By: jim Irvine/Merrittville Speedway
August 29 2016
Thorold, Ontario – For the third time in his career, St. Catharines’ Driver Brad Rouse won the Bill Willard Senior Sterling Silvr Event for the Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Division Saturday August 27th.
Niagara Generators hosted the 6 Division Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series program and are in the business of providing stand-by power when the power goes out.
The power didn’t go out for Welland’s Kyle Rothwell won the Triple Crown Series Finale for the Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinders – earning enough points to take home the Mini-Series Title as well.
Rouse and Rothwell’s wins were their 6th of 2016.
Winning his first Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lite Feature was Tyler Winger of Stevensville – a 2016 Rookie after many years in the Tuesday Night Kart Program.
Almost with an identical margin of victory as Rothwell earlier in the night, Chad Brachmann of Sanborn NY won his third Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Feature. Also making his third visit to Victory Lane was Hagersville’s Dave Bailey – keeping alive a 5 race win streak including wins at Ohsweken and Humberstone Speedways beginning last weekend.
Second generation driver Dave DiPietro of North Tonawanda, NY wrapped up the month of August with his first Feature Win in the Yager Bros Trucking Novice Sportsman Division.
“Thanks to BRP … we had the car there this week and they tore the car apart,” said Brad Rouse in Sportsman Victory Lane, “it was a rocket ship!”
Dave Dipietro and Joey Mastroianni lead the field to the green flag for the annual event that honours local racing pioneer Bill Willard Senior – a memorial started 27 years ago by former Sportsman Racer Ken Walsh.
It wasn’t until the first time down the backstretch that Mastroianni had a clear lead while back in the back – cars were three and four wide battling for position.
By lap 5, Mastroianni opened up a 10 car advantage and just as Brad Rouse took control of second spot – caution would slow the pace. Mastroianni resumed top spot on the restart until Rouse became the new leader on lap 6.
Back to back cautions on laps 7 and 8 again would slow the field with an incident after the second restart somehow not resulting in another caution.
Several cars came together near the front of the field – the biggest loser was Brent Begolo who fell back several spots.
By the halfway point of the 25 lap feature, Rouse had driven away to almost a straightaway advantage and by lap 15 – the leader was into lap traffic.
An incident on lap 23 would set up a two lap dash but with another caution giving 2011 Event Winner Cody McPherson another chance at winning his great-grandfather’s race.
At the finish, Rouse was 2 car lengths ahead of McPherson with Paul Gaboury third. 2013 Winner Justin Sharp and Jay Mallory rounded out the top 5.
“I didn’t want to show Tony (Kelly) I was faster on the outside so I stuck to the bottom,” said Triple Crown Series Champion Kyle Rothwell, “with 2 laps to go … it was go time.”
22 cars started the 20 lap Event with front row starters Jason Coutu and Jay Moulton side by side until Coutu had the advantage completing lap 1. With Moulton quickly regaining the lead, the early battle for top spot allowed Tony Kelly to close in on the two.
Down the backstretch of lap 4 Kelly was now into the runner up spot and 4 laps later would become the new leader with Rothwell following into second.
Just before halfway Rothwell would challenge Kelly for the lead with the two side by side for a few laps. The two eventually drove up on slower cars which would put them nose to tail with Kelly leading.
Some space opened up and once again Kelly and Rothwell were side by side.
Coming out of Turn 4 the final time Rothwell would make his move and took the checkered flag by a margin of .045 over Kelly with Moulton third. Tyler Lafantaisie and Mike Sadusek as the top 5.
If the race winning advantage was close enough – the Triple Crown Series Point Standings were just as close. Rothwell would take the title by just three points with Kelly and Lafantaisie tied for second.
“Being a rookie and winning … I’m almost speechless,” said Tyler Winger in Modified Lite Victory Lane, “it’s been a great experience racing with everyone … thanks to mom and dad for all they’ve done to get me here.”
Former champion Jeffrey May was first to lead the 15 lap Feature before RJ Pietz took over top spot in Turn 1 with one lap complete. Pietz’s teammate Josh Sliter who started 8th had drove up to third by lap 3 but soon would be challenged by Winger.
Eventually Winger would take over third and by lap 5 was in the runner up spot.
Out of Turn 4 to complete lap 13 Winger became the new leader and in the two laps to the finish opened up a couple car length lead in the caution free event.
Winger was followed by Pietz and May who made a late race move to take third. Josh Sliter settled for fourth with Steven Beckett fifth.
“Whether it’s 4/100ths or even 4 seconds we’ll take it … we lost one last week – I think we stole one this week,” said Chad Brachmann after his third win of the season.
Brachmann fell victim late in August 20th’s SMS Machine Tools Night to eventual winner Erick Rudolph which earned the third generation Ransomville NY native Archer Truck Services Driver of the Week Honours.
One week later it was Brachmann’s turn to make the late race move – edging Pete Bicknell by almost a .045 second advantage at the start finish line.
The 35 lap Event had Fred Carleton as the initial leader before Chris Steele took control. In turn two of lap 2 the third lead change found Gary Lindberg in top spot.
Bicknell was able to get by Steele for third on lap 8 and one lap later took over second spot. By lap 11, Lindberg led the field into lap traffic.
Just as Carleton regained second a slowing Tommy Flannigan on lap 12 slowed the pace. Lindberg was the leader on the restart before losing top spot to Bicknell before regaining it on lap 13.
A lap 17 caution erased a ¼ lap lead for Lindberg with Mike Bowman taking over third after the return to racing. Ryan Susice was closing in on the top 5 before slowing on lap 23 slowing the pace once again.
