FIRST TIMERS AND REPEAT WINNERS SHARE VICTORY LANE AT MERRITTVILLE
By Alexis De Wolfe
Alec Whelan (57k) made it five in a row on Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway in the street stock division while in the pro-stock feature Ken Sargent (25) made it three in a row. Lee Webber (17) dominated the dwarf feature, giving him his first win of the season. Tim Lipsitt (29) was yet another first time winner at Merrittville Speedway, taking the pole and holding the lead for the entire Sportsmen feature. Jim Begolo (16) was the first to take the checkered flag in the Modified feature, all on Northern Motorsports NASCAR night.
Darlene Gifford returned to racing in the first ladies series of the year to start up where she left off last year - winning in husband Dave's 34C street stock. Following Darlene to the finish were Christine Porter, Chrissy Michaud, Mauri Pauqine, Kelly Mason and Shani Bleich.
Mike Stevenson (15) jumped to an early lead in the street stock feature, only to have Phil Rudachuk (r63) pull ahead of him on the second lap. Alec Whelan moved up to take the lead on the sixth lap and never looked back. The first caution of the race came out on lap seven when Michelle Johnson (11) and Butch Mathes (30jr) got tangled up in turn two and needing a little bit of help to get out of their predicament. Whelan continued to increase his lead on the restart and the pack started to spread out. Ben Hornquist (25) and Rob Knapp (24r) got together in turn four on the last lap, but failed to bring out the caution as Whelan came around to take the checkered flag. Dave Gifford (34c) placed second followed by Chris Crawford (4c), Rudachuk, and Bruce Colbert (97) rounded out the top five.
The dwarf cars put on a good show for the fans on Saturday night. Lee Webber (17) started the race in the lead and that's where he remained, although he did have a challenge from Mike Green (3) in the first few laps of the race, but he quickly fell back to be replaced by Dave Russell (88) and Noel King (55) as challengers. Caution came out on lap three as 23 got spun around and drove down over the side of turn four. King managed to move up to second over Russell on the restart, but Russell overtook him on lap seven. Bill Perry (9) got turned around in turn four on the last lap, leaving it a dash for the checkered after the green flag flew.
Webber managed to hold onto the lead and was followed in by Russell, King, Green and Jim Varble (15) rounded out the top five.
Herb Hunter (95) began with the lead in the pro-stock feature, while further back in the pack cars were four wide going down the back straightaway, luckily no one wrecked. Tom Walker (81) quickly moved up to run side by side with Ken Sargent (25) up in the third and fourth place spots. Meanwhile Hunter and Jeff Dayman (5) had a door to door battle over the first place position. As they went three wide through turn one on lap four Sargent squeeze into the lead bringing Walker with him. Chris Buttigieg (31j) lost control on lap 10, but manages to hold onto it long enough to wreck himself up in turn two.
Sargent only increased his lead after the restart as he left Don Spiece (88) to duke it out with Walker for second. Walker held onto it coming to the checkered followed by; Spiece, Brian Halliwell (1a) and Ron Reece (11) rounded out the top five. Sargent is currently making his move up through the points, last week he was tied in first with Walker, now Walker is four points behind.
Ken Walsh (7), Jack McKinney (57), and Randy Chrysler (21k) started off the Sportsman feature with a bang, literally, as they got tangled up up in turn four, on the first lap. Tim Lippsitt (29) started in the lead with Gary Moreash (124) challenging for the lead. The top three cars went into turn one three abreast, but Lipsitt managed to hold onto the lead. The second caution of the race came out on lap three when Joe Meisel (15) got turned around up in turn one. Lipsitt managed to hold onto the lead, but the rest of the pack was playing bumper cars behind him. Four cars got together at the back chute as Rob Devenyi (30), Rob Kott (333), Meisal and McKinney got together, but managed to get going under their own power. At the halfway point Lipsitt was still holding onto the lead, while Bill Podwinski (72) had moved up into a position to challenge him.
Lipsitt managed to hold onto the lead for the entire race, closing the door on anyone who wanted to take it away from him. Bill Willard (77j) moved out of nowhere to try and grapple the lead from Lipsitt in the final half lap, but going wide on the fourth turn cost him the prized position. Willard held onto second, followed by Podwinski, Boyd MacTavish (7m) and Chad Brachman (3) rounded out the top five.
Doug Swinson (77) brought out the first caution of the modified feature when he found himself turned the wrong way in turn one, as the rest of the pack had to step on the binders to slow down to avoid him. Ricky Richner (26) brought out the second caution of the race as he comes to rest on the back straightaway after being involved in a five-car pile up on turn one that didn't create a caution. Dan Miller (22) had gained the lead by this point. On the restart Pete Bicknell (42) brought out another caution with a right rear flat. Scott Wood (38) started to reel in the leader on lap nine but he went wide in turn three creating himself a problem. He finally wrestled the lead away from Miller on lap 11. Wood was involved in an incident on lap 18 stealing his lead, while Robbie Krull (123) moved up top spot.
Jim Begolo (16) began to battle up to the front and managed to open the door and take the lead from Krull on lap 22. Begolo held onto it to take the checkered followed by Krull, Ken Cosgrove (9), Larry Lampman (44) and Brian Stevens (62) rounded out the top five.
Join us at Merrittville Speedway next week when Rust Check presents a 50's & 60's Custom Cruisin' Party Nite - Full card plus smash for cash small car Demo Derby. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and the action starts at 7:30 p.m. For further information contact the speedway at (905) 892-8266 or visit our website at www.merrittvillespeedway.com