REUNION NIGHT BRINGS BACK MERRITTVILLE MEMORIES AND CREATES NEW ONES
Thorold, Ontario ... Merrittville Speedway celebrated it's 47th Anniversary Season July 25th with a crowd of almost 400 alumni and family amongst the large Nostalgia night crowd. Alan Johnson set the pace with his 7th 358 Modified Victory of the season while Tammy Willard won her second Sportsmen feature of the season. Randy Hollingshead won the Late Model feature while Jeff Dayman won the Street Stock main event.
Highlights of the evening saw heat and feature action involving the Vintage Cars of the Canadian Motor Racing Historical Society. Pat Sonnenburg won the Demonstration Race with Hugh Tripp making a successful debut with his own #3 Coach in taking the runner-up spot.
Intermission saw several personalities inducted into the growing Merrittville Speedway Wall of Fame. Former Speedway owners Ken Kavanagh and Bill Russell joined the builders section with Dawn Russell accepting for her late husband. Former drivers Bill Rafter and Cam Gagliardi were also honored as was the late Wilfred 'Wimpy' Nichols - a successful car owner and pioneer of the sport.
The Canadian Motor Racing Historical Society also inducted Bill Rafter into it's Hall of Fame in addition to Wall of Fame member Jeno Begolo.
Action in the 35 lap 358 Modified Feature saw Martin Polhill the first to lead with an immediate caution slowing the pace. Polhill resumed control on the restart before Don Spatarico took control at the start-finish line of lap 5. Spatarico pulled away to a 5 car lead before another caution on lap 10 again slowed the field. Spatarico regained control on the restart before Polhill took control once again along the back-stretch. The great battle for top spot was slowed again on lap 12 for a caution with Polhill again out front when action resumed. One driver on the move to the half-way point was Alan Johnson with a lap 21 caution not slowing his charge. Polhill was in control on the restart with Johnson quick to challenge. The two pulled side by side each other in a real see-saw race for top spot. Another caution on lap 25 eased the duel with Polhill in control on the restart with Johnson in tow. Once again as Johnson challenged, Polhill never lost sight of top spot with the two running side-by-side - neither driver having a clear hold on the lead. Johnson found an advantage along the back-stretch of lap 29 and quickly pulled away to a 10 car lead.
"Tonight we had a lot of fun ... the car was great and would hold anywhere ... I knew if I stayed smooth ... I'd do good," the thoughts of Merrittville leader and 7 time feature winner Alan Johnson.
Following Johnson was Pete Bicknell, Martin Polhill, Don McGinnis, Don Spatarico, Fred Cade, Brian Stevens, Jim Begolo, Scott Wood and Ken Cosgrove.
Second generation driver Jack McKinney was first to lead the 25 lap Sportsmen feature - setting the pace in his best start of the season. Caution would slow the field on lap 7 and while the field was under caution - McKinney unfortunately was forced pitside after losing a left front shock. The restart saw Tammy Willard in control. Immediately Willard jumped out to a 10 car lead. Comfortably in control Willard never let lap traffic slow her down by the lap 18 mark before a caution on the last lap did. Willard once again set the pace on the restart and in the one lap dash to the finish - opened up a 10 car length margin once again.
" The last caution was a little trying," relates two time winner Tammy Willard, adding, " .. the laps cars were hard to get by ... but we made it ... that's the main thing."
Willard was followed by Pete Cosco, Bill Podwinski, Guy McPherson, Chad Brachman, Larry Lampman, Rob Pietz, Joe Meisel, Jay Mallory and Joe Middlemiss. Podwinski was disqualified in post race inspections for intake manifold infractions while Willard was fined 25% for illegal track width. All positions were moved up with Garry Moreash awarded tenth spot.
Herb Hunter was first to lead the 15 lap Late Model feature before a lap 6 caution slowed the field. Second generation driver Don Spiece was soon the new leader before another caution on lap 11 slowed the field. On the restart with Spiece in control Randy Hollingshead was quick to challenge. Hollingshead soon found an advantage and took control of top spot in turn 3 of lap 12 before caution quickly slowed the field on lap 13. Hollingshead resumed control on the restart and in the two lap dash to the finish pulled away to a 5 car advantage at the finish.
Hollingshead finished ahead of Ken Sargent, Don Spiece, Jack Cassell, Herb Hunter, Boyd MacTavish, Todd Zelichowski, Ron Reece, Brian Halliwell and Rob Murray.
Rick Simons was the pace setter at the start of the 12 lap Street Stock feature with rookie Shawn Keus soon to challenge. Keus took control along the back-stretch of lap 4. Simons never lost sight of top spot and when Keus got hung up behind a lap car - Simons regained the top spot. Keus quickly mounted a challenge for top spot before caution slowed the field on lap 7. Simons set the pace on the restart until slowly in turn 2 of lap 9. Todd Saunders then became the new leader with defending points champ Jeff Dayman the new challenger. In the closing laps Dayman was able to take control of top spot.
At the finish Dayman was followed by Chris Crawford, Todd Saunders, Chris Crawford, Rob Knapp, Mike Stevenson, Alex Whalen, Todd Gordon and Shawn Keus.
Modified Heats First 1. Bill Krull, 2. Pete Bicknell, 3. Scott wood. Second 1. Jamie Turner, 2. Alan Johnson, 3. Fred Cade. Third 1. Martin Polhill, 2. Ken Cosgrove, 3. Dan Miller.
Sportsmen Heats First 1. Larry Lampman, 2. Pete Cosco, 3. Tammy Willard. Second 1. John McKenney, 2. Jay Mallory, 3. Joe Meisel. Third 1. John Hagerman, 2. Rob Pietz, 3. Ken Walsh.
Late Model Heats First 1. Tony Royston, 2. Boyd MacTavish, 3. Jim Neufeld. Second 1. Herb hunter, 2. Ron Reece, 3. Ken Sargent.
Street Stock Heats First 1. Rob Knapp, 2. Alex Whalen, 3. Shawn Keus. Second 1. Jeff Dayman, 2. Todd Saunders, 3. Chris Crawford.
The month of August opens with Kid's Night featuring free Face Painting and Pony Rides for the younger race fans. On track action will feature racing in all divisions - Modified, Sportsmen, Late Model and Street Stock.
Action returns Monday august 3rd for the biggest Modified race of the season with the running of the 6th Annual Trevor Wilkens Memorial Modified Classic. 98 laps for Modifieds - part of the Skoal, Inc. Racing Super DIRT Series - the night presented by Texaco Havoline and Performance Racing News also features the Sportsmen and Late Model divisions. Gates open for both events at 5:30 with the first heat at 7:30. For further information call 905-892-8266 or visit http://www.vaxxine.com/merritvillespeedway.