Three nights of racing on track this weekend

A three-day holiday weekend means three nights of pedal-tothe-metal action at auto racing tracks in Niagara.

All but 4-cylinders will be competing Saturday at Merrittville Speedway. Taking their place in the lineup will be the final qualifier for a 100-lap enduro that will wrap up the Thorold track’s 65th season Sunday, Sept. 11.

Action shifts to New Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne for a visit by the vintage car class and the All-Canadian Championships on Sunday night. All five regular classes – sportsman, late model, street stock, 4-cyclinder trucks, mini stocks – will feature longer distances, with extra money waiting at the finish line.

Monday’s special Civic Holiday program at Merrittville will be highlighted by the seventh annual Bob St. Amand Sr. Memorial, a 100-lap battle of 358 modified and big blocks with $6,000 going to the winner. Sportsman, Hoosier stocks and 4-cylinders round out the program.

“Our Civic Holiday Doubleheader has been a ritual since 1972,” Merrittville general manager Erica Bicknell-Jones said. “Our Saturday and Monday menu of events offer something for everyone over to action-packed nights.”

Saturday night’s enduro is an opportunity for people who don’t race regularly to compete on the speedway’s challenging D -shaped clay surface.

Enduro racing doesn’t require much pre-race preparation or a fullfledged pit crew.

“It’s pretty basic,” Bicknell-Jones said. “It’s a street car with safety modification – everything else is stock as you found it.

“An enduro car is not a race car, it’s a car that races.”

Two-time defending Hoosier stock track champion Mark F aw cettofC an field, Ont ., is the current points leader at Merrittville, but Dave Bailey of Hagersville, only one point back, and Pete Reid of Stevensville, five of the pace, are very much in the running. Chris Crawford of Welland trails the division leader by only 17 points.

Tyler Lafantaisie leads fellow Wellander Kyle Rothwell by four points in Merrittville’s mini stocks division, while Ridgeway’s Josh Sliter, the reigning mod lite champion, leads Welland driver Rob Misener by 14 points heading into the weekend.

In 358 modified St. Catharines’ Pete Bicknell leads Ridgeway’s Gary Lindberg, last year’s sportsman champion at both Niagara tracks, by 37 points. Ryan Susice of Ransomville, N.Y., is 44 points off the pace.

Our Civic Holiday Doubleheader has been a ritual since 1972. Our Saturday and Monday menu of events offer something for everyone over to action-packed nights.” Merrittville general manager Erica Bicknell-Jones

Forty-four points separate Cody McPherson of St. Catharines and Brent Begolo atop the sportsman standings. Paul Gaboury, Welland; Justin Sharp, St. Catharines; and Jay Mallory, St. Catharines; trail by 58, 62 and 64 points, respectively.

Trevor Wright, 14, of Smithville leads Sean Dominey of St. Catharines by 14 points in Merrittville’s newest racing class, novice sportsman.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m. on both nights at Merrittville.

Times at Humberstone are 4:30 p.m., grandstand; and 6:30 p.m., racing.

Sunday’s street stock feature in Port Colborne is a Duel in the Dirt series race for 8-cylinders.