By Randy Spencer – Opening day in any sport is always special and that feeling was felt as Flamboro Speedway launched the season with some exciting race action Saturday night. The cooler than normal spring continued and quite a few hardy fans were on hand.
The night got underway with Pure Stock action. Some of the best racing action in 2015 took place in this division and by the looks of this race, this year will not be any different. Alex Schuts, a Thunder car racer at Ohsweken picked up the first checkered flag of 2016 winning the 20 lap event. Mini Stocks were next. Last weeks enduro winner Rodney Rutherford looked strong early but Blair Wickett came on and dominated and picked up the win. Chad Ditner looked strong and battled Rutherford and got by him for second. Thunder Cars hit the track next. Brad Collison showed he means business this year and won the race handily. The last race before intermission saw some exciting open wheeled action from the Pro 4 Modifieds. Bill Pearsall and Dan Nanticoke both led early but both retired to the pits with mechanical issues and that made last years champion Brian Nanticoke the winner.
The night got underway with Pure Stock action. Some of the best racing action in 2015 took place in this division and by the looks of this race, this year will not be any different. Alex Schuts, a Thunder car racer at Ohsweken picked up the first checkered flag of 2016 winning the 20 lap event. Mini Stocks were next. Last weeks enduro winner Rodney Rutherford looked strong early but Blair Wickett came on and dominated and picked up the win. Chad Ditner looked strong and battled Rutherford and got by him for second. Thunder Cars hit the track next. Brad Collison showed he means business this year and won the race handily. The last race before intermission saw some exciting open wheeled action from the Pro 4 Modifieds. Bill Pearsall and Dan Nanticoke both led early but both retired to the pits with mechanical issues and that made last years champion Brian Nanticoke the winner.
Round two of feature action saw the Pure Stocks once again up first. Leo Labarbera and Blair Mayhew led early but the veteran Mark DaSilva, who has raced for many years in the Mini Stocks, shot out to the lead and won race #2. The Mini Stocks provided some excitement in there second race with lots of three wide action. Rick Robinson led early but Blair Wickett once again showed he will be a force to be reckoned with this season picking up his second feature win of the night. At one point he opened up a full straight away lead on the pack. Jake Gilbert and Chad Ditner battled throughout and Ditner got by for a second straight second place finish on the night. In the second Thunder car feature, Bobby Mercer led early and battled close with Collison, Shawn Arnott and Hudson Nagy but the veteran Arnott overcame some issues from earlier in the night and picked up the feature win. The last race of the night was the Pro 4 Modifieds. Mark Millard led early and looked like a sure winner but he to had some mechanical issues, slowed and hit the pits. After a caution on lap 11, Mark Lucas took the lead and held off Mike Westwood and Brian Nanticoke for the win. Nice to see Lucas back in victory lane.
That brought to a close and great first night of racing at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway. Please join us next week, May 7th, as the Grisdale Late Models return. They are joined by the Ray’s Towing & Recovery Thunder Cars, Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks, the Pro 4 Modifieds and the Pure Stocks with their new sponsor, the Flamboro Speedway Hall of Fame. Pits open at 4, front gates at 5 with the first green flag at 7pm.
Results
Pure Stock Feature #1 : #2 Alex Schuts, #6 Wayde Thorne, #90 Andy Wheller, #18 Josh Shantz, #01 Mark DaSilva, #7 Matt Young, #10 Lofton Schuts, #24 Blair Mayhew, #69 Roger Lessard, #42 Leo Labarbera, #50 Ross Winters Jr., #83 Eric Crow, #79 Caroline Kelly, #26 Ashton Reekie, #48 Steve DeLeeuw, #61 Paul Ditner, #9 Courtney Scott, #5 Stepheny Dean, #19 Brian Fader (DNF), #11 Clay Collison (DNF), #38 John Cote (DNF), #16 Mark Thorne (DNF)
Pure Stock Feature #2 : #01 Mark DaSilva, #7 Matt Young, #90 Andy Wheller, #2 Alex Schuts, #24 Blair Mayhew, #10 Lofton Schuts, #6 Wayde Thorne, #42 Leo Labarbera, #79 Caroline Kelly, #83 Eric Crow, #26 Ashton Reekie, #11 Clay Collison, #61 Paul Ditner, #50 Ross Winters Jr., #9 Courtney Scott, #5 Stepheny Dean, #48 Steve DeLeeuw, #18 Josh Shantz (DNF), #38 John Cote (DNF), #16 Mark Thorne (DNF), #69 Roger Lessard (DNS), #19 Brian Fader (DNS)
Mini Stock Feature #1 : #97 Blair Wickett, #61 Chad Ditner, #38 Rodney Rutherford, #75 Scott Mast, #71 Russ Aicken, #07 Michael Kenny, #03 Jake Gilbert, #86 Nick Clarke, #42Rick Robinson, #32 Gillian Hils, #36 Carson Nagy, #84 David Gallinger, #77 Mike Hooper, #79 Kyle Istead (DNF), #76 Shawn Taylor (DNF)
Mini Stock Feature #2 : #97 Blair Wickett, #61 Chad Ditner, #03 Jake Gilbert, #75 Scott Mast, #38 Rodney Rutherford, #71 Russ Aicken, #86 Nick Clarke, #76 Shawn Taylor, #32 Gillian Hils, #42 Rick Robinson, #07 Michael Kenny, #84 David Gallinger, #36 Carson Nagy, #77 Mike Hooper, #79 Kyle Istead (DNF)
Thunder Car Feature #1 : #13 Brad Collison, #76 Shawn Arnott, #36 Hudson Nagy, #88 Bobby Mercer, #77 Mitch Miljanovic, #38 Austin Penney (DNF), #55 Chris Howse (DNF)
Thunder Car Feature #2 : #76 Shawn Arnott, #13 Brad Collison, #36 Hudson Nagy, #88 Bobby Mercer, #77 Mitch Miljanovic, #38 Austin Penney, #55 Chris Howse (DNS)
Pro 4 Modified Feature #1 : #9 Brian Nanticoke, #68 Aaron Turkey, #63 Mark Lucas, #8 Mark Millard, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #23 Linc Erison, #15 Dan Nanticoke (DNF), #93 Mike Westwood (DNF), #38 Bill Pearsall (DNF)
Pro 4 Modified Feature #2 : #63 Mark Lucas, #93 Mike Westwood, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #23 Linc Erison, #8 Mark Millard (DNF), #68 Aaron Turkey (DNF), #15 Dan Nanticoke (DNS), #38 Bill Pearsall (DNS)
