Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
A week of racing under our belt and a rain out to follow, there’s still been some great drama and racing had all around to get fans’ taste buds wet so far.
Looking back on what happened on opening night, here are six things for you to consider moving forward to the second night.
- Nic Montanari is fast – super fast actually
Last year, Nic Montanari went to victory lane right out of the gate – in the Signs of Innovation Mighty Mini Division. Okay, credit is due where it’s due as the division is stacked, but it’s not the quicker of the two divisions either.
Speedway staff kicked him up to the GCC Construction Cooperation Mini Stock division following the third week of the season. Over the year, he got better – there was even a couple feature top-10s. He wasn’t setting the world on fire, but proving he could be a solid driver.
Flash forward a year later and we’re repeating last year, but on a bigger scale, as the driver of the No. 98 HIGHWAY TECHNOLOGY, SELECT DELIVERY, DR.JAY PERTOFF AT MAPLE RIDGE DENTAL AND PERMATEX Mini Stock dominated the opening night for the Mini Stock division.
Given the crew around him, it shouldn’t be a surprise as his father Rino is a crew chief in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series for Kerry Micks and Mark Dilley.
- Chris Allard Could Be This Year’s Montanari
If Montanari was the driver that took the Mighty Mini division by storm last year, then this year the credit goes to Chris Allard.
He came out on night one, put the No. 76 Georgian Chevrolet Buick, Hair We Go Stayner, Morley Photography, Weldit Creations, Surb Hard and Soft Scales and Cabral Racing Promotion Mini Stock out front on lap 13 and led the rest of the way. He also had a telling statement in victory lane that will be on the minds of fans as we move forward.
“Run what you brung. I’m not sandbagging like half the kids in this class,” Allard said post-race. “I know the track is going to move me up, but if that’s what they want to do, all power to them.”
Truthfully, his early success doesn’t mark much of a surprise, either. He proved last year that he can be fast, as he made two trips to victory lane. We did predict him to be an early season favourite, too.
- New…um, scratch that. Experienced Faces Set to Stir Up Mini Stock Division
The Mini Stock division at Sunset Speedway has always been known for having a mix of young kids and veterans. It was why fans fell in love with the competition last year, in watching the likes of Andy Kamrath and Warren Paxton battle young shoes Jordan Howse and Brandon McFerran. The same feeling is there this year with Kamrath and Paxton returning, and some new faces finding their way to the front.
Though, there’s something else brewing as we don’t just have our own veterans, but also outsiders.
Sauble Speedway Champion Cory Young and Full Throttle Motor Speedway Champion Brandon Crumbie both made their presence known on opening night, posting top-six finishes with Young finishing second. Surprised? Didn’t think so as both drivers have ran well at the previous invitational events throughout the years.
It’ll be interesting to see what they both do moving forward, and whether either of them make it to victory lane at some point this year.
- Mechanical Gremlins Playing Havoc on Mighty Minis
To run well, you must have a good running car – welp, there’s some that wish they could erase their early season headaches. Four drivers battled mechanical issues in the Mighty Mini division.
Wendy Adams debuted her new car, Stella 2, and fought engine problems during pre-season testing, followed by not having the performance she expected to kick off the year. Harold Noseworthy made his return to racing, to only fight mechanical issues throughout the first night en route to failing to finish the feature. Robert Toope battled issues as well in the same respect.
Then there’s Chandler Bos. He was set to debut a brand new car for the 2016 season – except there’s issues with making it run. As a result, he brought his grandfather’s Bob Phinnemore’s car for the first night of racing. The back-up plan worked out decently, too, as he finished seventh.
- Solid, But Looking for More
Top-10s are nice for consistent basis, but as a driver you always want to be quicker so you can get that elusive checkered flag. Right now, you could place both Terry Woodley and Samantha Shaw in that category.
Woodley posted a seventh place finish on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway despite an early heat race spin for his 14th consecutive top-10. His consistency has done him well over the years as he has posted strong finishes in the standings. But, there’s something missing for the driver of the No. 6 Nottawasaga Mechanical, Zeggil Custom Homes, CARS Collingwood Automotive Repairs and Services, PWL Electrical, Lil Loads, Wallys Wheels and Complete Welding Mini Stock – a feature victory. Despite all of his experience, the closest he has come is a runner-up finish. Anybody remember last year’s Velocity 250? All eyes will be on the veteran to see if he can get to victory lane.
Shaw posted a ninth place finish on Saturday night – solid, but certainly not what you’d expect to see. Anybody remember in 2014 when she scored the victory after holding off McFerran? The driver of the No. 81 Lucas Oil/Spira Racing/Wurth Mustang wants to get back to running as well as she was done then after going through a frustrating 2015 when she struggled to find the right handle.
“I would like to get back to victory lane,” she said prior to the season. “I spent last year struggling to even make top-10 so getting back to victory lane would be really nice. I just want to have fun. Last year was just not fun anymore – don’t know where it went, but it left. I need it back because dad and I have fun doing that. That’s what the sport is, especially mini stocks. It’s supposed to be fun, not a full-time job to keep up.”
