By Randy Spencer (Flamboro Speedway PR) – One of the biggest crowds of the season was treated to an awesome night of racingSaturday at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway that included an exciting King of the Hill Spectator race during intermission and an equally exciting Demolition Derby after the race that included some roll overs. Rodney Rutherford was the winner in the Demo Derby while Ted Johnstone in a Mustang beat out APC Late Model racer Billy Schwartzenberg.
The Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Pure Stocks ran their postponed feature from June 11th. Caroline Kelly and Josh Shantz were on the pole. Kelly battled with Shantz early on but she fell off the pace and retired to the infield. Shantz led early and a few early cautions due to debris and the motor on the 82 of Gillian Hils seemed to go south as it start to smoke. Lots of great little battles throughout the field and lots of banging and crashing as cars battled for position. Becker made his way by Shantz on lap six to take the lead and Peter Becker was victorious picking up the checkered flag. Race one of the regular night schedule, Bob Hillar and Jeff Miller were on the pole. Miller led lap one. The top three cars were nose to tail. This race was very exciting. Hillar and Miller battled each other hard trading the lead and banging and exchanging paint and sheet metal. Hillar, Rutherford, Miller and Thorne were first to fourth were tight and any one could win at any point with one wrong move. Three wide traffic and lapped traffic made it interesting as the cars came to the white and the last lap was crazy and one of the most exciting races of the year as Hillar edged out Miller and Rutherford for the win. Second regular race of the night had Ashton Reekie and Eric Crow out front. An early caution on lap two as a couple cars went around in three. Reekie led early but on the restart he lost the lead to Leo Labarbera as they went three wide. Labarbera led for a few laps but was being challenged for the lead by Rodney Rutherford. Bob Hillar got the black flag as he had a front left tire go down. Lapped traffic once again started to play a role in the race. Gary Slama, in a Mini Stock for the first time in a while after registering prior to the race was the new leader. He didn’t show any rust as he cruised to the feature win. Unfortunately the 90 car of Wheller/Slama was DQ’d after the post race tech inspection and was DQ’d for the night.
The Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks ran two features. Blair Wickett has been the hot shoe lately and he showed it again tonight with a win in the first heat and a second in feature number two. Race two winner was another guy on a roll, Russ Aicken. Going into the night the points race in Mini Stocks was pretty much as close as you can get. Chad Ditner, who had a fourth and fifth on this night was the leader with 785 points. Aicken was second at 781 followed by Wickett at 778. The points race will be heating up like the weather as the summer continues. This will be exciting to watch!! In race one, Shawn Taylor led the first three laps but a caution as Russ Aicken was around. On the restart, Blair Wickett was the new leader. Aicken made up his lost ground quick getting up to fifth in a few short laps. Wickett was out to a big lead with a couple close battles for second and third as Taylor and Scott Mast were next and then Chad Ditner and Aicken were battling for fourth and fifth. Mast moved up to second as he got by Taylor out of two on lap 14. You could almost throw a blanket over second through fifth as Mast, Taylor, Ditner and Aicken were bumper to bumper for the rest of the race. Blair Wickett continued his winning ways picking up the checkered flag. In race two, Russ Aicken quickly made his way to the front. He started fourth and by lap two was in first. Pole sitter Carson Nagy was on the outside and was quickly back to fourth as Aicken got by followed by Shawn Taylor and Blair Wickett. The three front runners started to run way and hide. Taylor would get a bit sideways out of four on lap 19 and that gave Wickett the opportunity to get by and he did to take up second. Aicken was the class of the field in this one picking up the checkered flag.
The Ray’s Auto Centre & Towing Thunder Cars continue to thrill as well. Exciting bumper to bumper and door to door action in this division always makes it exciting to watch. Hudson Nagy won all three features last week and was out to avenge that feat. He made it close on this night but was only able to a second and third place finish on the night. In race one, Shawn Arnott and Chris Howse were on the pole. Howse led lap one but went high in two on lap one and the allowed Arnott to get by to take the lead. Howse slipped back to third as Bobby Mercer was now up to second. Arnott was building a bit of a lead. Howse was around in turn 2-3 as he and Brad Collison made contact on lap 15. On the restart, Hudson Nagy moved up to second and was battling Arnott and took the lead on lap 16 but Arnott soon was back in the saddle and he came across first to pick up the win. Race two was very exciting and close the entire way. Chris Howse was the leader all the way but Bobby Mercer, Brad Collison, Hudson Nagy and Shawn Arnott were glued bumper to bumper waiting for one or the other to skip a beat to take advantage but that didn’t happen and it was Howse picking up the victory.
The Pro Four Modifieds had a few old but familiar names out tonight. Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Hall of Famer Stan Pokupec was out for his first night of the year. He was in Dan Nanticoke’s car. Other familiar names that were in tonight included Shannon Morris and Mark Millard. In race one, Brian Nanticoke, who was the points leader nut a mere 17 at the start of the night, was the early leader and a caution on lap five as Pokupec spun out. Nanticoke was the leader on the restart and would hold off the pack and pick up the win. In race two, Mark Millard showed a spark show down the front stretch as he lost a tire out of four to bring out the caution. Cliff Hodgkinson held off Dan Pettit and Stan Pokupec to pick up the feature win.
The Ontario Modifieds series made their first visit to Flamboro Speedway this season. Eleven cars signed in and John Baker Jr. was the winner in the twelve lap heat and twenty five lap feature event. They’ll make a return engagement in a few weeks. In the heat, Duane Cinnamon spun down the front stretch on lap two bringing the caution out. On the restart it was Baker in the lead followed by Rob Warnes and Stu Robinson. Warnes and Robinson battled each other hard. In the Mod feature, Duane Cinnamon brought out the first caution on lap five as he spun in 1-2. A few more cautions kept making it difficult for leader John Baker Jr., but each time he managed to retake the lead. Brad Stevenson kept it close but in the end Baker was never really challenged and he took the checkered flag.
