The New Season Welcomes a Fresh Face to Victory Lane at Peterborough Speedway

Peterborough Speedway Media

The calendar welcomed summer less than 2 days earlier and Saturday, June 22nd Canada’s Toughest 1/3rd of a Mile Oval introduced the crowd to a new feature event winner for the 2013 campaign.

As always, the preliminary rounds got the night’s action underway as Bill O’Hara and Tyler Junkin collected checkered flags in the Moi Parry Spring Service Renegade Truck heats.  Chris Mitchell and Craig Graham shared the Vanguard Self Storage Late Model qualifiers, with Dan Price, Anthony DiBello, Stu Robinson Jr., and Howie Crowe earning the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car victories.  Nicholas Ledson and Bill Mason each claimed a pair of Ontario Legend heats.

Former Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock track champion Tyler Junkin started from the inside front row in the Renegade Truck feature, but quickly surrendered the lead to Bill O’Hara by the time there was 1 lap in the books.  As fast as he had relinquished the top spot, Junkin reclaimed the position and held it until the checkered flag.  The Thunder Car main event brought new meaning to the term “rubbing is racing”, as contact between veteran Steve Mayhew sent Dan Price into a spin that caused the vintage #09 ride to lose a rear wheel and its axle in the incident.  Alderville First Nation runner Howie Crowe and Stu Robinson Jr. battled hard throughout the race distance, looking to add an ‘A’ main win to their earlier heat race success, with Crowe settling for the runner-up spot as Robinson grabbed the win.

As the Late Model division came to the line for their headline affair, pole sitter Steve Foster and Dan McHattie banged fenders at the front of the pack, while Bryan Sudsbury and Jack Horner did the same deeper in the field.  With the pair of #71 machines fighting it out, Chris Mitchell was able to steer his #22 ride past the leaders and held on for his first win of 2013.  The Ontario Legends racers went toe-to-toe in their feature dance.  Fred Jordan took an early lead, but couldn’t hold off Jason Robar.  A short while later, Nicholas Ledson worked around Robar and the fight continued until both drivers spun in turn 3.  That contact came just after a yellow flag was displayed for Bill Mason and Duane Cinnamon coming together in the 2nd corner.  That allowed the lead pair to stay in front of the pack, where Ledson held-off all late race challenges for a trip to the winner’s circle.

A 100 lap endurance event brought the night’s action to a close, with 30 entries packed onto the tight confines of the tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road.  With competition in the 4/6 and 8 cylinder classes, the field dodged slower traffic and took advantage of any gap that presented itself, giving the crowd all the thrills they could handle.  By the end of the race distance, only about half the pack remained on the track, opening the door for Tyler Junkin to take the win with his #401 car in the 4/6 cylinder division, while Rob Richards emerged victorious in the 8 cylinder class with his #15 machine.

Short Track Saturday Night:  There will be no racing Saturday, June 29th at the oval west of the Liftlock City but a Chase for the Colours Pole Qualifying Event – with 75 lap Late Model, 25 lap Four Fun, 30 lap Mini Stock and 40 lap Thunder Car features – is on the agenda for a 2:30 green flag Sunday, June 30th.  The winner of each main event will earn the pole position for their respective feature race during the 21st Annual Autumn Colours Classic, October 11th to 13th. Action continues with an Autism Awareness Night – including the Battlefield Equipment Four Fun, Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock, Moi Parry Renegade Truck, Vanguard Self Storage Late Model and Ontario Legend divisions and a meet and greet with the drivers – Saturday, July 6th.

Peterborough Speedway’s 2013 season is presented in part by Paul Davis Systems, Reinhart Trailers, Dart Heating and Cooling, Pennzoil, Pepsi, Country 105, Sound Off Signal and Peterborough Automotive.

Fans can find the complete schedule details anytime by visiting www.peterboroughspeedway.com and follow the track on Facebook or Twitter.

Photo attachment:  Peterborough Speedway Media

Omemee, Ontario’s Chris Mitchell rolled his #22 Vanguard Self Storage Late Model machine into Dart Heating and Cooling victory lane Saturday, June 22nd at Peterborough Speedway.