When Andy Kamrath announced that he’d be moving to the Mini Stock division after running Limited Late Model, shock traveled through the racing nation. Though in the same breath, everybody knew that he’d be one of the drivers to contend with for the win every week.
That thought held true as Kamrath drove his No. 35 ImageWraps.ca, Jason Witty Re/Max Realty, AM Roofing, Blue Mountain Honda and CB Services of Bolton Civic to victory lane in the Spring Derby 35 presented by Great Lakes Concrete.
The day didn’t start off smoothly in Mini Stock competition as 2013 Autumn Colors Classic Champion Ryan Babin would go for a spin on lap seven off of Donovan Price’s front bumper. Also finding trouble in the event were Dave Middel and Willy Howells, who both brought their cars down pit road with mechanical issues. In the end, it was Miles Tyson picking up the victory ahead of Eric Yorke, Ken Townsend, Kendra Adams, Gerrit Tiemersma, Connor James, Babin, Nic Montanari and Rob Gosse.
Flamboro Speedway regular Chad Corcoran picked up the victory in the second heat ahead of Cory Young, Billy Swartzenburg, Brandon McFerran, Samantha Shaw, Jake Watson, Stefan Woyslaw, Lauren Halliday, Stuart Hinds and Candiss Everingham.
The third and final heat got off to a rocky start with James Townsend spinning Jordan Howse on lap two. Then on the restart, Chris Free and Shawn Gerrior would get together. In the end, it’d be Kamrath winning ahead of Kevin Bridge, Warren Paxton, Mike Getliffe, Townsend, Terry Woodley, Ben Melenhorst, Tyler Johnston, Howse and Jerry Noble.
With over 30 cars on the property, a b-main has to be run to help in setting the field for the 35 lap feature. Lauren Haliday, making her first ever start in a Mini Stock, would cruise to the victory in the b-main by a good margin over the rest of the field. Montanari finished second, followed by Howse, Hinds, Howells, Free and Noble. Middel would be the first driver missing the main show, followed by Everingham and Gosse.
At the end of qualifying, it was Andy Kamrath who was deemed as quick qualifier and designed dice roller. Kamrath would roll seven for the invert, therefore putting Ken Townsend’s No. 21 Honda Civic on the pole. Bridge started second, followed by Young, Yorke, Corcoran, Tyson, Kamrath, Swartzenburg, Paxton, Adams, McFerran, Getliffe, Shaw, James Townsend, James, Watson, Woyslaw, Tiemersma, Woodley, Melenhorst, Halliday, Hinds, Montanari, Howse, Howells, Babin, Free and Noble.
On the drop of the green flag, Sauble Speedway regular Kevin Bridge quickly put his No. 17 Liuna Labourers Local 1059, Huronview Insurance, Timber Mart of Kincardine, Spira Fire Protection, 4 Wheels Performance, Bridgehaven of Angus, NGK Spark Plugs and Vortex Brake Pads CRX out front of the field ahead of Yorke, Corcoran, Tyson and Kamrath.
The first caution of the race would fly on lap three when Woyslaw stopped in turn four. Under the yellow, 2013 Barrie Speedway Champion Mike Getliffe would head down pit road with a flat tire. He would not make it out back on track before the restart.
On the restart, Yorke would grab the lead in his No. 51 Can-Alignment Motorsports, Milton Napa Auto Parts, J&D Tire, Solex Steel, McKeown Collision, Partimer Signs and Redline Racing Mini Stock ahead of Bridge. Bridge, however, would fight back and grabbed the lead on lap eight with Corcoran in toe. Bridge and Corcoran then kicked up a battle for the lead and on lap 10, Corcoran would get Bridge sideways, with Bridge using a good portion of the frontstretch to save himself from disaster. In the process, Kamrath slipped by them both to take the lead.
By lap 12, Kamrath had started to spread out his lead ahead of Bridge, Tyson, Yorke, Corcoran, Young and McFerran. As Kamrath started to thread the needle through lap traffic, Bridge was able to close the gap, though wasn’t able to get by as Kamrath cruised to victory.
Miles Tyson got by Kevin Bridge late in the race for second, with Warren Paxton and Brandon McFerran rounding out the top five. Eric Yorke finished sixth, followed by Billy Swartzenburg, Cory Young and Samantha Shaw.
The Mini Stocks will run once again Sunset Speedway this coming weekend at Sunset Speedway on May 10th, alongside the Pro Late Models and Ontario Pro Challenge Series.