MILLGROVE, ON – The points championship for the 2025 BCW Lumber Series of the Southern Ontario Pro 4 Modifieds was a nail-biter all season long. The Pro 4 Mods are a travelling racing series with roots near Flamboro Speedway in the Hamilton area. The group competed at Sauble Speedway and Sunset Speedway, but most events were held at one of Ontario’s fastest 3/8-mile ovals – Flamboro Speedway.
The Pro 4 Mods are four-cylinder open-wheel Modifieds that focus on competitive, economical, and fun racing in a fair environment for all – serving as both a stepping stone for new drivers and a place for veteran racers to continue competing. All that being said, Pro 4 competition is known for being respectful and hard-fought. A lady I met at the Toronto Motorama show a few seasons back coined the phrase that it was a “gentleman’s club of racing.” We loved the analogy but added that it’s now a ladies and gentlemen’s club of racing. One of the goals we strive for is to have different winners at each event through equalization rules – and this year was no different, with several drivers visiting the podium.
One of the attributes of this year’s champion was consistency. He was always running in the top five, staying out of trouble, and finishing every race. This driver is one of our most experienced competitors, having raced in many divisions, including the ARCA Trucks USA Series, Can-Am Midgets, and OSCAAR Modifieds, with events all over the U.S. and Canada. He’s been a points champion in several classes, including the Pro 4 Modifieds.
The championship-winning team is a husband-and-wife operation, each with their own car. Last year, his partner Kelly Martin earned Rookie of the Year honours. Their team, Baby Gorilla Racing, is well known in the pits – and when you meet the driver, you’ll understand why!
This year’s points battle came down to the wire, with the title decided by just two points. Our congratulations go out to Cliff Hodgkinson, the 2025 Southern Ontario Pro 4 Modifieds points champion. Cliff would like to thank Trusted Car Care of Kitchener/Waterloo, his wife Kelly, and his dedicated pit crew – Ray Menard and Louise Thompson – for their unwavering help and support.
Second place in points went to Robert Mercer of Brantford, while fellow Brantford racer Mark Lucas finished third. Both drivers were quick to congratulate Cliff on his championship but laughed and said, “We’ll both be back next year!”
The Southern Ontario Pro 4 Modifieds would like to thank all of their supporters: Trusted Car Care Kitchener, NAPA Brantford, Strodes, Pencar, Jack Greedy Ltd., Tiger Towing, TEGS Tools, Gintec, Sierra Excavating Inc., Gibson Property Maintenance, CW Piano Movers, and Our Kitchen Brantford.
For more information about Pro 4 Modified racing, click HERE and/or contact Ken at kenmercer55@gmail.com.
