In the June 8, 2013 installment of the Inside Track Ontario Short Track Notebook, Spencer Lewis offers updates on short track stock car racers Josh Stade, Matt Pritiko, Billy Schwartzenburg, Sean Grosman, Jake Watson, Justin McLellan, Andy Kamrath, Bryan Mercer, Jay Christie, Jason Hathaway, Kerry Micks, Jason Witty, Corey Young, Brad Martin and others.
Sauble Speedway front-runner Josh Stade (above) has added his name to the growing list of drivers confirmed for Sunset Speedway’s June 16th Limited Late Model invitational. Stade, a native of Chesley, ON, will look for his first career Sunset Speedway victory – in addition to his first career extended-distance LLM triumph. Stade will join fellow Sauble regular Jason Parker, as well as Sunset mainstays Stompin’ Tom Walters, Mike ‘Lights Out’ Bentley and ‘The Bully’ Dwayne Baker in the 75-lap affair.
Stade has indicated the invitational will serve as a valuable testing session for his Stade Motorsports team, in anticipation of the much talked about Sunset vs Sauble Home and Home series that will visit Sunset on July 13th. Stade’s 2013 sponsors include MEI Paving, Bruce Service Sales & Rentals, APC, Kunkel Bus Lines, Ken’s Truck Painting and Family Fun Land.
2-time Delaware Speedway championship runner-up Matt Pritiko (above, courtesy of Thompson Photography) has confirmed he will compete in the 1st Round of Flamboro Speedway’s Grisdale Triple Crown tournament this Saturday (June 8th). The London, ON product most recently logged a 2nd place finish in Week 2 of Delaware Speedway’s season on May 24th.
The 75-lap race is expected to draw some of the top Pro Late Model names in the region, including defending Grisdale Triple Crown champion Jason Shaw, 2009 Flamboro champion Paul Howse, Former Autumn Colours Classic winner Shawn Chenoweth and more.
Marketing support for Pritiko’s 2013 season is provided by Global Warranty, Toyota-Town.com, NAPA Certified Body Shops, Burwell Auto Body, HYPE Energy Drink, SPY Sunglasses, AQUAhydrate and 97.5 Virgin Radio of London. Fans can keep up with Pritiko in the days leading up to the Grisdale Triple Crown event via his twitter @MattPritiko.
After earning 3 victories in his first 5 starts of the season at Flamboro, Sauble and Sunset, Mini Stock standout Billy Schwartzenburg has confirmed he will compete at Delaware Speedway this Friday (June 7th) as part of the scheduled 35-lap Mini Stock invitational.
The Guelph, ON teenager will look for his first career Delaware win, and is expected to be joined by a number of cars representing Flamboro, Varney, Sauble and various other speedways from across the region. Follow Billy on twitter for news and information at @SpiraRacing86.
Sunset Speedway Ltd. Late Model regular Sean Grosman (above courtesy of Thompson Photography) has uploaded footage from his on-board camera of a heat race victory on May 25th. The Golden Beach, FL driver currently sits 5th in points in the stacked Limited Late Model division, competing weekly against the likes of defending champion – and teammate – Stompin’ Tom Walters, point leader Mike ‘Lights Out’ Bentley and 7-time Sunset champion ‘Mr. Excitement’ Chris Morrow. Fans can take a look at the footage here and can find more information on ‘The Frequent Flyer’ and the rest of his team at www.SMGMotorsports.com.
Second-generation Mini Stock pilot Jake Watson (above courtesy of Thompson Photography) has announced he will compete in the 35-lap Mini Stock invitational at Sunset Speedway on June 16th. The event, expected to draw top-tier talent from across Ontario, will serve as the 11-year old rookie’s second career visit to the Innisfil, ON 1/3 mile oval.
The Flamboro regular is the youngest Mini Stock competitor in the province, and currently finds himself within the top-20 in Flamboro weekly points, in the hunt for the speedway’s Rookie of the Year honor. Make sure to follow the 11-year old prodigy on twitter @Jake22Watson.
After sustaining considerable damage on May 25th, Varney Motor Speedway Ltd. Late Model competitor Justin McLellan will return to action this Saturday (June 8th). The veteran required extensive chassis repairs – including a new rear clip – courtesy of Streamline Race Products.
McLellan will compete fulltime at Varney in 2013, in search of the division championship, and currently sits second in points behind multi-time Sauble champion Dan Wright. The former Open Wheel Modified standout will enjoy marketing support from Stephen Menzies Criminal Law, Hanover Chrysler, Mr. Transmission of Guelph and Streamline Race Products through his championship campaign.
