High Speed Action At Merrittville Speedway As Season Heats Up
Thorold, Ont. - Fioravanti Custom Engines sponsored a full race card at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night =96 repeat winners included Pete Bicknell, Tim Jones, Ken Sargent and Mike Dooley in the modified, sportsman, prostock and street stock divisions. The dwarf division had a twin 15 special with Wally finally getting top =91Billing=92 in the first set, and Wayne Robins taking his first checkered in the second.
Jason Harper (19jr) and Bill Wade (15w) started the street stock feature on the lead row. Peter Reid (05) lost his hood at the green and had to go pit side to have it reattached. Harper lead the first two laps of the feature, but Mike Dooley (310c) shot around him for the lead on lap three. On the fifth lap Dooley was leading with Harper, Greg Ayres (17c), Jerry Deschamps (f30) and Rick Champigny (06) behind him. There was a lot of rough
stuff between, Lloyd Cichocki (8c), Kirk Wilson (08), Chris Crawford (4c) and Darren Zumpe (11z) in the back of the pack. On lap 10 Wilson and Cichocki were battling it out for fifth and sixth spots respectively. The two of them were also fighting for the points lead, as they were tied going into the feature. Wilson blew up on lap 14, blowing a tire, and then coming to rest in turn three, losing his chance at securing the points lead. Dooley held it to the line and was followed in by Harper, Deschamps, Cichocki, and Champigny.
The first of the twin dwarf features found Derek Bredin (117) in the pole position, and in the early lead. Chris Rimmen (7x) and Wayne Robins (48) moved up on his back bumper quickly but couldn=92t get around him until lap five. Wally Billing (37) broke into the top five a lap before, and just bided his time. Lee Webber (17) moved up into sixth spot on lap seven, and into fourth a lap later. A caution was called on lap nine as Mark Brighton
(33) got together with Dave Russell (88) and nearly rolled his car on the front straightaway, but the concrete barrier brought him to a stop. Brighton got out of his car and was fine, but was estimating the damage while the CAA guys were hooking his car up to cradle it off the track. The top five on lap nine were: Rimmen, Billing, Robbins, Lee Webber and Ray Webber (77). Lee Webber put a push on the restart and nailed third before lap ten was completed. On lap 11 Billing moved up to challenge Rimmen and stole away the lead. Billing took the checkered and Rimmen, Lee Webber, Robins and Dave Ackler (7) rounded out the top five.
Dan Gilbert (400) and John Lowe (28) started on the lead row. Gilbert left Lowe to duke it out with Mike Ward (95w) for second spot. Ward fell back on lap two leaving room for Sean Keus (7s) and Jeff Dayman (5) to move up and challenge Lowe. The first caution came out on lap four as Tom Green (15) sat disabled in turn four. Dayman secured second spot on lap four, but Ken Sargent (25) charged up beside him on lap five, taking the lead out of turn two. It was a parking lot on turn four in lap 8 as Steve Devos (13), Bill Bleich (108), AJ Schulz (88), Lowe and Herb Hunter (95h) tangled, bringing out the yellow. The top five on lap eight were: Sargent, Dayman, Keus, Gilbert and Rick Baker (78). Dayman tried hard to catch Sargent on the restart, but just didn=92t have the power. Another caution was called on lap nine as Devos and Bleich tangled again in turn four. Dayman tried the outside line on the restart, but just couldn=92t overtake the leader. Keus
moved up into second on lap 11. Sargent won yet another feature and Keus, Dayman, Baker and Ward rounded out the top five.
During the intermission a backwards race was run, well it was more like a backwards time trial. Three cars entered the competition; a 2001 Cavalier driven by Ken Anders, an =9186 wagon driven by Malcolm Styles and an =9185 Volkswagon driven by Sylv Pilliterri. Styles won the competition for the second straight year by taking his car around the track backwards in 31.76 seconds.
