By Randy Spencer – It was the final night of regular racing for the Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modifieds and Lucas Oil Can Am Midgets at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway this past Saturday. They were joined by the Pro 4 Modifieds, the Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks. Both Thunder Cars and Late Models were away at Delaware Speedway for the APC Challenge.
The night got underway with heat races. Shawn Taylor won both heats in Pure Stocks. There was four different winners in Mini Stocks. Rich Schwartzenberg, Blair Wickett, Chad Ditner and Russ Aicken were victorious. Robert Mercer and Craig Shaver won in Pro 4 Modifieds. Mike Williams and Brian Atkinson were winners in the Canadian Vintage Modifieds while Lucas Smith and Rob Neely won heats in the Can Am Midgets. The B feature for the Midgets was cancelled as the weather looked threatening. A brief rain shower between the second Pure Stock heat and the third Mini Stock heat brought a half hour delay so that was the intermission other than a quick five minute break before features.
The Pure Stocks were up first for their 15 lap main event. Wayde Thorne and Gillian Hils were on the pole for this one. Going into the evening Shawn Taylor led Gillian Hils by 15 points. Two heat wins by Taylor and two third place finishes by Hils has really put the heat on the 32 car. Thirteen cars took the green and Hils led the first two laps but Taylor (of Burlington) proved too much and led the rest of the way to open his lead to 21 points going into championship night.
A couple of champions took part in this week’s Pure Stock action. The 2006 Mini Stock champion Ron Larkin Jr. was in the #26 car. “I love the Pure Stock division, reminds me of when all the Larkin’s raced the mini stocks in the past. I’m excited to see the new rules for 2015 to try and make cars equal in this division. You may see the Larkin clan back racing if all works out for the rules in 2015,” Larkin said. The other Larkin…Mike had this to say, “Larkin Racing plans to get a car for the upcoming Enduro race. We will put Ron Larkin Jr. in the seat. Be a test for how well we can make a Dodge compete next year in 2015. If all works out, watch for the Dodge’s and Larkin’s invade Flamboro Speedway once again. Glen Hils did a great job in creating this class. With all the new cars coming out for the Enduro, we hope that this carries on to 2015 and the Pure Stock division will have a huge car count. Names like Gallant, Larkin’s, Shantz, and many others
defiantly impact a competitive point of view for the Enduro and 2015.”
The other champion racing in a Pure Stock was the 2006 & 2013 Thunder Car champion Kevin Gallant. He said, “Had a blast driving it. Lot of fun. Building another now. Was a test run for the $5000 enduro. We will be building 1 more. Getting good at it now, have built 3. Lots of respect for that class…it brought me back to the days when you just show up and drive leave it on the trailer all week. And great to race against my wife.” A funny side note about Kevin racing against his wife Keara. Sitting up in the scoring tower, I saw Gallant’s hand out the window with a little wave as he passed Keara down the front stretch in one of the heat races. That’s what it’s all about…fun. Here is a You tube video of the Pure Stock feature, http://youtu.be/6BROcMYucFU.
The next feature was the 25 lap race for the Mini Stocks. Rich Schwartzenburg and Rick Robinson led the field of 18 to green. Schwartzenberg who won his heat earlier led lap one. Jake Gilbert led the next couple but Russ Aicken was blowing the doors off everyone and was like a rocket as he made his way to the front quick. Aicken went into tonight trailing Holmes by twenty seven points. He shot out to a big lead but Holmes gained and closed in a little but Aicken was just to tough and picked up another feature win. It will be a tough go for Aicken (of New Hamburg) on championship night. Winning tonight’s feature will put him to the back of the pack so he will looking for a big move early.
Aicken said, “As we head into the final week, I know I need to bring my A game. At this point, I can only focus on how hard I have to run and what I need to do. This is the closest championship race I’ve been in during my six years of racing. I would like to thank Mike Schmidt of London Recreational, Shawn Arnott of Automotive Truck and Tire, Shawn Turner and Bennett Chevrolet and all of my sponsors. Without their support, I wouldn’t here in the first place.”
Mike Holmes had this to say after the race when asked if he was nervous about heading into next week’s action. “Yes I am nervous but I am determined not to let it get to me. It is my first championship race (going in) where I am leading. It’s taken 4 years of racing, dedication and lots of homework to get me to this point. My competitiveness, want to win and racing with a great group of people including all of the Flamboro staff, has driven me to the point that I am now. Definitely lots more stress comes along with racing for a championship. You need to be on your game each week, go over the car after each race with a fine tooth comb for problems. Lots of patience is needed too. I would like to thank the people who have helped me to get here…my family, friends and sponsors all through the last 4 years that have helped me. I really want to thank my wife Angie for her constant support and my daughter Ashley who drives the 62 mini stock.” Here is a You
tube video of the Mini Stock feature, http://youtu.be/SDuGNw1Q4xE.