12-time Sauble Speedway feature winner – and current Sunset Speedway Ltd. Late Model regular – Andy Kamrath will make his first career Mini Stock start this Saturday (June 8th) at Sunset. ‘The Instant Classic’, a former JCAR regular, will pilot a car owned by third year Mini Stock driver Tyler Johnston.
Kamrath will compete alongside current Sunset point leader Warren Paxton, defending champion Eric Yorke and divisional heavyweight Ben Melenhorst. Fans can keep up with the Holland Landing, ON driver via his twitter @AndyKamrath35.
Former Summer Sizzler winner Bryan Mercer has announced he will compete in this Saturday’s (June 8th) Limited Late Model event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. ‘The Silverback’ had originally scheduled a trip to Sainte-Croix, Quebec to compete in the Serie ACT event at Riverside Speedway.
Unfortunately, a poor weekend forecast for Quebec City has forced the team to keep their racing closer to their Port Hope, ON shop. Mercer will look to outfox defending track champion Kyle Donaldson, Week 1 winner Mark Gordon and jack-of-all-trades virtuoso Dwight Brown, for his first CTMP victory in several seasons.
Delaware Speedway Late Model veteran Jay Christie has announced he will have NASCAR Canadian Tire Series standout JR Fitzpatrick racing for him on Friday night (June 7th). Christie will be sidelined with other commitments, and Fitzpatrick will sub for the Beachville, ON driver in the evening’s 40-lap Late Model feature.
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series star Jason Hathaway made a rare Late Model appearance on Friday night (June 7th) at Delaware Speedway. The former Delaware regular drove a Nick Goetz (above courtesy T.W. Robarts) -owned entry in the 40-lap Pro Late Model event. Hathaway competed against fellow NCATS regular JR Fitzpatrick, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regular Cole Powell, Delaware point leader Jamie Cox and a host of other top-tier Late Model talent. His #24 carried sponsorship from Great Lakes Concrete, Fast Eddie Racewear, Choko Motorsports, Shoreline Beacon, Kincardine News and Adam Weir Contracting.
Hathaway will join Goetz on Saturday (June 8) at Sunset Speedway, playing the role of Crew Chief – alongside Ed Hakonson Racing Car Chief Graham Annis – when Goetz makes his first Sunset start of the 2013 season. The Saugeen Shores, On driver, and Sauble Speedway regular, will use the weekly event as a testing session for the upcoming Sunset vs Sauble ‘Home and Home’ series on July 13th.
Jason Witty (above courtesy Dan Craik) has confirmed that he will return to action on Saturday (June 8th) at Sunset Speedway. The Queensville, ON driver debuted a brand new McColl Racing Enterprises chassis at the beginning of the 2013 season, but has experienced a number of on-track incidents that have kept him from victory lane.
‘Bam Bam’s most recent setback was a blown motor, suffered during a May 25th weekly show. The lone bright spot of Witty’s campaign thus far has been a masterful performance on May 18th that saw the veteran come within a 5 laps of winning his first feature in over 2 seasons. Witty’s 2013 sponsors include Speedy Auto Machine of Newmarket, Matco Tools, Carrot Express, Queensville Sod and La Rues Haulage.
After claiming victory in Delaware Speedway’s Mini Stock invitational last season, Varney Motor Speedway regular Corey Young (above and in main rotator, by Spencer Lewis) has confirmed he will return to the London-area half-mile to defend his title. The Owen Sound, ON veteran will look to best a litany of top-shelf Mini Stock talent, including 2012 Flamboro champion Billy Schwartzenburg and longtime divisional heavyweight Dave Bailey.
Though he sustained heavy front-end damage in the opening round of the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup tour at Varney on May 18th, Rookie of the Year contender ‘Bad’ Brad Martin has confirmed he will be ready to race in Round 2 at Sauble this Saturday (June 8th). Martin, a multi-time feature winner in the Kawartha Speedway Mini Stock division, plans to continue his fulltime schedule with the LOSC tour through 2013. The Plainville, ON driver is supported by Bio 2000 Pressure Wash, JJ Stewart Chrysler, Canadian Industrial and Xtreme Motorsports in his bid for Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Rookie of the Year.
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series regular Kerry Micks (above, courtesy Thompson Photography) has reported via his @MicksMotorsport twitter account that he will once again pilot a Kyle Baker-owned Ltd. Late Model at Sunset Speedway this Saturday (June 8th). The event will mark Micks’ 3rd appearance in the Port City chassis, with primary sponsorship coming from Baker Performance Parts. For details, ticket prices and start times, visit www.SunsetSpeedway.ca
Follow Spencer Lewis on Twitter at @itsspencerlewis
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