Brad Gravestock (90) took the early lead in the sportsman feature, only to relinquish it on the start/finish line to Bobby Davidson (73). Pete Cosco piloting a brand new 17c moved into second spot out of turn four on the third lap, and moved into the lead in the same spot on the fifth lap. Gravestock and Davidson were duking it out for second spot when Davidson spun out in turn two. Jack McKinney (57) was sent tail for being involved in the incident. Sean Sliter (71s) ran into Davidson after having nowhere to go and had to be taken to the pits on a tow truck, ending his night early. The yellow came out again after the restart as Brad Rouse (75) blew a tire and came to rest in turn four. Tim Jones (9) moved into second spot on the restart, and Boyd MacTavish (93) flew into third spot on lap 11. Caution on lap 13 as Tim Lipsitt (29) came to rest in turn four. Cosco held the lead on the restart, but Jones was certainly harassing his rear bumper. Caution number four came out when Randy Chrysler (21k) and Jeff Leggett (3l) tangled in turn four and had to be separated before they could get their cars moving. Cosco held the lead on the restart as Chad Brachmann (3b) broke into the top five. The fifth caution of the race came out on lap 19 as Gravestock spun out in turn four. Jones made a smooth move out of turn four and jumped into the lead on lap 22. The caution came out again as Rob Knapp (Y2K), Lipsitt, McKinney and Rouse tangle in turn four. Brachmann jumped Cosco on the restart, causing him to be put back two spots. Jones held it to the checkered and was
followed in by MacTavish with a quick move out of turn four to the checkered, Cosco, Brachmann and Garry Moreash (124).
Don Turner (39) and Paul Ashton (3a) started the modified feature on the lead row, but Fred Carleton (96) jumped forward to lead the first lap. Jamie Turner (11) moved up to challenge his father Don for the runner up spot on the second lap. Billy Krull (z1) broke into the top five on lap three. Jamie got around Don on lap four for second spot. Todd Gordon (8eh) moved up to challenge Don Turner for third spot on lap seven, and got around him on the back straightaway. Hard-charging Scott Wood (38) moved into fourth spot around Turner on lap 9. By lap 13 Carleton was running into lapped cars. Gordon spun out on lap 14, bringing out the first caution of the feature. Top five on lap ten were: Carleton, Jamie Turner, Wood, Krull and Larry Lampman (42l). Carleton held the lead on the restart, but Jamie Turner was right up they=92re challenging him for the spot. Wood flew up the outside of the track and landed in second spot on lap 17, while Billy Krull moved into third on the same lap. Pete Bicknell (42), who had quietly moved up through the pack, broke into the top five on lap 18, and into fourth on lap 20. A caution came out on lap 22 as Jamie Turner found himself looking the wrong way in turn four. Bicknell threaded his way through the top five and was sitting in second spot by lap 25. Carleton held him off until lap 30 when Carleton hit the guard rail in turn two, slowing him down.
Billy Krull made a fantastic move on the back straightaway on lap 31, moving from fourth to second in one turn. Caution came out on lap 33 as Brian Stevens (44), Chris Ricker (13) and Fred Cade (12) got collected in turn four, leaving a two lap dash for the checkered. Bicknell held the lead on the restart, but Billy Krull was right underneath him looking to get around until Bicknell closed the door on him. Another caution came out with one lap to go, as Paul Ashton (3a) spun out in turn three. Bicknell held it to the line for this ninth feature win at Merrittville this season. Billy Krull came in second followed by Wood, Carleton and Robbie Krull (123).
Mark Brighton (33) started the second dwarf feature on the pole, after nearly rolling the car in the first feature. Ken Robins (22) took the lead coming out of turn four on the first lap. The yellow came out just after he crossed the start/finish line as Jim Varble (15) spun out turn four, collecting Ray Webber (77). Derek Bredin (117) took the lead on the restart, but it was not to be as Robins moved back up before the lap was completed. Dave Russell (88) moved into second spot on lap two coming out of turn two. Bill Perry (9) spun out in turn one on lap three bringing out the second caution of the feature. Wayne Robins (48) took the lead easily on the restart. Jeff Johnson (63) moved up to challenge Russell for second on lap seven and got it as Lee Webber (17) broke into the top five. Dave Ackler (7) moved up into third spot on lap 8. The top five on lap ten were: Wayne
Robins, Russell, Ackler, Jeff Johnson (63) and Lee Webber. Ackler went high in turn one on lap 13 losing precious positions, landing him in fifth spot. Lee Webber moved into second pot with two laps to go, but just didn=92t have enough to catch Robins. The top five at the checkered were: Wayne Robins, Lee Webber, Johnson, Russell and Ackler.
