By Randy Spencer – The first big Late Model race of the year took place at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway this past Saturday. The first race of six in the the APC Auto Parts Challenge will pit the Late Model Stars from Flamboro against the best from Delaware Speedway with three races at each track. (The Thunder Cars/Superstocks will have a similar six race series).
The night would begin with Late Model qualifying to determine the starting order, prior to a dice roll. Nineteen Late Models lined up and when the dust cleared, Flamboro’s own Shawn Chenoweth had the best time at 15.525.
The Ontario Pro Challenge were on hand along with the Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks and the Ray s Towing & Recovery Thunder Cars. Justin Billington and Kyle Batty took heat wins for the OPC. Mini Stock heat wins went to Ken Stenhouse and Mike Holmes while Bob Chenoweth and Shawn Arnott won their heats in Thunder Cars.
Feature time and the Ontario Pro Challenge were up first. Billington and Tim Norris were on the pole for the 30 lap feature. Billington led early but Norris took over the lead on lap four. He held it for 8 laps but his battle with Norris heated up and Billington managed to get by and led for the next few laps. The veteran Norris got by again, this time for good and built a fairly healthy lead and took the checkered flag.
The 100 lap Late Model feature was up next and twenty Late Models lined up on the front stretch for driver introductions. A late addition was the veteran of over 50 years of racing, the #74 of Albert Bowman. A dice roll inversion of 10 shook up the field and put Jay Doerr and Jake Ott on the pole. Luke Ramsay of APC along with Don Cox and John Casale of Flamboro Speedway welcomed each driver and once strapped in the command to start the engines was given. A couple of minor spins early but good clean exciting racing took place from the start. Delaware drivers were out to show they wouldn’t be taken lightly as three cars led the first 48 laps. Jay Doerr led the first few laps then Jamie Cox settled in and led the next thirty. Matt Pritiko led the next ten and it was looking like Delaware drivers were going to be hard to beat. But things changed on lap 49 when Dale Shaw got by Pritiko and led for a couple of laps. Not to be out done, Pritiko regained the lead for the next ten. On lap 67, former Flamboro Late Model champion and current Delaware driver David Elliott got by Shaw. Elliott continued to lead but had a new pursuer on his bumper, the defending Flamboro Late Model champ of Shawn Chenoweth. The two battled tooth and nail, including several cautions and restarts but the veteran Elliott managed to hold off the hard charging Chenoweth and picked up the checkered flag.
The 25 lap Mini Stock feature was up and Mark DaSilva and Chad Ditner were on the pole. Scott Simmons led the first six laps but Russ Aicken got by and led the next six laps. Mike Holmes and Rob Hoskins were battling Aicken with Holmes getting by on lap 9. Hoskins was making a serious effort to take the lead from Holmes but something broke on the Rabbit and he made a hard right turn into the 3-4 wall ending his night. With Aicken on Holmes bumper the two waged a battle the rest of the race but Holmes was to much and held on for the victory.
The final race of the night was the Thunder Car feature. Bob Chenoweth continued his good night leading the first ten laps. But as Chenoweth led another London Recreational car, Brad Collison out of turn two down the back stretch, it appeared a tire blew on Chenoweth’s car and the two got tangled bringing out the caution. Kevin Albers led off the restart but Dave Bailey took the lead on lap 12 and held it for five laps. Kevin Gallant continued his hot streak winning back to back features holding off Albers and Burbridge.
That wrapped up another exciting night of racing. Please make plans to join us next week as the Grisdale Late Models return and are joined by the Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks, the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pure Stocks, the Ray s Towing & Recovery Thunder Cars and the Ponderosa Nature Resort Pro 4 Modifieds. Pit gates open at 4pm, Grandstands at 5pm and green flag flies at 6pm. Admission prices for the grandstands are as follows. Adult $14.60, Senior & Student $12.00, Children (12 and under) $3.00, Family Ticket (2 Adults and up to 4 children) $32.00. HST EXTRA. Admission price to the Pits is $30.00 for non members, Members (with pit pass) $25.00 HST is included. ($25.00 member pit pass entitles you to $5.00 discount and applies to all 2014 events including specials) NEW Pit Memberships will be available at Pit Gates. Please check the website, www.flamborospeedway.ca for more details including the schedule and updated point standings for all divisions.