The Pro 4 feature had 11 cars take the green with Keith Dempster and Aaron Turkey on the point. Dempster, the former Can Am Midget racer and current Corr/Pak Sprint car racer at Ohsweken Speedway, made his debut in a Pro 4 and led early. As Dempster and Robert Mercer crossed the line, two cars further back in the pack, Josh Lassaline and A.J. Emms made contact and Emms climbed the wall and was taken off on the hook. Dempster held the lead through a few more laps and a few more cautions. Dempster was in one of those cautions and he along with Mercer were unable to continue. Tom Houghton took over the lead until heading into turn four on lap 11, the 33 car got mixed up with Dan Petit who took a very hard hit into the wall coming out of turn four. Aaron Turkey (of Six Nations) took over the lead on the restart on lap 12 and held off the pack for the remaining few laps to pick up the checkered flag. Turkey had a great year at Ohsweken in the 602 Crate
Sprints.
Rick Schurr and Mike Williams led the Canadian Vintage Modifieds onto the track. Schurr led lap one but veteran Brian Atkinson made his way by and took over the lead. As the race reached lap 19, the caution came out as a quick and heavy rain came over the track. The checkered flag was thrown, calling the race early giving the win to Atkinson (of Dundas). The rain continued and the last race of the night for the Can Am Midgets was cancelled. It was unfortunate as it was the club’s final race of the year, the Harry Macy memorial race. Mack Deman was leading in points and was crowned the 2014 Lucas Oil Can Am Midget champion.
That brought to a close yet another exciting night of racing. Big thanks to Clinton Geoffrey serving as our guest announcer. He will also be back this Saturday. Thanks to Adam Ross who filled last week, I failed to mention him in the last recap.
Please make plans to join us this Saturday September 27th, it’s Championship Night at Flamboro Speedway featuring the Grisdale Late Models, the Ray’s Auto Centre & Towing Thunder Cars, the Klotz Auto Repair and Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks, the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pro 4 Modifieds and the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pure Stocks. It will be the final night of regular season points racing. All 5 divisions are extremely close, so this will be the most exciting night of racing of the year. Please check the website under the competitors tab to see how close all divisions are.
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.
Photos by Super Nova Photos
Videos courtesy of Clark Hartman
Story quotes, thanks to Mike Larkin for getting those
Unofficial Results
Pure Stock Heat #1 : #76 Shawn Taylor, #29 Derek Jackson, #32 Gillian Hils, #90 Kevin Gallant, #95 Wayde Thorne, #70 Josh Shantz, #74 Jaeger McMaster, #71 Mark Thorne, #00 Bill Rutherford, #44 Sam Heibein, #31 Keara Corcoran, #26 Ron Larkin Jr., #7 Michael Kenny (DNF)
Pure Stock Heat #2 : #76 Shawn Taylor, #70 Josh Shantz, #32 Gillian Hils, #90 Kevin Gallant, #29 Derek Jackson (-1J), #74 Jaeger McMaster, #95 Wayde Thorne, #44 Sam Heibien, #00 Bill Rutherford, #71 Mark Thorne, #31 Keara Corcoran, #48 Michael Kenny (#7), #26 Ron Larkin Jr. (DNF)
Pure Stock Feature : #76 Shawn Taylor, #32 Gillian Hils, #29 Derek Jackson, #70 Josh Shantz, #90 Kevin Gallant, #74 Jaeger McMaster, #44 Sam Heibien, #00 Bill Rutherford, #95 Wayde Thorne, #71 Mark Thorne, #48 Michael Kenny (#7), #31 Keara Corcoran, #26 Ron Larkin Jr. (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #1 : #72 Rich Schwartzenberg, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #03 Jake Gilbert, #61 Chad Ditner, #01 Mark DaSilva, #42 Rick Robinson, #05 Dave Goodacre, #62 Ashley Holmes, #24 Tyler Mayhew
