Late Models Make 2016 Debut At Flamboro Speedway

By Randy Spencer - Another cool evening at Bennett Chevrolet Flamboro Speedway as the Grisdale Late Models made their 2016 debut. Racing got underway at 7pm with double features for the five divisions.

In Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Hall of Fame Pure Stock action Wayde Thorne made his way from the back of the pack and picked up the first feature win. The race didn't start well for the 32 of Kenny Beal. He just bought the car from Gillian Hils and met the turn three wall on the first lap. Mark Thorne set the pace early leading the first three laps but Lofton Schutts got by and held the lead for a while until Wayde Thorne took over the lead. Lots of spins in the second feature as twenty two cars took the green and it wasn't long until lapped traffic was an issue. Gillian Hils led from start to finish and picked up the second feature win in her first night in a new car.

The Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks have seen just one winner so far as Blair Wickett picked up both feature wins on opening night. Last years champion Russ Aicken led early and built a fairly healthy lead of about 10 car lengths but seemed to lose some steam as Chad Ditner caught the champ and took the lead. Wickett wasn't far behind and he took the lead with two laps remaining and made it 3 for 3 as he won the first feature on this night. In the second feature, some early battles as Shawn Taylor seemed to be running better than the previous week and he battled Chad Ditner while a little further back, battling for third and fourth was Wickett and Aicken. Lapped traffic helped Ditner and on lap 12 he took the lead from Taylor who was out front since the green flew. Wickett, who started half way back in the field managed to get close but the streak was broken as Chad Ditner ran a flawless race edging Wickett who came home second.

In Ray's Auto Centre & Towing Thunder Car action, Chris Howse was back out with a new engine after having problems last week. Two cars made their way from Sunset as they cancelled earlier in the day. Colton Everingham and former Flamboro regular Nick Troback joined the field. Hudson Nagy had a strong, clean run in just his third feature in the series and held off veterans Brad Collison and Nick Troback to pick up his first feature win. In feature two, Collison wouldn't be out done and picked up the win holding off a hard charging Troback.

The Grisdale Late Models had a strong field for opening night with sixteen cars taking the green flag in feature one. Chad Corcoran made the start but encountered problems on lap one, going high in turns three and four and made hard contact with the wall bringing out the caution. Another caution on lap four as Corey Jones' car just died on the apron heading out of four. On the restart Matt Lockwood and David Elliott battled each other hard but Elliott took the lead on lap five and held on for thirty laps for the win. In feature two, Corey Jones led the first half of the race but Shawn Chenoweth got around Jones through turns three and four and took the lead and never looked back picking up his first win of 2016. A hard hit into and along the wall in turns three and four by Nick Roth mid way through brought out the first red flag of the season. The car received some heavy damage but Roth climbed out to survey the damage.

In Pro 4 Modified racing action, Aaron Turkey took the lead on a lap four restart and picked up the win in feature one. Craig Shaver was back in the drivers seat on the number 8 and picked up the final feature win of the night.

Special thanks to Rob Howden of ekarting news and the Indy Car series for lending his expertise helping out Gary Colling in the announcers booth.

That brought to a close another night of exciting racing action. Please make plans to join us next weekend May 14th for out first special event of the 2016 season. The Lucas Oil Sportsman series invades Flamboro Speedway for their first of three visits this season. 100 laps is the distance for this race! They are joined by the Ray's Auto Centre & Towing Thunder Cars, the Klotz Auto Repair & Engine Machine Shop Mini Stocks, the Flamboro Stadium & Speedway Hall of Fame Pure Stocks and the Lucas Oil Can Am Midgets make their first appearance of the season as well. This is the start of a big run of big lap races over the next 5 weeks. May 21st and 22nd is the Spring Fever Blues Shakedown. The following week is round two of the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup series and then the first of two appearances by the APC United Late Model series. At least 50 cars are thought to be out with only about half that many qualifying for the 100 lap feature event. Check the website for details.

May 14th, PIT GATES OPEN AT 3 P.M., FRONT GATES OPEN AT 5 P.M., RACING STARTS AT 6 SHARP.

Please check the website, www.flamborspeedway.ca for more details and please follow us on twitter, @FlamboroSpdwy.

