Coutu and Jones win second features; Herremans takes home first win a long way home
Story By: JIM IRVINE / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By: ALEX & HELEN BRUCE / RACERSGUIDE.COM
THOROLD, ONT- August 1, 2016- Tim Hortons hosted the final Ballhockey.com Enduro Qualifier accelerated by Niagara College Saturday June 30th and taking home his second straight Mini-Series win was Jason Coutu of St. Catharines. Also winning for the second time in 2016 was Tim Jones of Port Robinson in the Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Division.
For two drivers, their 4th Feature Wins of the season had special meanings – Mark Fawcett of Canfield and Cody McPherson of St. Catharines in the Hoosier Stock and Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Divisions.
Two Features were on the schedule for the Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Division saw Chris Watters and Joey Herremans making visits to Victory Lane.
A last lap move for Josh Sliter had the Ridgeway Driver scoring his 5th win of the season rounding out the winners in the Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series program..
“I wasn’t sure who the winner was until they told me,” said Jason Coutu in Enduro Victory with a damaged windshield after being hit by debris from another car early in the event, “when I got this car it wasn’t running too good … we changed the oil and it sure made if fast.”
49 cars started the final Ballhockey.com Enduro Qualifier accelerated by Niagara College with Round 1 winner Nick Masi the initial leader.
Just after Curtis Friesen took over top spot a red flag stopped the field with Friesen in control when racing resumed. Masi regained the lead until a second red flag on lap 15 again stalled the event.
Masi was again in control on the restart until the backstretch of lap 20 when Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinder regular Jason Coutu took over top spot.
At the finish Coutu was followed by Masi with Rob Goulding in third. Friesen and Shaun Fader round out the top 5.
By virtue of Coutu and Masi’s previous Qualifier wins – Rob Goulding will start the Ballockey.com Enduro accelerated by Niagara College 100 lap Main Event from third spot which will wrap up the 65th Season Sunday September 11th.
“I finally have been able to get the car working,” said Tim Jones after pulling into Victory Lane with a right rear tire going flat.
Scott Wood was first to lead the Feature which quickly became 3 wide down the backstretch and four wide the first time out of turn 4. Just as Phil Vigneri took over spot caution would slow the incredible early space.
The restart had Vigneri and Wood battling for top spot with Mark D’Ilario splitting the two to become the new leader. Lap 3 would see another caution slowing the field.
D’Ilario resumed the lead on the restart with action back in the pack allowing D’Ilario to pull away to almost a straightaway lead by lap 9. The early race to watch was between Jones, Bicknell and quickly Erick Rudolph.
Lap 15 saw disaster for D’Ilario who made contact with a lap car.
Vigneri was the new leader on the restart and before the pace settled in two incidents again slowed the field. Vigneri was out front once again with Jones the new leader out of Turn 4 to start lap 15. Caution on lap 18
Jones took the lead on the restart with Rudolph and Bicknell staying with the leader. With 10 laps to go, Jones had about a 10 car lead on Bicknell with Rudolph in third by about the same margin. Bicknell and Rudolph would close by lap 30 with the leaders into lap traffic.
At the finish, Jones was followed by Bicknell who took the runner up spot from Rudolph. Ryan Susice and Chad Brachmann rounded out the top 5.
“This one’s for Trent Saunders,” said Hoosier Stock Feature Winner Mark Fawcett of a family friend who recently passed away, “I came here today after being up in Temagami.”
Jack Myers and Kyle Pelrine took the field to the green flag with Caution lap 2
Pelrine edged ahead of Mark Fawcett on the restart with Fawcett quickly taking control of top spot. By lap 5, Fawcett and the runner up car of Jim Lampman drove away from the field to a comfortable lead. By the halfway point the leaders came upon slower cars which never slowed Fawcett who stretched his lead.
Racing to lap 15, Lampman would close in on Fawcett but once the track was clear – Fawcett was off to a comfortable lead once again.
The race to watch was the one for second between Lampman, Pelrine and Dave Bailey.
At finish … Fawcett was followed by Lampman, Pelrine, Crawford and Bailey.
“I didn’t think I was even going to race tonight,” said Sportsman Feature Winner Cody McPherson whose win may have been the best medicine, “I have been sick all day … I’ve got to thank my Dad and the crew for this one for sure.”
Chris Bellamy took the lead at the start of the 25 lap Feature with the pace slowed with one lap complete for an incident in Turn 4. Mastroianni was the new leader on the restart with Paul Gabouury by lap 5 with Cody McPherson joining in. Gaboury would take the lead on lap 6.
Two laps later the pace would be slowed for an incident in Turn 1.
