By Randy Spencer – It was a night of firsts this past Saturday at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway as three first time winners made their way to Victory Lane after feature racing. Congratulations to Hudson Nagy, Darren Dryden and Jeff Ruddy.
With threatening skies and a few brief showers during practice the night got underway with heat races. Shawn Taylor won both Pure Stocks heats, Mini Stock winners included Jake Gilbert, Mike Holmes and two by Mark Klotz, Thunder Car qualifiers went to Shawn Arnott, Brad Collison, Kevin Albers and Mark Burbridge, Late Model winners included, Nick Roth, David Elliott, Rick Burbridge and Mark Watson while Darren Dryden and Chris Milwain won heat races in the Canadian Vintage Modified series.
During intermission the cars and drivers met with fans on the front straight. Another brief shower wet the track but it quickly dried up with just a short delay before feature racing.
The Pure Stocks were already lined up on the track in their starting order for the feature as they lined up to meet the fans. Wayde Thorne and Gillian Hils were on the pole. The points race was really close going into the night with Shawn Taylor leading Gillian Hils by just seven points. Hils got out to the lead early and held it for four laps. An extended caution as the 61 car dropped some fluid brought the pack back to even. On the restart Taylor made his move and took over the lead. As the race continued Taylor increased his lead and as the checkered flag dropped, Shawn Taylor (of Burlington) made it a perfect three for three on the night and continued his points lead picking up his third feature win of the season. You can watch the video here,http://youtu.be/Mx0Hw0sKmTo.
The Mini Stocks were up next. Nice to see a few more cars out, 20 took the green. Always makes a scorers life a little more challenging!! Jake Gilbert and Chad Ditner led the field to green. Jake Gilbert shot out to an early lead but a spin in turns one and two by Blair Wickett brought the cars back to even. That’s all Russ Aicken needed to shoot by and inherit the lead. Going into action tonight, Mike Holmes had increased his lead over Aicken to 28 points. As the race wore on Aicken managed to hold off the pack but an eager rookie, Hudson Nagy, was relentless and stuck to Aicken’s bumper through out. Finally on lap 20, Nagy made his move. Going into turns one and two, the two seemed to make contact, the 71 of Aicken got a little loose and Nagy made his way by on the inside. Lapped traffic made it difficult for Aicken and Holmes to get by and Hudson Nagy (of Hamilton) crossed the line first picking up his first feature win of the year. A fourth
generation racer Hudson has been showing great progress all year after graduating from the go kart ranks at Flamboro. Truly a force in short track stock car racing for years to come. You can watch the
video here, http://youtu.be/HGsCovra6eQ. Congratulations to Chad Ditner who took home an extra $50 prize courtesy of Mike Larkin of Larkin Computers.
Shawn Arnott and Bobby Mercer were on the point for the 25 lap main event for the Ray’s Auto Centre & Towing Thunder Cars. These two have waged a battle all season. Nice to see the “Flying Farmer” Kevin Gallant back after missing a few weeks. Arnott got out to an early lead and looked very fast. He has been running great all year. The battle for second and third was exciting. Brad Collison was leading Kevin Albers by just 11 points going into action and with just a few short weeks remaining, every position will make a difference. As the checkered flag flew, Arnott (of New Hamburg) came across first followed closely by Collison with Albers in third.
The Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modified 25 lap feature was next. Mike Williams was still on cloud nine after his exciting feature victory the week before at Sauble Speedway. He finished second in his heat tonight and lined up fourth in the feature. Darren Dryden, a rookie in the class was racing just his third night with the CVM. Showing steady improvement, Dryden picked up his first checkered flag earlier in the evening in heat one. Dryden led early but his first test came on lap four as a caution came out when Adrian Donkers and Ian McIntyre came together at the start finish line. Some sparks and the 6 car of Donkers went over the wheel of McIntyre. He came to rest in the infield and his night was done. Dryden held the lead off the restart but another caution a lap later as Chris Milwain went around in turn one. The green flag dropped and Dryden (of Waterdown) managed to once again shoot out to a lead and held on the rest of the way for his first ever
feature win with the CVM.
