In this Inside Track Motorsport News Ontario Short Track Notebook, Spencer Lewis details the latest news from around the province’s stock car scene. Leading off is news that Lane Zardo will make his OSCAAR Modified debut on Sunday at Sunset Speedway. Mark Watson, Ryan Fraser, Tyler Hendricks, Scott McTeer, Bryan Mercer, Davey Terry, Marc & Jazson Jacobs, Matt Barton, Josh Stade and others are also profiled.
2011 Sunset Speedway Super Stock champion Lane Zardo (above) will make his first career OSCAAR Modified start at his home track this Sunday May 19th. The third-generation wheelman, grandson of former ACT-Tour mainstay Bill Zardo Sr., will drive for car owner George Woods in the 30-lap event. The chassis, originally a Chuck Lawler-built car, has undergone a number of recent upgrades courtesy of John Mombourquette Racecars, who aided in putting the Woods-Zardo partnership together. At 17 years of age, ‘The Thrillbilly’ will take to the track as one of the youngest competitors in tour history, with his efforts enjoying marketing support from John Mombourquette Racecars and Woods Motors. For start times and ticket prices for Sunday’s show, visit www.SunsetSpeedway.ca
2012 Delaware Speedway Late Model champion Mark Watson will take on a new role for the upcoming campaign. The St. Thomas, ON veteran has announced that, after the sale of his title winning car at the closing of last season, he is without a ride heading into 2013, and will instead work as a consultant with veteran Jay Doerr’s team. Doerr, a longtime Delaware regular and 2-time Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup champion, purchased Watson’s 2012 ride and will rely on Watson’s experience during practice and testing sessions.
2012 Hurricane Midgets champion Ryan Fraser will see his Lucas Oil TQ Can-Am Midgets debut postponed by several weeks, after suffering a broken clavicle and separated shoulder in a recent pick-up football game. Fraser’s family-owned ride saw action in the tour’s season opener at Flamboro on May 11th, with relief driver Josh Shantz, but will sit idle when the midgets invade Sunset Speedway this Sunday. Fraser reports his condition is improving each day, with his current recovery schedule putting him back in the seat in 12 weeks, just in time for an August 3rd and 4th double-shot at Sauble Speedway.
Here’s our first look at Delaware Speedway Late Model sophomore Tyler Hendricks’ 2013 entry. The Chatham, ON driver, a former Autumn Colours Classic champion in the Open-Wheel Modified division, will unveil the brand new McColl Racing Enterprises chassis at Delaware’s season-opener this Friday. Hendricks plans on a full schedule in 2013, as his family-run operation looks to compete for their first career Late Model championship. Hendricks will enjoy a wide array of sponsorship support this season, including Vertec Contractors, Victory Ford, CF Industrial, Precision Concrete, Nooyen Farms, Spira Fire Protection, Agris – Energy, Inventory Management Analysis, RNB Champion Oil Products, Loumar Trucking, Vantel Construction and BASF Chemicals. Fans can follow Hendricks throughout the season via his website, HendricksRacing.ca
2012 Sauble Speedway Limited Late Model champion Scott McTeer will return to defend his divisional title in 2013. The Tiverton, ON veteran, a former ‘Dash for Cash’ winner, will join Jason Parker, Josh Stade, Marvin Freiburger and Tom Gibbons at the top of the division. McTeer’s 2013 sponsors include Lake Huron Rod & Gun, Carey Optical, Secrets of Tuscany, Express Way Trucks and Ports Pets.
2011 Kawartha Speedway Summer Sizzler winner Bryan Mercer has released his schedule for the 2013 season. ‘The Silverback’ will compete in no less than 5 ACT-Tour events, with his first Tour race of the season slated for May 18th at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, New York. Mercer will also compete in a pair of Serie ACT events in Quebec and hopes to close his season with a second career appearance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as part of the heralded ‘ACT Invitational’. The Port Hope, ON veteran will appear in a number of Peterborough Speedway events when he’s not on tour. We’ve included the entirety of Mercer’s schedule below.
