FIRST TIME WINNERS AND FIRST TIME CHAMPIONS CLOSE MERRITTVILLE SEASON
Thorold, Ontario...8 feature events would make up the 1997 Stock Car Season finale at the Thorold track on Saturday September 13th. In the rain delayed events from the previous week Fred Cade of Niagara Falls and Dolph McCready of St. Catharines won their first events of the season in the Modified and Pro Stock divisions while Sportsmen Points Champ of '97 Larry Lampman of Port Colborne recorded another victory.
Tim Knapp of St. Catharines was first to win in the regularly scheduled action in the Street Stock feature; also victorious was Tony Royston of Niagara Falls and Dan Shoop of Lockport NY in the Mod Stock and Pro Stock divisions respectively. Rounding out the winners was Pete Bicknell of St. Catharines who took the checkered flag in the 2nd Annual Modified/Sportsmen Grudge match.
Fred Cade was first to lead the 25 lap rain-delayed Modified feature and by lap 5 the veteran had opened up a 20 car lead on the field. Still setting the pace, Cade came up on lap traffic at the halfway point. The only thing that slowed Cade was a lap 22 caution as Chris Ricker slowed in turn 4. The first and only caution cut the considerable lead that Cade had built but when the green flag signaled the return to racing it was Cade in control. At the finish Fred Cade was followed by Ron Smoker, Pete Bicknell, Scott Wood and Brian Stevens. Doug Gordon, George Jowdy, Martin Polhill, Rob Krull and Wayne Conn closed out the top 10.
Pete Cosco was first to lead the 15 lap rain-delayed Sportsmen feature with the initial start called off. When the initial green flag did fly the race leader was Ken Walsh. Walsh drifted high in turn 4 of the second lap allowing Rob Pietz to take over top spot. With Pietz out front the driver on the move was Larry Lampman and the two Port Colborne drivers were racing side-by-side by lap 9. Larry the Lion took control along the front-stretch of lap 10 and by the checkered flag at lap 15 enjoyed a 5 car length advantage over Rob Pietz. Jay Mallory, Paul Ashton and Bill Podwinski closed out the top 5. Steve DeVos, Pete Cosco, Tim Lipsitt, Scott George and Jack McKinney rounded out the top 10.
Steve Heigl was first to lead the rain-delayed ProStock feature with an early caution slowing the field on lap 2. Jack Cassell was the new leader on the restart with Heigl in control once more along the back-stretch. Another caution on lap 3 saw Heigl return to top spot on the restart but after another on lap 5 the new leader was Dolph McCready. McCready's pace was slowed once on lap 7 for a caution but during the last half of the race McCready enjoyed a 5 car length advantage through to the finish. Quite a battle ensued for the runner up spot but Bill Bleich made the late race charge to come in second with Steve Heigl settling for third. Randy Hollingshead and Ron the Ruler Reece closed out the top 5 while Todd Gordon, Ken Sargent, Todd Zelichowski, Ryan Grady and Jack Cassell closed out the top 10.
Mike Ward was first to lead the regularly scheduled Street Stock feature with a lap 3 caution slowing the early pace. Another caution on lap 6 would again slow the field with Tim Knapp the new leader on the restart. Knapp set the pace on two restarts from back-to-back cautions on laps 8 & 9. In the three laps to the finish Knapp pulled away to a 5 car lead over Paul Reichel, Jeff Dayman, Alec Whalen, Mike Ward, Rick Simons, Chris Crawford, James Heatherton and Aaron Vasas.
"I've got to thank my sponsors...and Mom and Dad for their support all season," relates first time Street Stock Point Champion Jeff Dayman adding "I can't wait to defend next year!"
Kirk Wilson set the pace at the start of the 12 lap Mod Stock feature with Ken Hildreth the new leader out of turn 4 to complete the first lap. Caution slowed the field on lap 4 due to debris on the track with Tony Royston the new leader on the restart. The Tiger Royston initially pulled away from the field but in the last half of the race Hildreth was closing in. A red flag stopped the race on lap 11 after Mike Boisvert made contact with the front-stretch wall off turn 4. The driver was OK. In the one lap dash to the finish Royston held the top spot with Hildreth settling for second. Kevin Reichel, Jeff Kline and Dave Colavecchia closed out the top 5 with Guy Bougie, Al Reece, Kevin Janzen, Tom Dobson and Kirk Wilson as the top 10.
"This one's for you," relates an over-whelmed Tony Royston in Victory Lane as first time Mod Stock Points Champion. Royston dedicated the whole season to his late brother Dale who passed away some years ago from cancer.
Dan Shoop took control of the 20 lap Pro Stock feature at the start with Ron Reece closing in on the leader as the race neared the half-way point. Shoop was able to keep top spot with the first caution slowing the pace on lap 17 after a number of cars came together in turn 3. Shoop set the pace on the restart and through to the finish for his first win of the season. Ron the Ruler Reece, Ken Sargent, Dolph McCready and Randy Hollingshead closed out the top 5 with Steve Heigl, Todd Gordon, Ryan Grady, Bill Bleich and Jack Cassell as the top 10. Brian Halliwell had an unfortunate end to a wonderful season - running full speed into the tire below the light pole. The ambulance came and checked him out and as of today he is OK.
"We started out the year wanting to repeat as Champion," said Ken Sargent still in his car in a post-race interview. "I couldn't have done it without my sponsors...Mom and Dad and all the crew!"
Sportsmen driver Jay Mallory was first to lead the 30 lap Modified/Sportsmen grudge match until Modified driver Ron Smoker (piloting Terry St. Amand car 06) took control out of turn 2 of the first lap. Pete Bicknell began to challenge for top spot and along the back-stretch of lap 5 became the new leader. Caution slowed the pace on lap 13 with a multi-car incident on the lap 16 restart delaying Bicknell's return to top spot. In the last half of the unique race Ron Smoker was on the move and gunning for top spot but one last challenge out of turn 4 with the checkered flag in sight saw Smoker just a car length behind Bicknell. Pete Bicknell and Ron Smoker were followed by Doug Gordon with Sportsmen drivers Rob Pietz and Larry the Lion Lampman closing out the top 5. Don Turner, Brian Stevens, Wayne Conn, Harry Sittler and Scott Wood - all Modified drivers - closed out the top 10. Paul Ashton, Scott George and Tim Jones were the next Sportsmen in line finishing 11th, 12th and 15th respectively.
Joanne Heatherton was first to lead the 12 lap Ladies Race. Robin Mawhinney became the new leader out of turn 2 of lap 2 with Patti Rockey taking control in almost the same spot on lap 8 after Mawhinney got hung up in lap traffic. Mawhinney regained top spot across the start-finish line of lpa 9 and in the closing laps held off Patti Rockey by 1/2 a car length. Michelle Johnson held on for third while Tammy Gennings and Darlene Gifford closed out the top 5.
The final event of the night was the rained out Demolition Derby with Jim Johnston the winner.
Next on the Stock Car schedule is the Awards Banquet set for Saturday November 22nd at the CAW Hall in St. Catharines. Tickets are $30.00 each and are available at the Speedway. Call for information or click on BANQUET for more info.
Kart Racing takes the spotlight Saturday September 20th with the running of the second annual Open Invitational Kart Classic. Gates open at 5:30 with racing on the infield track at 7:00.