THOROLD, ONTARIO – 2018 divisional champion and reigning Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series champion Mat Williamson from St. Catharines, Ontario scored the win in the S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds as part of Operation Green Flag at the Merrittville Speedway on Sunday, July 26.
Jordan Poirier from Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Quebec took home the checkered flag in the 360 Sprint Car feature. Defending Hoosier Stock champion Rob Murray from St. Catharines scored the win in the Hoosier Stock main event. The event was streamed LIVE on GForceTV.net and will be broadcasted nationally on REVTV Canada on a tape delay.
GALLERY COURTESY OF DEREK SMITH – WWW.RACEPULSE.COM
Dalton Slack and Rob Knapp brought the S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds to the green flag for their 40-lap feature with Slack showing the way over Fred Carleton and Mat Williamson. Mike Bowman took over fourth, just as Williamson moved into second and challenged Slack for the lead.
Williamson pulled the slider to take the lead away from Slack on lap nine and quickly checked out on the field. Bowman closed the gap on the battle for second between Slack and Carleton as Tim Jones raced in fifth place. The caution came out at the race’s halfway mark as Corey Gruhl spun, in turn, two, erasing Williamson’s 6.8 second lead over the rest of the field.
Fred Carleton took second away from Slack off the restart, as Gary Lindberg entered the top five and went after Bowman for fourth. Tim Jones came to a stop, in turn, two on lap 25 to bring out the yellow. Williamson once again took command of the field as Carleton, Slack, Bowman, and Lindberg all battled for position. Bowman passed Carleton for second on lap 31 and went after Williamson.
Just one lap later, Gary Lindberg took over third place. Lindberg brought out the caution with less than five laps remaining as he overdrove turns three and four. The late-race restart saw Bowman and Williamson share the front row with Bowman challenging Williamson for the lead. Steve Bernier moved into third. Williamson scored the win. Bowman, Steve Bernier, Mark D’llario and Tyler Willard would complete the top five.
Ryan Turner and Cory Turner led the field of 360 Sprint Cars to the green flag with Ryan Turner in the lead over his older brother Cory. The red flag came out for Mack DeMan and Shawn Sliter as they got collected into the turn one wall. Both drivers climbed out of their racecars under their own power. Jim Huppenen challenged Cory Turner for second as Jordan Poirier started to reel in the battle for the runner-up position. Huppenen took second away on lap 12 while working lap traffic.
Jordan Poirier took third and quickly reeled in the battle for the lead. Huppunen took the lead on lap 15, as Poirier snatched second from Ryan Turner. The caution came out on lap 21 as Aaron Turkey came to a stop in turn three. On the restart, Huppenen took off as Poirier gave chase. The duo exchanged slide jobs with Poirier taking the lead. Ryan Turner spun in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 22. Poirier took off on the restart and went on to score his first career win at Merrittville. Jim Huppenen, Cory Turner, Jake Brown and Jamie Turner completed the top five.
Mike Thorne and Donny Lampman were on the front row for the Hoosier Stocks feature with fourth-place starter Rob Murray quickly taking over the lead with Chris Hale and Justin Ramsay giving chase. Andrew Hennessey worked his way into the top six racing with Ken Sargent and outside pole sitter Donny Lampman.
The leaders hit lap traffic at the midpoint of the event, just as Justin Ramsay took second from Chris Hale. Hale was able to regain second and then take the lead away from Murray. The caution flew for debris on the front straightaway with ten laps remaining. On the restart, Murray looked underneath Hale as Ramsay, Ken Sargent, and Steve Shaw racing in the top five. Murray regained the lead on lap 21. Murray went on to score the win.
7-26-20 Operation Green Flag: Mission Merrittville RACE RESULTS
358 Modifieds: MAT WILLIAMSON, Mike Bowman, Steve Bernier, Mark D’llario, Tyler Willard, Gary Lindberg, Pete Bicknell, Todd Gordon, Austin Wood, Scott Wood, Dalton Slack, Rob Knapp, Simon Perreault, Fred Carleton, Tom Neale, Tanner Podwinski, Derek VanMil, Brian Page, Darren Peters, Tim Jones, Corey Gruhl // Qualifying Heats: Gary Lindberg, Mike Bowman, Fred Carleton
360 Sprint Cars: JORDAN POIRIER, Jim Huppenen, Cory Turner, Jake Brown, Jamie Turner, Mitch Brown, Josh Hansen, Steve Poirier, Shone Evans, Ryan Turner, Chris Steele, Liam Martin, Glenn Styres, Travis Cunningham, Steve Lyons, Cole McDonald, Tom Huppenen, Holly Porter, Kevin Pauls, Allen Gilleta, Aaron Turkey, Jake Dykstra, Mack DeMan, Shawn Sliter Failed to Qualify: Curtis Gartley, Jeremy Hughes, Dave McKnight Jr // Qualifying Heats: Jim Huppenen, Glenn Styres, Cory Turner // B-Main: Liam Martin
Hoosier Stocks: ROB MURRAY, Justin Ramsay, Ken Sargent, Chris Hale, Rob Hoskins, Steve Shaw, Wade Purchase, Mike Klazinga, Donny Lampman, Steve Shaw Jr, Logan Schwedyk, Terry Gorgeret, Barry Beck Jr, Vince Fargnoli, Zack Bleich, Mike Thorne, Jim Lampman, Todd Shaw, Go Fast Teeple, Shawn Jones, Matt Wilson, Andrew Hennessey, Kasey Huffman, Marcel Gaudet, Jeff Bean, Kyle Wert, Rob Disher, Chris VanMil, Jens Mortensen, Ian Blanchard // Failed to Qualify: Don Roberts, Kyle Andress, Tate O’Leary, Kurtis Damore, Gord Grant, Blake Bomberry, Brian Brady, Adam Plazek // Qualifying Heats: Ken Sargent, Justin Ramsay, Rob Murray, Wade Purchase // B-Main: Jens Mortensen
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