Mid-Season Bash Turns Into a Saturday Night Party at Peterborough Speedway
Mid-Season Bash Turns Into a Saturday Night Party at Peterborough Speedway
By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media
Everyone loves a party and Saturday, July 13th – with the help of Pure Country 105 – Peterborough Speedway marked the unofficial halfway point of the 2019 schedule with its annual Mid-Season Bash, featuring the hometown Bone Stock, Renegade Truck, Super Stock and Late Model divisions; with the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series as special guests and timed King of the Hill spectator laps as the intermission feature.
Brad Lavalle and Jeff Dolley were on the front row as the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Trucks ran a holdover feature from June 1stto open the night. Lavalle took the early lead, with Paul Boundy slipping into 2nd. A caution flag for an incident in the 3rd turn with 8 laps complete, brought the field back together, but no one had anything for Lavalle. Taking his turn in the truck that won the 2018 championship, the hometown favourite scored the win over Boundy, Dolley, Terri-Anne Whittern and Stacy Switzer.
Marlie Owen and Howie Crowe brought the KOD Disposal Super Stocks to the line to kick-off the feature action for Saturday, July 13th. Owen took the lead early and had the rest of the pack fighting for spots behind her. A yellow flag for a backstretch issue with a handful of laps on the scoreboard brought everyone back together and produced some exciting action. Mark Gordon was able to wrestle the lead away at lap 13 and held-on for his second-straight Super Stock win. Owen, Tim Burke, Tyler Bouillon and Crowe completed the top 5.
With Craig Scott and Randy Hollingsworth on the front row, the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series – powered by Torque Builders Inc. and Gen-3 Electrical – rolled to the line for their 25 lap feature tilt. Hollingsworth drifted high at the drop of the green and after a pair of early race caution flags for front stretch issues, John Baker Jr. took control of things. With Dwight Brown and Chad Strawn fighting for the runner-up spot, the fan favourite claimed the win. Alex Lees and Josh Gruntz followed the top 3 finishers across the line.
Front row starters Alex McGibbon and Jeff Dolley led the way as the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Trucks hit the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road for a 20 lap feature. Stacy Switzer was looking a spot right off the bat and moved into the runner-up position with just a handful of laps complete. The race's only yellow flag waved a couple of laps later, with Brad Lavalle taking the lead at the halfway mark. He may be sharing the ride with Ontario Legends' racer Nicholas Ledson, but on this night it was all Brad Lavalle. McGibbon was second, with Dolley, Switzer and Bill O'Hara rounding-out the top 5.
Kyle Batty and Brandon Feeney brought the Late Model pack to the Great Canadian RV green flag for a 25 lap 'A' main. The yellow flag waved with just a pair of laps on the board and the field came back to the stripe with Tim and Kyle Batty on the front row. Defending track champion Dan McHattie moved into second shortly after the restart and took the lead with 8 laps complete. McHattie – who lives less than half an hour from the track – survived a late race a caution and even a 15 minute red flag when the track lighting went out to take the win over Mark Gordon, Kyle Batty, Doug Wills and Sean Walker.
The night closed-out with a 20 lap Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock feature with Shawn Solomon and Brad Lavalle on the front row. Solomon took an early lead, but a yellow flag for an issue in the 4th turn with only a handful of laps on the scoreboard brought everyone back together. Chris Tubman – who was looking for his first win of the season – brought his #88 machine into a fight for the lead near the halfway mark, with Corey Strawn using the outside line to take 3rd just over 5 laps from the checkered flag. Lapped traffic came into play during the closing stages of the event, but Tubman was able to hold off reigning champ Ryan Oosterholt for a trip to victory lane. Strawn, Kris Khan and Kyle Novis were 3rd, 4th and 5th.
Dan Archibald picked-up a pair of Super Stock heats, with the others going to Marlie Owen and Howie Crowe. Brad Lavalle, Stacy Switzer, Paul Boundy and Jeff Dolley split the Super Stock preliminary rounds. Former series champion John Baker Jr. had a pair of Ontario Modifieds Racing Series qualifiers, with the others going to Alex Cuzzilla and Josh Gruntz. Dan McHattie scored a couple of Late Model heat race checkered flags, with the others going to Mark Gordon and Tim Batty. Bone Stock qualifying rounds went to Sean Kennedy, Ryan Oosterholt, Steve Finnegan, Corey Strawn, Kyle Novis and Kris Khan.
All finishing positions are unofficial and subject to scoring review, post race technical and safety inspection.
Bullring bullet points: For the second straight week, a weather front moved-in before the gates opened. As result, only about a handful of teams were about to practice before racing got underway…Castleton, Ontario's Bobby Cousineau used the Late Model division to make his first career stock car racing start. A former demolition derby participant, he ran the #42 machine to an 8th place finish…Nick Clarke was scheduled to run with the OSCAAR Hot Rods at Brighton Speedway, but when that show was rained-out, he towed his #8 car to Peterborough was added to the Super Stock feature…Larry Crowe Jr. set fast time in King of the Hill, with lap of 16.42 seconds…Feature winners celebrated in a new-look Dart Heating & Air Conditioning Victory Lane, with an updated banner and a freshly painted floor.
Action at Peterborough Speedway continues Saturday, July 20 with the year's only appearance by the Hoosier Racing Tire Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models. Also on the agenda will be the home track Bone Stock and Mini Stock divisions and a 50 lap feature event for the Super Stocks. Pit gates open at 1:30, with the general admission grandstands unlocked at 4:00 and racing at 5:00.
www.peterboroughspeedway.com is your round-the-clock source for the latest schedule information and full details about the 2019 season at the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road. News can also be found on the track's Facebook and Twitter social media platforms. Look for Peterborough Speedway wherever you search for apps and have your favourite race place in your hip pocket throughout the year.
Photo attachment: Melissa Smits, www.facebook.com/OneNineMarketing
Brad Lavalle (#26) picked-up a qualifying heat win and a pair of Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck feature victories – Saturday, July 13th – at Peterborough Speedway.
Mark Gordon (#25) made it 2 in a row with his 2ndstraight KOD Disposal Super Stock main event win – Saturday, July 13th – at Canada's Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval.
Former series champion John Baker Jr. (#63) picked-up the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series feature win – Saturday, July 13th – at Peterborough Speedway.
Multi-time track champion Dan McHattie (#71) captured another Late Model 'A' main checkered flag – Saturday, July 13th – at Peterborough Speedway.
The wait is finally over as Chris Tubman (#88) picked-up his first Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock win of the year – Saturday, July 13th – at Peterborough Speedway.
Prepared by Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media
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