Temperatures may have cooled off a little, but there was still plenty to see as another night of the 2025 summer schedule took centre stage on Saturday, July 19th at Peterborough Speedway.
The night’s first order of business was a 15-lap showcase event for the Ontario Bandoleros. Lucas Finnegan took the win over Austin Seburn, Landon Sellers, Lyla Sikma, Keegan Moat, Hudson Sellers, Brody Wight, Ava Boundy, Luke Cuthbertson and Jase Milson.
Feature races saw Todd Labadie and Dave Bragg lead the pack to the green flag for the 20-lap Mini Stock main event. Labadie and Ember Junkin used their starting spots on the inside line to break away from the field, with Junkin taking the lead with three laps complete. Christen and John Lavalle set off in pursuit of the leader as the pack worked through the backmarkers. John Lavalle was the new race leader just short of the halfway mark, with Mike Nelson hot on his tail. Lavalle held Nelson at bay for another race win. Tyler Junkin, Jason Dantimo and Curtis Burnett completed the top-five.
In post-race inspection, Tyler Junkin was found to have excessive left-side weight and the No. 41 car was disqualified. The revised finishing order is John Lavalle, Nelson, Dantimo, Burnett and Rob Crick.
Clayton Reed and Kyle Gordon brought the Super Stock field to the line with 20 laps to settle the score. Reed – who is still searching for his first career main event win – claimed the early race lead and held the spot for the feature tilt’s first eight circuits. That was when the No. 08 of Paul Boundy took over race control, with Mark Gordon grabbing second-place. Boundy held the position over the closing stages and took the win in the night’s second straight caution-free feature. Reed finished third, with Kyle Gordon and the division’s most recent first-time winner, Dylan Wills, completing the top-five.
Ethan Thompson and Rick Warnes set the stage for a 20-lap OMRS SportsMod main event. Thompson was the early race leader, a position he held until a lap 3 incident for an issue on the frontstretch. Coming to the green flag, officials ruled that the No. 27 car had started too early and his position in the running order was swapped with the No. 90 of Warnes. Chad Strawn took over the top spot with the pack under racing conditions and held on for the win. Thompson, Warnes, Glenn Morris and Craig Stevenson completed the top-five. John Baker Jr. and Garrett Yake were unable to answer the starter’s call for the main event.
As he did in the opening round, Lucas Finnegan picked up the win in the second Ontario Bandolero showcase. This time followed by Landon Sellers, Jase Milson, Brody Wright, Lyla Sikma, Keegan Moat, Ava Boundy, Luke Cuthbertson, Austin Seburn and Hudson Sellers.
Adam Cuthbertson and Mitch Wright held the front row starting spots as a potent field of 23 Ontario Legend Car Series teams came to the line for a 25-lap headliner. Cuthbertson was strong early but had the hottest runner on the circuit on his tail, as Dawson Drimmie charged into the runner-up spot and took the lead a couple of laps after an early yellow flag. A late-race charge saw everyone fighting for position as Drimmie looked to be on his way to another checkered flag. Lap after lap, Parker Traves got close to Drimmie and, as the field took the white flag, a hole opened up on the backstretch. That was all the room Traves needed, as his No. 08 ride stole the main event win. Drimmie, Adam Cuthbertson, Cole McFadden and rookie of the year point leader Jake Spencer-Walt completed the top-five.
Mike Nelson and John Lavalle swept the Mini Stock preliminary rounds. Mark Gordon and Dylan Wills shared the Super Stock qualifying heats. Chad Strawn and Glenn Morris each had a GEN-3 Electric OMRS SportsMod heat race win. Trailers Plus Ontario Legend Car openers went to Mitch Wright, Dawson Drimmie, Adam Cuthbertson and Jake Spencer-Walt.
Bullring Bullet Points:
- With other area tracks postponing action due to the threat of rain, Curtis Burnett returned to the track with his No. 98 Mini Stock, while Jason Dantimo made his Peterborough Speedway debut in the same class.
- After suffering engine issues a week earlier, Tyler McMurter picked up a ride in the former Wills Racing Mini Stock. The car had McMurter’s familiar No. 46 added to the body panels in duct tape.
- Dan Demers was back in the No. 67 Mini Stock, while Tyler Junkin took a turn in the family-owned No. 41.
- The No. 23 team continues to struggle in its attempt to join the track’s Mini Stock ranks. Tegan Stanley and ‘Whonda the Honda’ suffered catastrophic engine failure during the night’s qualifying rounds.
Peterborough Speedway fans, staff and officials are hoping for a speedy recovery for Junior Late Model point leader Hudson Sellers. Sellers sustained serious hand injuries during a multi-car wreck on the opening lap of the second Ontario Bandolero showcase event. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and then transferred by Air Ambulance to Sick Kids in Toronto where he underwent surgery on Sunday morning.
