With the best motorsports family entertainment value in the province, fans were treated to a Double Toonie/Fan Appreciation Night of local racing action on Saturday, June 28th at Peterborough Speedway.
Kicking off the night’s feature race action was a 20-lapper for the SwitchTire Mini Stocks that had Kent Missons and James Townsend on the front row. After running their last pair of headliners without a caution, the yellow flag flew early for an issue on the frontstretch. On the restart, former track champion Nolan Gould used the outside line and marched his way up to fifth place, before a second yellow saw the teams close ranks. With James Townsend still in control, Gould made it to the runner-up spot by the time the leaders started to put the backmarkers a lap down. The pair had about a half a track’s advantage over third-place running Mike Nelson as the laps wound down. Gould got close but couldn’t steal the win from Townsend. Nelson, Missons and John Lavalle completed the top-five.
In post-race inspection, the No. 28 car of Nolan Gould was disqualified for throttle body issues. The revised top-five finishing order is now James Townsend, Mike Nelson, Kent Missons, John Lavalle and Erin Kearns.
John Owen and Dan McHattie brought the KOD Disposal Late Model field from the staging area for a 25-lap headliner. McHattie was the early race leader, with Ryan Kimball, Jacob Mercer, Owen and last week’s winner Kelly Balson making up a potent fast five. While the top-three broke away from the others, a yellow flag for a backstretch issue brought everyone together with 10 laps on the scoreboard. Mercer moved into second on the restart, with Kimball reclaiming the spot less than a handful of laps later. With five laps remaining, multi-time track champion McHattie had built a lead of half a straightaway and started to put slower traffic a lap down. The fan-favourite held on for the win over Kimball, Mercer, Balson and Owen. Next action for the Late Model division will be Saturday, July 12th.
Sobey’s of Gravenhurst presented the Trailers Plus Ontario Legend Car Series, as Nick Portt and Parker Traves brought the field of 22 starters to the Great Canadian RV green flag. Shannonville, ON’s Portt grabbed the early race lead and held it until a red flag for a frontstretch issue that sent the cars of Cole McFadden and Gibson Baker pit-side on the back of a wrecker. Neither driver was hurt in the crash.
On the restart, Portt led a group of five racers – including Traves, reigning series champion Mitch Wright, Dawson Drimmie and Keaton Pipe – in a fight for the lead. Traves grabbed the top spot with a mid-race pass and survived a couple of late-race yellows before Drimmie showed some muscle, with a couple of laps remaining, and got by for the win. Pipe, Traves, Mark Griffin and Portt chased the driver of the No. 66 across the line.
Jiffy Lube Super Stockers came to the stripe for a 20-lap feature, with Mark Gordon and Clayton Reed on the front row. Gordon took the early lead and had Paul Boundy looking for the spot. A caution for a turn four issue, with three laps complete, saw a re-grouped field take the restart, with teams running in the first four positions looking for the lead. Gordon continued to pace the field, with the No. 21R of Clayton Reed taking second and Miles Tyson third. During the main event’s late stages, Tyson got closer and closer to Gordon, before taking the win with a last-lap pass. Clayton Reed, Boundy and Mike Sinopoli completed the top-five.
Samuel Arnott and Kali Dearmer held the front row starting spots for the Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock main event. Dearmer – who’s been posting some impressive stats lately – had a strong start, but Kyle Novis was the early race leader. The pack encountered slower traffic early, while the pace was slowed for an issue in turn two, with five laps on the board. Tegan Stanley took to the outside line on the restart but the pace was slowed again with a red flag for a slow rollover by former Junior Late Model runner Chase Stevenson. The driver was unhurt, but his No. 77c Mini Cooper couldn’t continue. Victoria McLenon moved into third on Lap 13, as another caution slowed the pace a few laps later. A three-car battle for the lead on the restart saw Novis hold off Stanley and McLenon. Stanley pushed ‘Rhonda the Honda’ around Novis for the win on the white flag lap. McLenon, Arnott and rookie of the year hopeful Jacob Stavropoulos followed the lead duo across the line.
Preliminary action included Mini Stock qualifying event wins for Rob Crick, James Townsend, Mike Nelson and Nolan Gould. Dan McHattie and Ryan Kimball each had a pair of Late Model heat race victories. Gibson Baker, Cole McFadden, Nick Portt and Mitch Wright split the Ontario Legend Car Series checkered flags. Clayton Reed, Mike Sinopoli and Paul Boundy (with a pair) were the Super Stock opening round winners. Tegan Stanley, Victoria McLenon, Alex Dallaire and Cory Horne shared the Bone Stock checkered flags.
All finishing positions are unofficial and subject to scoring review and post-race inspection.
Bullring Bullet Points
- Several racers – including former Super Stock track champion Miles Tyson, past OMRS titleholder Alex Cuzzilla, and hometown hero Tyler Junkin in his handcrafted No. 41 Late Model – made their first Peterborough Speedway starts of the year. The father-and-son duo of Dylan and Doug Wills were on hand in their respective Super Stock and Late Model rides.
- Mike Sinopoli wheeled the No. 35 Super Stock in place of Chad Strawn. It was the first start in more than a decade for the former Kawartha Speedway regular.
- Track officials confirmed that the OMRS Bill Pickford Memorial event that had been scheduled for July 5th has been moved to Saturday, August 16th.
Next action on the 2025 schedule will include the home track Bone Stock, Renegade Truck and Super Stock divisions, plus the Peterborough Speedway leg of the SPS Junior Late Model Triple Header Rumble event. Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with racing at 6:00. Head to www.peterboroughspeedway.com or the various track social media channels for the latest news throughout the year.