Lindberg set the pace on the restart with Bicknell quickly back out front until a lap 28 caution. With Bicknell out front on the restart, Bowman was battling Lindberg for the runner up spot with Brachmann soon joining in.
Lap 30 would be the running order shuffle with Bicknell leading Brachmann, Lindberg, Bowman and Rudolph.
Brachmann would take over top spot on lap 32 with Bicknell keeping pace.
At the finish it was Brachmann who just edged Bicknell, with Lindberg, Rudolph and Bowman as the top 5.
“This is just awesome,” said Dave Bailey after winning his 5th race in just 9 days, “I’m just a one man crew … but there are a lot of people that help out – Thanks to them!”
The initial green flag had Jack Myers and Kyle Pelrine side by side until Myers edges ahead in Turn 4 completing lap 2. By lap 5, it was Pelrine in control of top spot.
Lap 10 would find Bailey as the new leader from his 8th starting spot.
Through to the finish, Bailey opened up a lead of about a ¼ lap on Pete Reid and point leader Mark Fawcett. Kyle Pelrine and Chris Crawford would close out the top 5.
Robbie Johnston was first to lead the 10 lap Feature for the Yager Bros Trucking Novice Sportsman Division before Trevor Wright took over top spot before one lap was complete.
Two cautions on lap 3 and then during the restart found Dave DiPietro the new leader when racing resumed. The race to watch was the one for second between Wright and Joey Herremans .
Herremans would take over second on lap 7 while DiPietro drove away to almost a ¼ lap advantage on the field by lap 10.
DiPietro and Herremans were followed by Hoosier Stock racer Kyle Pelrine in the Chris Storm #174 with Wright and Johnston rounding out the top 5.
UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY
Semenuk’s Esso will host the 65th Anniversary Champion Night Saturday September 3rd with a Division Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Event featuring the 50 lap John Spencer Memorial for the Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modifieds.
During intermission, Race Fans will have the opportunity to meet the drivers and see their cars up close on the frontstretch during an Autograph Session.
Grandstands will open at 5:30 with Show Time at 7:00 PM.
To reach Merrittville Speedway call 905-892-8266 or via e mail – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Merrittville Speedway is located at 2371 Merrittville Highway in Thorold Ontario. Merrittville Speedway’s Office is open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and is located in the Grandstand Area on the ground floor of the Lucas Oil Tower.
For all the news on Merrittville Speedway’s 65th Consecutive Season in 2016 – visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com. Race fans and Race teams alike can follow Merrittville on Face Book (Facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Merrittville
Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Feature (25 laps) Brad Rouse, Cody McPherson, Paul Gaboury, Justin Sharp, Jay Mallory, Luke Carleton, Chris Bellamy, Brent Begolo, Darrell Farraway, Dave DiPietro, Rob Knapp, Rick Bellante, AJ Custodi, Joey Mastroianni, Chris Watters, Rob Goulding, Joey Herremans, Sean Dominey, Robbie Johnston, Charlie Lynch, Tom Richau, Jesse Penner, John Babion.
Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinder Triple Crown Series # 3 (20 laps) Kyle Rothwell, Tony Kelly, Jay Moulton, Tyler Lafantaisie, Mike Sadusek, Jason Coutu, Sam Iftody, Tom Neale, Kyle Miller, Garnet Wilson, Jeremy Smith, Vincent Pagnotta, Brian Teeple, Alex Riley, Kourtney Kocarik, Austyn Werstroh, Gregg Lounsbury, Gary Hodason, Mike Giberson, Cole Hardy, Chris Laskey, Trevor Want, Ken Lovegrove.
Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lite Feature (20 laps) Tyler Winger, RJ Pietz, Jeffrey May, Josh Sliter, Steven Beckett, Rob Misener, Shawn Sliter, Marty deMoel, Chris Perry, Ray Sliter Jr., Craig Martin, Ryleigh Sliter.
Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Feature (35 laps) Chad Brachmann, Pete Bicknell, Gary Lindberg, Erick Rudolph, Mike Bowman, Chris Steele, Fred Carleton, Mark D’Ilario, Tim Jones, Tommy Flannigan, Scott Wood, Todd Gordon, Wayne Conn, Ryan Susice, Shayne Pierce, Rick Hoctor, Don Spiece.
Hoosier Stock Feature (20 laps) Dave Bailey, Pete Reid, Mark Fawcett, Kyle Pelrine, Chris Crawford, Jack Myers, Jim Lampman, Trevor DeBoer, Dave Small, Tanner Podwinski, Chris Schneider, Robin Mortensen, Greg Wilson.
Yager Bros Trucking Novice Sportsman Feature (10 laps) Dave DiPietro, Joey Herremans, Kyle Pelrine, Trevor Wright, Robbie Johnston, Sean Dominey, Richard Farraway, Scott Bellamy. DNS – Billy Bleich Jr., John Babion.
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY SPONSORS The 2016 65th Anniversary Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series for Merrittville Speedway’s 5 Divisions is brought to race fans and racers by division sponsors – Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Yager Bros Trucking, Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports, Hoosier Tire Canada and Van Raine Construction in addition to many marketing partners Visit them at . http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/sponsors.htm and visit them when you require their products and/or services.
Lucas Oil Products, Inc., is the world leader in the production high performance oils, fuel treatments and problem solving additives with the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in North America. Lucas Oil’s premium formulas are marketed worldwide and retail at more than 40,000 auto parts stores across the continent and at virtually every truck stop across Canada.
Race fans can look for Lucas Oil Products at their favourite automotive retailer or maintenance center including Kala’s Home Hardware, St. Catharines Discount Auto Parts and RCM Racing Equipment.