Gaboury resumed control of top spot on the restart with McPherson challenging for top spot. Starting lap 11, McPherson was the new leader
The closing laps through slower cars didn’t slow McPherson with Gaboury and Jay Mallory settling for second and third. Brad Rouse rebounded from being involved in an early caution to take 4th with Brent Begolo in fifth.
In the rain delayed Novice Feature from July 9th, Joey Heremans was first to lead the 10 lap Feature from until lap 3 when contact between the leader and Trevor Wright left the Ailsa Craig Driver facing the wrong way in Turn 2.
Chris Watters was the new leader on the restart through to the checkered flag ahead of Dave DiPetro, Sean Dominey, Joey Herremans, Trevor Wright
“I raced 13 years in a Micro Sprint at Wonderland Speedway before this season,” said Ailsa Craig’s Joey Herremans after winning his first Novice Sportsman Feature.
After a first lap incident in the regularly scheduled 10 lap Novice Sportsman Feature the leader was Joey Herremans who would go unchallenged in the event.
Herremans was followed by John Babion, Trevor Wright, Sean Dominey and Dave DiPetro,
“I knew I wanted to win to see my hero,” said Josh Sliter of his former co-worker Travis Cunningham who was co-announcing with Dana Curvin.
The 15 lap Feature for the Modified Lites had Jeffrey May lead the field to green but unfortunately the first time into Turns 1 and 2 led to disaster for May after losing control of his car. Three wide on the start settled down but not before a violent flip by Rob Misener down the backstretch.
Wih no laps completed, there was no clear leader until RJ Pietz took control out of Turn 4.
Crossing the start finish line to start lap 3, Marty deMoel became the new leader with Josh Sliter taking second by lap 6. Sliter would close in on the leader around halfway with deMoel holding off the defending champion.
Racing into Turn 2 the final time Sliter was able to get by deMoel who settled for second. Chris Watson took third with Shawn Sliter and Steven Beckett as the top 5.
UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY
L St. Amand Enterprises and St. Amand Auto & Truck Repair will present the 7th Annual Bob St. Amand Sr Memorial Monday August 1st.
The special Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Event will feature the 100 lap Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series Main Event plus Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks and the 4 Cylinders.
The Pit and Grandstand Gates will open at 4:00 with Show Time at 7:00 PM.
To reach Merrittville Speedway call 905-892-8266 or via e mail – ebicknell@cogeco.net. 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
Ballhockey.com Final Enduro Qualifier accelerated by Niagara College (25 laps) Jason Coutu, Nick Masi, Rob Goulding, Curtis Friesen, Shaun Fader.
Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Feature (35 laps) Tim Jones, Pete Bicknell, Erick Rudolph, Ryan Susice, Chad Brachmann, Chris Steele, Mike Bowman, Gary Lindberg, Tommy Flannigan, Phil Vigneri, Bill Bleich, Shayne Pierce, Rick Richner, Rick Hoctor, Brian Page, Fred Carleton, Scott Wood, Todd Gordon, Mark D’Ilario, Wayne Conn.
Hoosier Stock Feature (20 laps) Mark Fawcett, Jim Lampman, Kyle Pelrine, Chris Crawford, Pete Reid, Dave Bailey, Al Blanchard, Trevor DeBoer, Jack Myers, Vince Fargnoli, Chris Schneider, Robin Mortensen, Adam Hallett, Tanner Podwinski, Mason Smith, James Marr.
Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Feature (25 laps) Cody McPherson, Paul Gaboury, Jay Mallory, Brad Rouse, Brent Begolo, Joey Mastroianni, Justin Sharp, Charlie Lynch, Rob Knapp, Darrell Farraway, Chris Storm, Chris Watters, Chris Bellamy, Jesse Penner, John Babion, Gord McIntosh, Dave DiPetro, Joey Herremans, Sean Dominey, Zach Sam, Justin McKay, Tom Richau, Luke Carleton.
Yager Bros Trucking Novice Sportsman Feature rain-delayed from July 9th (10 laps) Chris Watters, Dave DiPetro, Sean Dominey, Joey Herremans, Trevor Wright, John Babion.
Yager Bros Trucking Novice Sportsman Feature (10 laps) Joey Herremans, John Babion, Trevor Wright, Sean Dominey, Dave DiPetro, Justin MacKay.
Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lite Feature (20 laps) Josh Sliter, Marty deMoel, Chris Watson, Shawn Sliter, Steven Beckett, Tyler Winger, Craig Martin, Ray Sliter Jr., Ryleigh Sliter, RJ Pietz, Jeffrey May, Rob Misener.
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.