Photos by Derek Smith, racepulse.com

Results

Pure Stock Feature #1 : #6 Wayde Thorne, #10 Lofton Schutts, #90 Andy Wheller, #16 Mark Thorne, #66 Jeff Miller, #69 Roger Lessard, #10x Clinton Geoffrey, #31 Kevin Gallant,#7 Matt Young, #01 Mark DaSilva, #18 Bob Hillar, #26 Ashton Reekie, #9 Courtney Scott, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #82 Gillian Hils, #61 Paul Ditner, #83 Eric Crow (J), #5 Stepheny Dean, #2 Alex Schuts, #42 Leo Labarbera, #79 Caroline Kelly (NF), #50 Ross Winters (NF), #32 Kenny Beal (NF)

Pure Stock Feature #2 : #82 Gillian Hils, #01 Mark DaSilva, #7 Matt Young, #2 Alex Schuts, #31 Kevin Gallant, #90 Andy Wheller, #69 Roger Lessard, #16 Mark Thorne, #66 Jeff Miller, #26 Ashton Reekie, #10 Lofton Schuts, #18 Bob Hillar, #42 Leo Labarbera, #83 Eric Crow, #61 Paul Ditner, #24 Tyler Mayhew, #9 Courtney Scott, #5 Stepheny Dean, #10x Clinton Geoffrey, #6 Wayde Thorne, #50 Ross Winters (P), #79 Caroline Kelly (NF), #32 Kenny Beal (NS)

Mini Stock Feature #1 : #97 Blair Wickett, #61 Chad Ditner, #71 Russ Aicken, #76 Shawn Taylor, #03 Jake Gilbert, #07 Michael Kenny, #38 Bill Rutherford, #84 David Gallinger, #77 Mike Hooper, #79 Kyle Istead, #36 Carson Nagy, #18 Adam Hallett (NF)

Mini Stock Feature #2 : #61 Chad Ditner, #97 Blair Wickett, #76 Shawn Taylor, #71 Russ Aicken, #03 Jake Gilbert, #84 David Gallinger, #77 Mike Hooper, #36 Carson Nagy, #38 Bill Rutherford, #79 Kyle Istead,#07 Michael Kenny, #18 Adam Hallet (DNF)

Thunder Car Feature #1 : #36 Hudson Nagy, #13 Brad Collison, #73 Nick Troback, #55 Chris Howse, #76 Shawn Arnott, #88 Bobby Mercer, #48 Colton Everingham

Thunder Car Feature #2 : #13 Brad Collison, #73 Nick Troback, #55 Chris Howse, #36 Hudson Nagy, #76 Shawn Arnott, #48 Colton Everingham, #88 Bobby Mercer

Late Model Feature #1 : #37 David Elliott, #15 Matt Locwood, #89 Shawn Chenoweth, #27 Kevin Albers. #83 Dale Shaw, #17 Nick Roth, #9 Jeff Ruddy, #86 Kenny Forth, #2 Rick Burbridge, #39 Corey Jones, #11 Dave Osborne, #5 Linda Stenhouse, #74 Al Bowman, #36 Gary Elliott (DNF), #50 Chad Corcoran (DNF), #38 Rodney Rutherford (DNS)

Late Model Feature #2 : #89 Shawn Chenoweth, #37 David Elliott, #39 Corey Jones, #15 Matt Lockwood, #86 Kenny Forth, #9 Jeff Ruddy, #27 Kevin Albers, #83 Dale Shaw, #11 Dave Osborne, #5 Linda Stenhouse, #36 Gary Elliott, #74 Al Bowman, #17 Nick Roth (DNF), #2 Rick  Burbrdge (DNF), #38 Rodney Rutherford (DNF), #50 Chad Corcoran (DNF)

Pro 4 Modified Feature #1 : #68 Aaron Turkey, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #8 Craig Shaver, #23 Linc Erison, #93 Mike Westwood (DNF), #63 Mark Lucas (DNF), #15 Dan Nanticoke (DNS)

Pro 4 Modified Feature #2 : #8 Craig Shaver, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #36 Dave Hodgkinson, #68 Aaron Turkey, #93 Mike Westwood, #23 Linc Erison, #63 Mark Lucas (DNS), #15 Dan Nanticoke (DNS)