(Grand Bend, ON) JUly 15, 2017- The 3rd annual Bash at the Beach rolled off Saturday night July 15, 2017 to a boisterous crowd as part of the biggest event of the Grand Bend Speedway season. The four divisions put on spectacular racing and it will be a night we’ll not soon forget.
Lucas Oil Can AM Midgets
The Winged warriors of the Can Am Midget Club rolled in to Grand Bend Speedway for the one and only appearance of 2017. After a pair of qualifying races, the field was set for a 25 lap spectacle.
From his outside row starting position, Cory Whittam (55) shot to the lead and completely set sail. Opening up a straight away lead over his closest competitor Ryan Fraser (94). With two laps remaining, the unthinkable happened, a caution flag flew for a spinning car and the large lead that Whittam had worked so hard tp achieve was erased. Whittam managed to fight off Fraser and Steven Murdock (2) to take his first ever Lucas Oil Can Am Midget victory.
London Drive Systems 4Fun – Steve Lovie Bounty Race
Nearly twenty teams attempted to qualify for the $500 to win Invitational on a track that comfortably holds 18 cars at best. All were gunning for a chance for a bigger pay day if they could fairly defeat Dutton ON driver Steve Lovie and his #48 Tiburon. Capturing the first three events of the year, speedway officials thought it might be a great promotional opportunity and put a bounty on Steve Lovie for an extra $200 on top of the original purse.
Lovie was given a rough driving penalty in his qualifying race and started near the back of the field for the 50 lap feature. Throughout the race he methodically carved his way to the front. By lap 30 he was challenging for the lead. A caution flag bunched the field up and on the ensuing restart, Lovie lined up outside of leader Dawson Urbanek (4). The pair went side by side for over 10 laps trading the lead by inches back and forth until, Lovie eventually prevailed and snagged the lead and the checkered flag. Post-race, speedway officials announced the $200 Bounty would carry over to the next event for the 4Funs, this Saturday night.
Jim Bowman Remax Future Stars Tour – Junior Late Model
The fifth and sixth events of the season of the Future Stars tour stopped in to Grand Bend Speedway as part of the card for the Bash at the Beach. Cody Wilds (14) with two wins on the season to date, continued his success with two more wins added to the tally. Brent Small (23) was charging late in the going and was challenging but came up short.
In the second race, Brent Small started near the front and quickly snagged the lead from Blain Robinson (24). Am early caution flag flew for Logan White (21) spinning into the infield, and at the very moment Brent Small had a mechanical failure and was forced to pit form the lead. On the restart, Cody Wilds charged up to the front and lead the final laps. Meanwhile further back, Logan White was on a mission to return to the front of the field, and by races end was able to bypass all but one car and settled for second place, third went to Connor Ellis (48). The Next event for the tour is Sunday July 23 at the Oshweken Speedway. The very first event for the Junior Late models to hit the dirt.
Jim Bowman Remax Future Stars Tour – JCAR Mini Trucks
The 13hp Mini trucks held their third and fourth race events this past weekend with Kevin Stark (11) making his return to the series in style with two wins. The first event of the night saw Stark start from near the rear of the field and making bold moves to get to the front. Once he got to the lead, Stark stretched his legs and built up a straightaway lead. Woodstock’s Cole Pirie (10) also charged from his mid pack starting spot and slow was chasing down the leader. The race ended up being too short for Pirie and settled for second behind Kevin Stark who was making his first event of the year.
The second race had Kevin Stark starting close to the front and swiftly got to the lead. Cole Pirie also was quick to second. What we witnessed were a pair of evenly matched race trucks. Stark could keep a gap of a truck length ahead of Pirie all the way to his second feature win of the night.
Racing at Grand Bend Speedway continues this Saturday night July 22 at 7:00pm. The Card Features the Broadway Services JLM, Tommy’s Motors Mini Trucks, Hogtown Cycles 9hp Sprints and the London Drive Systems 4Fun series. The bonus race of the evening is Ladies 4Fun event.
The Jim Bowman Remax Future Stars Tour with the JCAR Late Models and JCAR Mini Trucks stops in at Oshweken Speedway on Sunday July 23 2017
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