres (00), Dwayne Winfield (7), Brian Elliotson (30), Jack McKinney (57), Dennis Giancola (13), Rob Knapp (Y2K), Sean Sliter (71s), Rob Pietz (69) and Bobby Davidson (73).

Modified Feature Finish: Pete Bicknell (42), Greg Panunte (99p), Rick Richner (26), Jamie Turner (11), Fred Cade (12), Dan Miller (22), Andy Green (24), Chris Ricker (13), Ken Winfield (82), Harry Sittler (37s), Fred Carleton Jr. (96b), Ken Cosgrove (9), Larry Lampman (42L), Don Spatorico (65), Robbie Krull (123), Billy Krull (z1), Fred Carleton (96), Todd Gordon (8eh), Paul Ashton (3a), Luke Carleton (21) and Scott Wood (38).