The last feature of the night was the 25 lap main event for the Grisdale Late Models. Nick Roth and and Jeff Ruddy were on the pole for this one. The race was an exciting one, and Jeff Ruddy’s car was on rails. Ruddy who missed most of the year with some health concerns was racing just his fourth event this season. He managed to hold off a hard charging pack of cars through a couple of restarts including Rick Burbridge and Dale Shaw. Ruddy (of Caledonia) a former modified driver in New York managed to lead from start to finish and pick up his first Late Model feature win.
That brought to a close yet another exciting night of racing! Please make plans to join us this Saturday, September 6th, it’s our annual Flamboro Speedway Memorial Night. There will be a moment of silence as the names of those drivers, pit crew members and friends of Flamboro Speedway we loved and lost will be announced. Enjoy the APC twin 25 lap feature as the Flamboro/Delaware Thunder Car Challenge returns for the last of 3 races at Flamboro Speedway. Leading the point standings in the series is Flamboro’s own #89 Shawn Chenoweth with 788 points followed by Shae Gemmell of Delaware Speedway with 768 points. The sixth and final race in the APC Challenge will be held at Delaware Speedway on September 20th. Also joining the Thunder Cars will be the Grisdale Late Models, the Klotz Auto Repair and Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks, the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pure Stocks, the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pro 4 Modifieds and the Ontario Modifieds. Feast your
eyes on the 1931 Packard that will join us to pace the Ontario Modifieds heats and feature race. Time trials for the APC Thunder Car Challenge competitors will be held at 5:30 pm. Racing at 6pm.
Please check the website, www.flamborospeedway.ca for more details including the gate times, schedule, Admission Prices for the grandstands and pits and updated point standings for all divisions.
Videos by Clark Hartman, via You Tube.
Unofficial Results
Pure Stock Heat #1 : #76 Shawn Taylor, #32 Gillian Hils, #70 Danny Shantz, #6 Wayde Thorne, #74 Jaeger McMaster, #31 Keara Corcoran, #00 Bill Rutherford, #44 Sam Heibein, #61 John Musselman, #7 Michael Kenny (DNF)
Pure Stock Heat #2 : #76 Shawn Taylor, #70 Danny Shantz, #32 Gillian Hils, #6 Wayde Thorne, #7 Michael Kenny, #74 Jaeger McMaster, #44 Sam Heibein (-1J), #61 John Musselman, #00 Bill Rutherford, #31 Keara Corcoran
Pure Stock Feature : #76 Shawn Taylor, #32 Gillian Hils, #6 Wayde Thorne, #70 Danny Shantz, #74 Jaeger McMaster, #7 Michael Kenny, #31 Keara Corcoran, #00 Bill Rutherford, #44 Sam Heibein, #61 John Musselman (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #1 : #03 Jake Gilbert, #13 Mike Holmes, #97 Blair Wickett, #71 Russ Aicken, #36 Hudson Nagy, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #61 Chad Ditner, #01 Mark DaSiva, #62 Ashley Holmes, #05 Dave Goodacre (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #2 : #26 Mark Klotz, #44 Scott Simmons, #77 Phil Givens, #72 Rich Schwartzenberg, #42 Rick Robinson, #10 Mike Larkin, #37 Rob Hoskins, #73 Jordan Morris, #2 Mark Dennis, #7 Matt Young (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #3 : #13 Mike Holmes, #71 Russ Aicken, #97 Blair Wickett, #36 Hudson Nagy, #61 Chad Ditner, #03 Jake Gilbert, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #01 Mark DaSilva, #62 Ashley Holmes, #05 Dave Goodacre