Official Results
Ontario Pro Challenge Heat #1 : #24 Justin Billington, #88 Tim Norris, #00 Ken Lillycrop, #3 Dale Wilson, #14 Tim Shanahan, #40 Owen Smith, #8 Peter Hatten
Ontario Pro Challenge Heat #2 : #38 Kyle Batty, #02 Dennis Thomson, #66 Josh Nicholson, #18 Patrick Freel, #91 Mike Westwood, #16 Rick Seeley, #6 Dan Alder
Ontario Pro Challenge Feature : #88 Tim Norris, #02 Dennis Thomson, #24 Justin Billington, #3 Dale Wislon, #91 Mike Westwood, #40 Owen Smith, #8 Peter Hatten, #6 Dan Alder, #18 Patrick Freel, #00 Ken Lillycrop, #16 Rick Selley (DNF), #14 Tim Shanahan (DNF), #38 Kyle Batty (DNF), #66 Josh Nicholson (DNF)
Mini Stock Heat #1 : #5 Ken Stenhouse, #01 Mark DaSilva, #26 Mark Klotz (-1 J), #61 Chad Ditner, #97 Blair Wickett, #36 Hudson Nagy, #62 Ashley Holmes, #24 Tyler Mayhew
Mini Stock Heat #2 : #13 Mike Holmes, #71 Russ Aicken, #44 Scott Simmons, #37 Rob Hoskins, #50 Chad Corcoran, #12 Darren Dryden, #03 Jake Gilbert, #42 Rick Robinson, #05 Dave Goodacre (DNF)
Mini Stock Feature : #13 Mike Holmes, #71 Russ Aicken, #50 Chad Corcoran, #44 Scott Simmons, #26 Mark Klotz, #12 Darren Dryden, #03 Jake Gilbert, #61 Chad Ditner, #01 Mark DaSilva, #36 Hudson Nagy, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #42 Rick Robinson, #97 Blair Wickett, #62 Ashley Holmes, #05 Dave Goodacre, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #37 Rob Hoskins (DNF)
Thunder Car Heat #1 : #89 Bob Chenoweth, #49 Dave Bailey, #77 Mitch Miljanovic, #7 Bobby Mercer, #33 Mike Gilmour, #5 Linda Stenhouse
Thunder Car Heat #2 : #76 Shawn Arnott, #13 Brad Collison, #02 Mark Burbridge, #27 Kevin Albers, #1 Trevor Collver, #31 Kevin Gallant, #41 Brent Wheller
Thunder Car Feature : #31 Kevin Gallant, #27 Kevin Albers, #02 Mark Burbridge, #13 Brad Collison, #49 Dave Bailey, #7 Bobby Mercer, #76 Shawn Arnott, #5 Linda Stenhouse, #41 Brent Wheller, #33 Mike Gilmour, #1 Trevor Collver (DNF), #77 Mitch Miljanovic (DNF), #89 Bob Chenoweth (DNF)
Late Model Feature : #37 David Elliott, #89 Shawn Chenoweth, #21 Matt Pritiko, #3 Mark Watson, #22 Jamie Cox, #83 Dale Shaw, #72 Shawn Thompson, #2 Rick Burbridge, #86 Kenny Forth, #6 Adam Quarrie, #17 Nick Roth, #56 Robbie Thompson, #61 Brent Wheller, #39 Brady Smith, #23 Jake Ott (DNF), #29 Bob Wood (DNF), #43 Jay Doerr (DNF), #5 Jay Christie (DNF), #74 Albert Bowman (DNF), #96 Dan Prudhomme (DNF)
Lat Model Qualifying :
Name and Fast Lap
#89 Shawn Chenoweth 15.525
#83 Dale Shaw 15.659
#21 Matt Pritiko 15.660
#37 David Elliott 15.724
#56 Robbie Thompson 15.779
#6 Adam Quarrie 15.834
#22 Jamie Cox 15.856
#86 Kenny Forth 15.856
#23 Jake Ott 15.914
#43 Jay Doerr 15.930
#2 Rick Burbridge 15.973
#17 Nick Roth 16.077
#72 Shawn Thompson 16.138
#29 Bob Wood 16.169
#5 Jay Christie 16.280
#39 Brady Smith 16.412
#61 Brent Wheller 16.410
#96 Dan Prudhomme 16.451
#3 Mark Watson No Time
#74 Albert Bowman No Time
