Wait is over, they’re racing again
We are all suffering from cabin fever. We are all itching to get out and do yard work, clean our cars, or play a few rounds of golf.
And for motor-heads, Merrittville Speedway is opening this Saturday with a big show to kickstart the local racing season.
The Thorold-area dirt oval will start its 67th season with the Patriot Sprint Tour Spring Sizzler sponsored by Semenuk’s Esso, featuring a visit from the touring Patriot Sprint cars along with the 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, and Four-cylinder divisions in regular weekly action.
Based in New York state, the PST is a regular visitor to Merrittville, and travels to other Ontario ovals such as Ohsweken, Cornwall and Brockville. Many teams from the Southern Ontario Sprints (SOS) as well as Ohsweken regulars will be taking part in Saturday’s racing, but for the past three years Jason Barney of Brewerton, N.Y., has won the A-Main.
Gates open Saturday at 5 p.m., with showtime at 7 p.m.
Hopefully, Merrittville will get this show in the books. Opening day at other local tracks is still a way off. Flamboro Speedway is scheduled to run a test and tune session Saturday, Ohsweken Speedway won’t open until May 11, and that’s just for driver practice sessions. Jukasa Motor Speedway doesn’t get underway until June, and the Cayuga Dragway at Toronto Motorsports Park is still waiting to get some suitable weather. •••
Bits and pieces ... The Drag Strip Memories show at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum was cancelled last Sunday due to the weather, and according to organizer Rob Potter, the popular spring event will not be held until next year ... NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte will drive fulltime in NASCAR’s Whelen Euro Series. The Texan, who won 21 Cup races and the series title in 2000, will compete in the Yacco Toyota for RDV Competition. The 24-event Euro series races at tracks throughout Europe and Great Britain ... The Verizon IndyCar Series has announced Oriol Servia will get on board as a pace car driver for its events. He will join Sarah Fisher, who has been pacing the races for the past two years. Fisher, who drove the pace car in all races in 2017, said she cannot do all the races this season, so Servia, who competed in 202 IndyCar races since 2000, will share the duties. Fisher started her pace car gig in 2016 under the guidance of three-time Indy 500 champ Johnny Rutherford ... Honda has announced it will offer a combined total of $450,000 in contingency and purchase rewards in support of road and off-road motorcycle racing in Canada for Honda riders ... The third Canadian Stock/Super Stock Shootout has a new date. It will still be held at the Cayuga Dragway, but this year will take place Aug. 24-26. Presented by John Scotti Classic Cars and the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the event will offer an increased purse of US$25,000.