Mini Stock Heat #4 : #26 Mark Klotz, #37 Rob Hoskins, #72 Rich Schwartzenberg, #77 Phil Givens, #7 Matt Young, #42 Rick Robinson, #73 Jordan Morris, #2 Mark Dennis, #44 Scott Simmons (DNF), #10 Mike Larkin (DNS)
Mini Stock Feature : #36 Hudson Nagy, #71 Russ Aicken, #13 Mike Holmes, #26 Mark Klotz, #61 Chad Ditner, #37 Rob Hoskins, #77 Phil Givens, #44 Scott Simmons, #10 Mike Larkin, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #42 Rick Robinson, #01 Mark DaSilva, #73 Jordan Morris, #97 Blair Wickett, #62 Ashley Holmes, #2 Mark Dennis, #72 Rich Schwartzenberg, #03 Jake Gilbert (DNF), #7 Matt Young, #05 Dave Goodacre (DNF)
Thunder Car Heat #1 : #76 Shawn Arnott, #49 Dave Bailey, #27 Kevin Albers, #7 Bobby Mercer, #33 Mike Gilmour, #5 Linda Stenhouse, #14 Rob Istead (DNF)
Thunder Car Heat #2 : #13 Mike Holmes, #31 Kevin Gallant, #02 Mark Burbridge, #41 Chad Corcoran, #37 Jeff Bean, #62 Darryn Wright, #38 Stephany Dean
Thunder Car Heat #3 : #27 Kevin Albers, #49 Dave Bailey, #76 Shawn Arnott, #7 Bobby mercer, #14 Rob Istead, #33 Mike Gilmour, #5 Linda Stenhouse
Thunder Car Heat #4 : #02 Mark Burbridge, #13 Brad Collison, #31 Kevin Gallant, #37 Jeff Bean, #41 Chad Corcoran, #62 Darryn Wright, #38 Stephany Dean
Thunder Car Feature : #76 Shawn Arnott, #13 Brad Collison, #27 Kevin Albers, #49 Dave Bailey, #02 Mark Burbridge, #31 Kevin Gallant, #14 Rob Istead, #33 Mike Gilmour, #7 Bobby Mercer, #41 Chad Corcoran, #62 Darryn Wright, #37 Jeff Bean, #5 Linda Stenhouse, #38 Stephany Dean (DNF)
Late Model Heat #1 : #17 Nick Roth, #2 Rick Burbridge, #9 Jeff Ruddy, #74 Albert Bowman, #58 Paul Dudnick (DNF), #61 Brent Wheller (DNF)
Late Model Heat #2 : #37 David Elliott, #83 Dale Shaw, #77 Alvin McNichol, #36 Gary Elliott, #75 Jim Sweers, #3 Mark Watson (P)
Late Model Heat #3 : #2 Rick Burbridge, #9 Jeff Ruddy, #17 Nick Roth, #61 Brent Wheller, #58 Paul Dudnick, #74 Albert Bowman (DNS)
Late Model Heat #4 : #3 Mark Watson, #37 David Elliott, #83 Dale Shaw, #36 Gary Elliott, #77 Alvin McNichol, #75 Jim Sweers (DNS)
Late Model Feature : #9 Jeff Ruddy, #2 Rick Burbridge, #83 Dale Shaw, #17 Nick Roth, #37 Jeff Bean, #3 Mark Watson, #61 Brent Wheller, #36 Gary Elliott, #58 Paul Dudnick, #75 Jim Sweers, #77 Alvin McNichol, #74 Al Bowman
Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #1 : #12 Darren Dryden, #15 T.J. Marshall, #92 Brian Atkinson, #44 Rick Schurr, #19 John Karley, #6 Adrian Donkers, #5 Ian McIntyre, #14 Jerrid Morphy
Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #2 : #21 Chris Milwain, #7 Mike Williams, #18 Jason Keen, #57 Steve Trendell, #99 Rick Jones, #00 Jeremy Riopelle, #33 Ian Burney, #38 Dustin Hood
Canadian Vintage Modified Feature : #12 Darren Dryden, #92 Brian Atkinson, #18 Jason Keen, #7 Mike Williams, #57 Steve Trendell, #00 Jeremy Riopelle, #19 John Karley, #21 Chris Milwain, #15 T.J. Marshall, #38 Dustin Hood, #5 Ian McIntyre, #14 Jerrid Morphy, #99 Rick Jones, #44 Rick Schurr (DNF), #33 Ian Burney, #6 Adrian Donkers (DNF)