May 18th Airborne Speedway ACT Tour Plattsburgh, New York
May 25th Peterborough Speedway Weekly Show
June 1st Peterborough Speedway Weekly Show
June 8th Riverside Speedway Serie ACT St-Croix, Quebec
June 22nd Peterborough Speedway Weekly Show
July 6th Peterborough Speedway Weekly Show
July 20th & 21st Airborne Speedway ACT Tour Plattsburgh, New York ‘International 500’
August 3rd Sanair Super Speedway ACT Tour / Serie ACT Combo Show St-Pie, Quebec
August 17th Peterborough Speedway Weekly Show
August 31st Canadian Tire Motorsports Park Weekly Show
September 21st New Hampshire Motor Speedway ACT Tour Loudon, NH Bond Auto ACT Invitational
October 11th-13th Peterborough Speedway Autumn Colours Classic
2012 OSCAAR Modified Rookie of the Year Davey Terry has sent along photos of his ride for the 2013 campaign. The Erin, ON product will run the entirety of the OSCAAR Modified tour, in search of his first career victory, after a number of head turning performance towards the end of 2012 – including a runner-up effort at Sunset’s Velocity 250 event in September. ‘The Erin Express’ has complete refitted his chassis over the offseason with help from OSCAAR mainstay Jeff Hanley. Terry will enjoy marketing support from Wasteco, Castrol, Brennan Haulage, Stewart’s Equipment, Keeler Electric and Snow Bros. Contracting this season. The former Hurricane Midget regular will be ready for action this Sunday, when the ‘ground pounders’ open up their season at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil.
The JEGS/CRA All Star Tour will kick off its 2013 season this weekend at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, MO. The ‘Masters of the Pros 144’ will included some of the biggest names in Pro Late Model competition, including 2007 ASA North champion Trent Snyder, 2012 All Star Tour champion Daniel Hemric, 2013 World Series feature winner Cody Coughlin, 2012 Snowball Derby champion Chase Elliott, 2012 All American 400 winner Ross Kenseth and 2012 Rattler 250 winner Bubba Pollard.
In addition to the Crate Late Model mainstays, there will be a distinct Canadian presence at the event, as London, ON-based brothers Marc (above) & Jaxson Jacobs will be in attendance, alongside fellow Ontario standouts Brad Corcoran and Dominique VanWieringen. The Jacobs brothers have sent along shots of their rides ready for battle this weekend, and fans can follow along with them on Twitter @marc_jacobs8 and @JaxsonJacobs. Inside Track wishes the best of luck to all Canadians headed to Missouri this weekend!
Here’s a look at sophomore driver Matt Barton’s entry for the 2013 OSCAAR Modified Tour. ‘The New Hamburg Nightmare’ will compete in the first 6 events of the 2013 season, and will continue with the tour if marketing support can be found. The Ontario Legends Series graduate’s MDB Racecars entry will transition from a crate to a built motor in 2013, and will debut alongside the rest of the OSCAAR Modified Tour on Sunday May 19th at Sunset Speedway.
Sauble Speedway Limited Late Model title contender Josh Stade has sent along these photos of his entry for the upcoming season. Stade will join defending champion Scott McTeer, former champion ‘The New Age Punisher’ Jason Parker, ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Freiburger and multi-time feature winner Tom Gibbons in the race for the 2013 championship. Stade’s Howe chassis will enjoy sponsorship from MEI Paving, Bruce Service Sales & Rentals, APC, Kunkel Bus Lines, Ken’s Truck Painting and Family Fun Land. In addition to his weekly Sauble commitments, Stade has announced he will also venture to Sunset Speedway for the Velocity 250 weekend as well as making the season-end pilgrimage to Peterborough Speedway for the 21st annual Autumn Colours Classic.
Follow Spencer Lewis on Twitter @itsspencerlewis
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