MILLGROVE, ON (June 24, 2017) – A full racing card at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway as the OSCAAR series made their second appearance at the track in 2017.
We were also joined by the Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modifieds and the Pure Stocks and Pro Four Modifieds. The Vintage Mods would also run their rained out feature from May 22nd.
GALLERY: PHOTOS BY DEREK SMITH OF WWW.RACEPULSE.COM
{gallery}Flamboro June 24 2017 – Derek Smith{/gallery}
Fifteen Vintage Modifieds were signed in and great to see the resurgence of my favorite racing club that we see visit Flamboro. Patrick Reulens and Steve Trendell were out front for this race. The night came to an abrupt end for the 5 of veteran Mike Podd as he slid through one and hit the wall on the start. His front right side was bent and he was done for the night. The two top runners over the past few years continued their battle as Jason Keen and Steve Trendell were bumper to bumper. A few cautions but these two cars broke away from the pack and when the checkers flew it as Trendell edging out Keen for the win.
The OSCAAR Pro Midgets ran two heats, in the first one Ted Greenwood led lap one but the 31k of Adrian Kemps was the leader the next time by, and built a huge lead and picked up the 10 lap heat win. Heat two had Katherine Summers on the pole but heading into turn three the next time by it was the 55 of Jordan Hanna out front. He too built a huge lead and the battle would be for second and third as the 77 of Josh Ackworth and the 83 of Brody Rickwood got Summers and battled each other to the end. As the checkers flew it was Hanna picking up the win.
The Modifieds were next and the Spyderman John Harper led lap one. He would have some fierce competition as A.J. Emms and Luke Gignac were nose to tail behind him. Emms did all he could right up to the last lap out of four to get by Harper but to no avail. Harper was the winner. In the second ten lap heat, Kelly Balson in the 09 was lined up beside the 00 of Adam Hagan. Balson led lap one. The entire race was like a freight train as most of the cars were nose to tail and as the checkers flew it was Balson coming across first for the win.
Sixteen Pure Stocks took green for their first feature of the night. Brad Holmes and Eric Crow were out front and Crow was hoping for a good result after hours of work putting a new engine in the car. Crow led lap one but a caution and eventual red as the cars went four wide through one and two and the 26 of Ashton Reekie was on the outside and cars pushed up the track, made contact with Reekie sending him towards the wall. Reekie told me it was either the wall or the exit, he made a split second choice and off through the exit he went and through the chain link fence at the bottom of the ramp. Lucky for all just minor injuries for Reekie, some aches and pains but it could have been worse. On the restart Crow continued to be the class of the field and built a big lead. Mark Thorne and Doug Moir were one/two in points with Thorne up by a mere 2 on Moir. This will be a battle till the end. As the checkers flew it was Crow, Thorne and Moir for the top three.
The Pro Four Modifieds were next with eight cars heading for green. Mark Lucas had a fast car on the night and led one. He built a big lead and the battle was for second. Nice to see Linc Erison running better of late and he was second but a nice move by the 15 of Dan Nanticoke out of two put Erison back and as the checkers flew it was Lucas, Nanticoke and Aaron Turkey third.
The Canadian Vintage Modifieds were next for their first regular feature of the night. Bill Stoner and Jeremy Barton were pole. Stoner led one. Barton spun to the infield on lap one. Heading out of four a few laps later the 00 of veteran Ron Easton got sideways. He was running second at the time and it could have been a lot worse as the field missed him and all got through. Daryl Henwood was second on the restart and ran a few laps before he spun heading into turn one on lap seven bringing out another caution. The 88 of Stoner was shown the black flag for contact with Henwood and he went to the back. Another caution as several cars including Jason Keen and Steve Trendell made contact. Keen had a flat and would head to the pits to change and would return. As the checkers flew it was nice to see John Karley back in victory lane. Congratulations to John, a great supporter of the Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Hall of Fame!!