Next weekend it=92s the classic Merrittville Speedway double header as we race Saturday and Monday nights. Saturday August 4th Donut Diner presents Kacey Lynne Family Fun Night featuring the Fabulous 50th Full Card, Ladies Races and Kids Club Poster Night. Lots of activities will be featured for the kids including Mad Science and face painting. Monday August 6th, Pete Cosc= o Haulage presents the 9th annual Trevor Wilkens Memorial Modified Classic =96 a Sunoco Race Fuels 358 super DIRT Series plus 50 lap Sportsman and Pro Stocks. You won=92t want to miss all the excitement packed into one weekend at Merrittville Speedway. For more information, contact the Speedway at 905-892-8266 or visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com
Street Stock Feature Finish: Mike Dooley (310c), Jason Harper (19jr), Jerry Deschamps (f30), Lloyd Cichocki (8c), Rick Champigny (06), Aaron Vasas (6), Chris Crawford (4c), Darlene Gifford (34c), Darren Zumpe (11z), Bill Wade (15w), Kirk Wilson (08), Rick Simons (69), Tom Maude (53), Brian Jacobi (49j), Peter Reid (05) and Kevin Kocarik (7k).
1st Dwarf Car Feature Finish: Wally Billing (37), Chris Rimmen (7x), Lee Webber (17), Wayne Robins (48), Dave Ackler (7), Jeff Johnson (63), Bill Perry (9), Dave Russell (88), Scott Billing (31), Mike Green (3), Ray Webber (77), Nol King (55), John Wrobel (6), Kellie Mason (14), Jim Varble (15), Carl Ballinger (53), Ken Robins (22), Derek Bredin (117), Dave Arnold (99), Frank Blajszczak (54), Doug Summerhayes (43), Rob Bredin (116), Mark Brighton (33).
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Ken Sargent (25), Sean Keus (7s), Jeff Dayman (5), Rick Baker (78), Mike Ward (95w), Dan Shop (22), Dan Gilbert (400), Gord McKey (14), (20), Steve Devos (13), Chris Ellis (17), Herb Hunter (95H), AJ Schulz (88), Roger Chrysler (t21), Brian Halliwell (1a), Tom Green (15) and Bill Bleich (108).
Sportsman Feature Finish: Tim Jones (9), Boyd MacTavish (93), Pete Cosco (17c), Chad Brachmann (3b), Gary Moreash (124), Adam Ferri (1), John Hagerman (71h), Chad Chevalier (12), Randy Chrysler (21k), Gary Kruchka (21), Rob Knapp (Y2K), Jack McKinney (57), Wayne Conn (8c), Brad Gravestock (90), Tim Lipsitt (29), Bard Rouse (75), Brian Elliotson (30), John McKenney (19m), Jeff Leggett (3l), Bobby Davidson (73) and Sean Sliter (71s).
Modified Feature Finish: Pete Bicknell (42), Billy Krull (z1), Scott Wood (38), Fred Carleton (96), Robbie Krull (123), Larry Lampman (42l), Ken Cosgrove (9), Greg Panunte (99p), Luke Carleton (96b), Dan Miller (22), Don Spatorico (65), Todd Gordon (8eh), Andy Green (24), Brian Stevens (44), Rick Richner (26), Fred Cade (12), Paul Ashton (3a), Don Turner (39), Chris Ricker (13), Jamie Turner (11), and Dave Flanigan=20 (27f).
2nd Dwarf Feature Finish: Wayne Robins (48), Lee Webber (17), Jeff Johnson (63), Dave Russell (88), Dave Ackler (7), Scott Billing (31), Chris Rimmen (7x), John Wrobel (6), Mike Green (3), Ken Robins (22), Jim Varble (15), Nol King (55), Wally Billing (37), Carl Ballinger (53), Kellie Mason (14), Dave Arnold (99), Doug Summerhayes (43), Frank Blajszczak (54), Mark Brighton (33), Ray Webber (77), Bill Perry (9), Derek Bredin (117), and Rob Bredin (116).