Racetrack honours its past
Two are added to Merrittville Speedway Wall of Fame
Mat Williamson made more memories on Nostalgia Night on Saturday at Merrittville Speedway.
Despite starting the Jerry Winger Memorial eighth in a field of 17, the St. Catharines driver raced to fifth feature win of the season in 358 Modified, the premier class at the Thorold track.
Mike Bowman and Gary Lindberg started the showstopper in the front row, with Lindberg setting the pace until Bowman passed him with six circuits remaining in the 50-lapper.
Williamson, the defending points champion, took advantage of a restart following a caution one lap later by pulling away for his second Winger Memorial win in as many years.
Brad Rouse of St. Catharines took his third checkered flag of the season competing at Merrittville with a come-from-behind victory in the 25-lap Sportsman feature. Rouse, whose No. 18 has also raced to three first-place finishes at New Humberstone Speedway, took the inside lane away from Ryan Ferri with four laps remaining for the win.
Kyle Rothwell ceded the lead in the main event in the 4-cylinder Mini Stock to Anthony Kelly, but the teen from Niagara Falls didn’t remain the front-runner for long.
Tyler Lafantaisie of Welland overtook Kyle Haynes with a last-lap pass for his second win of the season at the Thorold track.
Defending V6 points champion John Couture moved to the front of the pack three laps into the 12-lap feature.
The Niagara Falls racer remained there the rest of the way for his third win of the season.
Andy Imbeault, 73, of Port Colborne held off Rick St. Pierre and Mark Shadwell to win a Vintage Car on a program highlighted by the induction of former racer Bob Webster and the late Bruce Ford Bonham into the Merrittville Speedway Hall of Fame.
Webster, known as Mr. Mopar, exclusively raced Chrysler products until retiring in the early 1970s. For nearly four decades, Bonham, a press room employee at The St. Catharines Standard by day, spent nights and weekends covering motorsports on a freelance basis.
The Semenuck family and longtime track volunteer Colleen Curvin received a CAA Dedication to Racing Award. Following are the top five and heat winners from Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway:
358 Modified, 50 laps: 1. Mat Williamson, 2. Mike Bowman, 3 Ryan Susice, 4. Gary Lindberg, 5. Scott Gordon. Heat winners: Shayne Pierce, Tim Jones, Rick Richner.
Sportsman, 25 laps: 1. Brad Rouse, 2. Ryan Ferri, 3. Paul Gaboury, 4. Brent Begolo, 4. Dave DiPietro, 5. James Michael Friesen. Heat winners: Ferri, Justin Sharp, Jordan Cosco.
Mini Stocks, 15 laps: 1. Tyler Lafantaisie, 2. Anthony Kelly, 3. Kyle Haynes, 4. Tony Kelly, 5. Jay Moulton. Heat winners: Kyle Rothwell, Anthony Kelly.
V6, 12 cylinders: 1. John Couture, 2. Kevin Conley, 3. Colton Lane, 4. Kyle Irving, 5. Jason Irving. Heat winners: Conley, Couture.
Track talk: More than 200 alumni and guests were treated to a pre-race pasta dinner … 83 cars were signed in pitside … Drivers in the Hoosier Stock and Mod Lite divisions had the night off.