PETERBOROUGH, ON (August 20, 2017)- Not even a brief shower could delay the Hot August Night excitement on Saturday, August 19 at Canada’s Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval. The final Summer Toonie/Fan Appreciation Night presented by Pepsi featured action with the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock, Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck, Thunder Car, Organics & Glass Late Model and Ontario Modifieds Racing Series divisions at Peterborough Speedway.
The first feature event of the night was a 15 lapper for the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Trucks, with Stacy Switzer and Stephen Bierworth on the front row. A quick yellow flag flew on the first lap for an incident on the backstretch, with Tim Burke taking the lead on the restart. Former track champion Jack Dallin was looking to grab second spot from Switzer, but couldn’t complete the move. Burke caught the tail-end of the field with 10 laps on the board and held-on for the win. Switzer, Jack Dallin, Jordan Dallin and Carrson Hennessy completed the top five.
Andy McCann and Neil Hannah brought the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock field to the Great Canadian RV green flag for the 20-lap feature. An early yellow flag slowed things down, but on the restart, it was like Hannah had been shot out of a cannon. The driver of the #23 took a commanding lead, while a four-car battle for the second position was brewing in his rear-view mirror. Last week’s main event winner Noel Snow looked to the outside line to gain a spot, but his challenge was quickly denied. Hannah took the win over Ryan Oosterholt, Kevin Strutt, Snow and Ember Junkin.
With 30 laps on the table, 2015 track champion Dave Morgan (who was subbing for Bryan Mercer) and Tyler Betts paced the Organics & Glass Late Models from the staging area for their ‘A’ main event. Betts grabbed the advantage from the outside line, with the pack going four-wide entering the third turn as they chased the leader. Betts started to lap slower cars with seven circuits on the board, as Dan McHattie and Amanda Balson, the division’s two most recent feature winners, took second and third respectively. Betts survived a pair of late race yellow flags to take another main event victory. Balson, McHattie, Paul Maltese and Steve Powell completed the top five.
A pair of former champions, John Baker Jr. and Robert Warnes, brought the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series to Canada’s Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval for a 25-lap feature tilt. Baker, who has endured a frustrating season, took the early lead, but proceedings quickly came to halt when a multi-car incident in the fourth turn brought out the red flag before a lap had been scored. All drivers were unhurt, but Duane Cinnamon and Willow Barberstock were unable to continue.
Baker maintained control of the field, with Brad Stevenson glued to his rear bumper. After a season plagued by bad luck, J.B.J. collected his first main event win. Stevenson, Mark Gordon, Kendra Adams and Stu Robinson Jr. followed the #63 ride across the line.
Fedele DiBello and Rob Richards were on the front row as the Thunder Car pack rolled to the line for the night’s final main event. DiBello took the lead and looked to have things well in-hand until a yellow flag with seven laps showing on the scoreboard slowed the pace. Current point leader Anthony DiBello took the lead with 10 circuits complete, with Bailey Jacobs following him into the runner-up spot. The former rookie of the year took the lead on lap 13 and survived a late-race caution flag to take his second win of the season. Anthony DiBello held-on for second, with James Townsend, Brandon Feeney and Dan Price completing the top five.
Qualifying heat checkered flags went to Tim Burke with a pair in the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Trucks. Noel Snow, Kris Khan with a pair and Ryan Oosterholt with the Jiffy Lube Mini Stocks. Organics & Glass Late Model qualifiers went to Amanda Balson, Tyler Betts and Dan McHattie with a pair. Brad Stevenson, Stu Robinson Jr., Kendra Adams and Duane Cinnamon took the opening rounds of Ontario Modifieds Racing Series action, with Anthony DiBello, Kris Allard, Mark Gordon and Rob Richards grabbing the Thunder Car wins.
All main event finishing positions are unofficial, pending post-race technical inspection.
Bullring bullet points: Admission to the track on Fan Appreciation Night was just $2.00 and Richard Moise of Buckhorn took home $1118.00 as his winner’s share of the Millbrook Legion 50/50 draw…Former go-karter Marlie Owen – who participated in the 2016 OMRS ‘Test a Mod’ day – was on hand to make her first start in the Thunder Car division…On the musical chairs front, Kris Allard took over for Dan Archibald in the #07 Thunder Car, while Mark Gordon steered the #18 from Crowe Brothers Racing…Kendra Adams made her OMRS debut, filling-in for Connor James, who was racing with the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series…As part of the Fan Appreciation Night, the #77 Ontario Modifieds Racing Series team of Brad Stevenson donated a pair of children’s bicycles that were given away in random draws.
This year’s Hot August Night Racing Series continues Saturday, August 26 at Peterborough Speedway. The second-to-last show of the regular season includes the home track Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Thunder Car and Organics & Glass Late Model divisions; along with the Trailers Plus Eastern Ontario Legends and Ontario Modifieds Racing Series. There will also be kid’s barrel races at intermission. Pit gates open at 3:00, with general admission grandstands unlocked at 5:00 and racing getting underway at 6:00.
Schedule information and the latest news can always be found by logging onto www.peterboroughspeedway.com, by liking the Peterborough Speedway Facebook page or following the track on Twitter. Fans can also download the free app on their Smartphone.
Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media
clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports
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