That brought to a close another exciting night of racing. Makes plans to join us Saturday July 9th for OSCAAR night. The Super Late Models, Modifieds, Midgets and Pro Midgets make their third appearance of 2016. They are joined by the Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modifieds and the Ontario Pro Challenge series. Pits open at 2pm, front gates at 5pm with racing getting underway at 6pm.
Photos by Mike Kiers of cableguyphotos.com
Results
Pure Stock Feature (June 11th) – #60 Peter Becker, #18 Josh Shantz, #90 Andy Wheller (DQ), #50 Ross Winters Jr., #2 Roger Lessard, #16 Mark Thorne, #42 Leo Labarbera, #66 Jeff Miller, #70 Alex Schuts, #10 Lofton Schuts, #9 Courtney Scott, #82 Gillian Hils, #78 Clinton Kerkhof, #7 Matt Young (NF), #61 Paul Ditner (NF), #83 Eric Crow (NF), #79 Caroline Kelly (NF), #14 Elijah Hawrylyshyn (NF), #01 Mark DaSilva (NS), #15 Joey Wilcox (NS), #77 Kevin Jackman (NS), #6 Wayde Thorne (NS)
Pure Stock Feature #1 : #18 Bob Hillar, #66 Jeff Miller, #38 Rodney Rutherford, #16 Mark Thorne, #90 Andy Wheller (DQ), #2 Roger Lessard, #60 Peter Becker, #50 Ross Winters Jr., #10 Lofton Schuts, #70 Alex Schuts, #42 Leo Labarbera, #83 Eric Crow, #11 Clay Collison, #26 Ashton Reekie, #9 Courtney Scott, #79 Caroline Kelly, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #31 Keara Gallant, #14 Elijah Hawrylyshyn, #61 Paul Ditner (NF), #7 Matt Young (NF), #82 Gillian Hils (NF), #77 Kevin Jackman (NS), #78 Clinton Kerkhof (NS)
Pure Stock Feature #2 : #90 Gary Slama (DQ), #38 Rodney Rutherford, #60 Peter Becker, #2 Roger Lessard, #42 Leo Labarbera, #70 Alex Schuts, #50 Ross Winters Jr., #83 Eric Crow, #16 Mark Thorne, #79 Caroline Kelly, #26 Ashton Reekie, #11 Clay Collison, #10 Lofton Schuts, #66 Jeff Miller, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #9 Courtney Scott (-1J), #31 Keara Gallant, #18 Bob Hillar (NF), #61 Paul Ditner (NF), #7 Matt Young (NF), #82 Gillian Hils (NF), #14 Elijah Hawrylyshyn (NS), #77 Kevin Jackman (NS), #78 Clinton Kerkhof (NS)
Mini Stock Feature #1 : #97 Blair Wickett, #75 Scott Mast, #76 Shawn Taylor, #61 Chad Ditner, #71 Russ Aicken, #07 Michael Kenny, #86 Carson Nagy, #84 David Gallinger, #77 Mike Hooper, #38 Bill Rutherford, #79 Kyle Istead, #18 Mitch Miljanovic (NF)
Mini Stock Feature #2 : #71 Russ Aicken, #97 Blair Wickett, #76 Shawn Taylor, #75 Scott Mast, #61 Chad Ditner, #86 Carson Nagy, #07 Michael Kenny, #84 David Gallinger, #77 Mike Hooper, #18 Mitch Miljanovic, #79 Kyle Istead, #38 Bill Rutherford (NS)
Thunder Car Feature #1 : #76 Shawn Arnott, #36 Hudson Nagy, #7 Bobby Mercer, #13 Brad Collison, #55 Chris Howse, #74 Kelsey Lamont, #38 Austin Penney, #92 A.J. Miller, #87 Jeff Bean (NF)
Thunder Car Feature #2 : #55 Chris Howse, #7 Bobby Mercer, #36 Hudson Nagy, #76 Shawn Arnott, #13 Brad Collison, #74 Kelsey Lamont, #38 Austin Penney, #92 A.J. Miller, #87 Jeff Bean (NS)
Pro Four Modified Feature #1 : #9 Brian Nanticoke, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #33 Cliff Hodgkinson, #15 Stan Pokupec, #93 Dan Petit, #8 Mark Millard, #68 Mike Westwood, #23 Linc Erison, #63 Mark Lucas (NS), #24 Shannon Morris (NS)
Pro Four Modified Feature #2 : #33 Cliff Hodgkinson, #93 Dan Petit, #15 Stan Pokupec, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #68 Mike Westwood, #24 Shannon Morris, #23 Linc Erison, #8 Mark Millard (NF), #63 Mark Lucas (NS)
Ontario Modifieds Heat : #63 John Baker Jr., #95 Rob Warnes, #68 Stu Robinson Jr., #77 Brad Stevenson, #64 Chris Burrows, #46 Chris Mulders, #88 Ryan Dick, #62 Randal Hollingsworth, #62w Willow Barberstock, #98 Rick Warnes (NF), #41 Duane Cinnamon (NF)
Ontario Modifieds Feature : #63 John Baker Jr., #77 Brad Stevenson, #68 Stu Robinson Jr., #46 Chris Mulders, #95 Rob Warnes, #41 Duane Cinnamon, #62w Willow Barberstock, #62 Randal Hollingsworth, #88 Ryan Dick, #64 Chris Burrows (NF), #98 Rick Warnes (NF)