Mini Stock Heat #2 : #97 Blair Wickett, #71 Russ Aicken, #13 Mike Holmes, #44 Scott Simmons, #50 Chad Corcoran, #77 Phil Givens, #36 Hudson Nagy, #22 John Myers (DNF), #26 Mark Klotz (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #3 : #61 Chad Ditner, #01 Mark DaSilva, #03 Jake Gilbert, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #72 Rich Schwartzenberg, #42 Rick Robinson, #05 Dave Goodacre, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #62 Ashley Holmes
Mini Stock Heat #4 : #7 Russ Aicken, #44 Scott Simmons, #50 Chad Corcoran, #26 Mark Klotz, #36 Hudson Nagy, #77 Phil Givens, #22 John Myers, #13 Mike Holmes (DNF), #97 Blair Wickett (DNS)
Mini Stock Feature : #71 Russ Aicken, #13 Mike Holmes, #26 Mark Klotz, #44 Scott Simmons, #50 Chad Corcoran, #03 Jake Gilbert, #61 Chad Ditner, #36 Hudson Nagy, #77 Phil Givens, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #01 Mark DaSilva, #42 Rick Robinson, #05 Dave Goodacre, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #62 Ashley Holmes, #72 Rich Schwartzenberg (DNF), #22 John Myers (DNF), #97 Blair Wickett (DNF)
Pro 4 Modified Heat #1 : #91 Robert Mercer, #38 Bill Pearsall, #93 Dan Petit, #15 Keith Dempster, #23 Linc Erison (DNF), #17 (DNS), #68 Aaron Turkey (DNS)
Pro 4 Modified Heat #2 : #8 Craig Shaver, #33 Tom Houghton, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #10 A.J. Emms, #24 Josh Lassaline (DNF), #63 Mark Lucas (DNS)
Pro 4 Modified Feature : #68 Aaron Turkey, #24 Josh Lassaline, #33 Tom Houghton, #23 Linc Erison, #9 Brian Nanticoke (DNF), #93 Dan Petit, #38 Bill Pearsall (DNF), #15 Keith Dempster (DNF), #91 Robert Mercer (DNF), #8 Craig Shaver, #10 A.J. Emms (DNF), #63 Mark Lucas (DNS), #17 (DNS)
Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #1 : #7 Mike Williams, #6 Adrian Donkers, #18 Jason Keen, #00 Jeremy Riopelle, #38 Dustin Hood, #08 Kevin Busher, #33 Ian Burney
Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #2 : #92 Brian Atkinson, #57 Steve Trendell, #19 John Karley, #44 Rick Schurr, #12 John Dryden, #99 Rick Jones, #14 Jerrid Morphy
Canadian Vintage Modified Feature : #92 Brian Atkinson, #7 Mike Williams, #00 Jeremy Riopelle, #18 Jason Keen, #6 Adrian Donkers, #57 Steve Trendell, #19 John Karley, #44 Rick Schurr, #38 Dustin Hood, #12 John Dryden, #08 Kevin Busher, #14 Jerrid Morphy, #33 Ian Burney, #99 Rick Jones (DNF)
Can Am Midget Heat #1 : #49 Lucas Smith, #94 Ryan Fraser, #63 Barry Dunn, #43 Adrian Stahle, #12 David Balych, #99 Daniel Bois, #16 Chris Holman, #7 Jeff Blackburn, #24 Al Smith, #48 Darren McLennan
Can Am Midget Heat #2 : #74 Rob Neely, #91 Brandon Zavarella, #37 Adam Racine, #22 Chris Bauman, #40 Mack Deman, #84 Tyler Turnbull, #3 Todd Creswell, #4 Andy Mackereth, #6 Craig Pitchell, #14 Dylon Smith
Can Am Midget B Feature : Cancelled
Can Am Midget Feature : Cancelled
The final race of the APC Flamboro/Delaware Thunder Car Challenge took place Saturday at Delaware Speedway. Going in Branden Verhoeven led Shea Gemmell by 26 points. Flamboro’s Kevin Albers was in third, 39 points back. Branden Verhoeven won the first 25 lap feature while Chad Rijnen won the second 25 lapper. With his success in the event Branden Verhoeven took home the points championship for the Flamboro vs Delaware Speedway inter-track competition.
Results Race #1 – 7th Kevin Albers, 11th Brad Collison, 13th Dave Bailey, 14th Steve Perry, 18th Shawn Arnott, 20th Mike Gilmour, 22nd Linda Stenhouse
Race #2 – 7th Kevin Albers, 9th Steve Perry, 10th Shawn Arnott, 11th Brad Collison, 13th Mike Gilmour, 14th Dave Bailey, 20th Linda Stenhouse
In the 5th of 6th race in the APC Flamboro/Delaware Late Model 100 lap race, Mark Watson was the winner. The final race takes place Saturday, October 4th at Oktoberfest at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway.
Results – 8th David Elliott, 14th Jake Ott, 17th Rick Burbridge, 18th Dale Shaw (DNF), 20th Al Bowman (DNF)