The OSCAAR Series were back for round two of their qualifying. Jordan Hanna and Daniel Hawn were heat winners. In the Modifieds, Cory Horner won heat four. So happy for Gary Elliott picking up the third heat win in the Modifieds, his “first win as a 70 year old” as he said to me. Whether you’re a fan or not you have to be happy for someone that is truly amazing and a great ambassador to our sport. This past January it was my honor to induct Gary into the Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Hall of Fame. I can’t think of anyone any more deserving. His first time on the oval at Flamboro was July 29, 1967 and he won that very first Demo Derby. And now six decades later he is still at it and winning races. After Gary I think I was the happiest person at the track. Always my favorite racing hero, it was so exciting to stand on the flag stand and watch that win. More amazing he hasn’t missed a race since June 1987. If my numbers are right that was his 786th consecutive start!! Don’t miss the Road to 800!! Congratulations Iron Man!!
Ryan Brown won the heat for the Flat bottom Midgets while Tyler Hawn won the heat for the Hot Rod series. Love these cars as they look like the old Late Models that ran Flamboro in the late 60’s. Just three cars driven by Hawn, Adam Meisner and Derek Henderson but great to see these vintage cars!! In the first twenty five lap feature for the Super Late Models it was a Flambor veteran Shane Maginnis picking up the win. That brought intermission as the cars prepared for the final round of features.
Round two saw the Pure Stocks second feature first up. Leo Larbabera and Ross Winters Jr. sat up front as the cars took green. The two front runners got involved early with the result Labarbera having a flat and took it pitside to make the change and return. Clinton Kerkhof started third and he was the new leader. He would battle with Doug Moir and the two would trade the lead back and forth for several laps. Moir would spin with a little help from the 13 of Matt Young and the two took up position at the rear of the field. Rodney Rutherford was in the 81 car tonight and had a great race. He would get by Kerkhof down the back stretch on lap 14 to take the lead that he wouldn’t relinquish. Top three, Rutherford, Kerkhof and Andy Wheller.
Pro Fours were next with Gillian Hils and Linc Erison starting up front. Hils led one and two but veteran Brian Nanticoke got by her heading out of two on lap three. A caution on lap nine as Aaron Turkey and Dan Petit spun in one-two. Dan Nanticoke would take the lead like a shot from a gun on the restart and would come across first for the win.
The Canadian Vintage Modifieds were up with Jeremy Barton and Daryl Henwood leading the field of fourteen cars to green. Heading into one, Barton gave Henwood a “hip check” and sent the 29 of Henwood to the wall bringing out a caution and both cars to the back. Jason Keen and Steve Trendell were out front and started to breakaway from the pack. A caution on lap 12 brought the field back to even as Ron Easton spun in two. Another caution occurred when John Karley and Henwood got involved in three and four. A green checkers finish was the way this would end as Keen would edge out Trendell.
OSCAAR would close the night with five features. First up, the Flat bottom Midgets and Ryan Brown led lap one and lead all the way for the victory. The Hot Rod series saw Adam Misener pick up the win followed by Tyler Hawn and Derek Henderson.
The Pro Midgets nine cars take green Adrian Kemps leading lap one. The 2h of Daniel Hawn would be the new leader next time by. The 3 car of Steve Belfry brought out a caution hit the wall and a short delay as they tried to remove the car. On the restart is wasn’t long before the cars started to spread out. Hawn and Jordan Hanna would battle, trade the lead a few times with Hanna taking the lead for good on lap 12 and increasing it to a bigger lead with a few laps to go. The top three were Hanna, Hawn and Kemps third.
The 30 lap Modified feature saw Gary Elliott and Luke Gignac out front. Gignac would lead lap one. Elliott seemed to slow a bit and was back to sixth. John Harper and Kelly Balson got mixed up in turn four bringing out a caution. On the restart Gignac would get a quick start and lead to the end to get the win. A.J. Emms was second with Dale Reinhart third.
The last race of the night was the 25 lap second feature for the Super Late Models. Glenn Watson was the pole sitter and he would lead flag to flag and was followed by John Cadman and Shane Maginnis.
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