Racing rookie rises rapidly up learning curve
Anthony Kelly wins third Mini Stocks feature in freshman season at Merrittville
Anthony Kelly continues to show he’s a chip off the old engine block when it comes to racing 4-cylinders at Merrittville Speedway.
He led a top five that included his father Tony Kelly across the finish line in the 15-lap Mini Stocks feature Saturday night.
The 17-year-old Niagara Falls native’s victory was the third of his rookie season racing stock cars at the dirt track in Thorold.
The Saint Paul Catholic High School student earned 60 points for his latest win to increase his overall total to 380, good enough for fourth in the driver standings behind Cole Hardy, with 461 points; Alex Riley, 448; and Jay Moulton, 398. Dan McKay is fifth in the Mini Stock points race with 331.
Hardy, Tony Kelly, who is the defending track champion; McKay and Chris Laskey rounded out the top five in the feature. Riley and Hardy were the heat winners.
Mat Williamson’s sixth checkered flag of the season in Modified 358 snapped fellow St. Catharines driver’s two-race winning streak in the dirt track’s premier division.
Rounding out the top five in the 35-lap feature were Gary Lindberg, Ryan Susice, Pete Bicknell and Bowman. Fred Carleton and Scott Wood each set the pace in a qualifying heat.
Williamson increased his lead over reigning champion Chad Brachmann to 552-530 in the race for the track title.
Lindberg, Suscie and Bowman, a three-time winner so far this season, have amassed 526, 506 and 503 points, respectively.
Familiar faces also ended the night in victory lane in Merrittville’s three other regular racing divisions. St. Catharines’ Rob Murray raced to his fifth win of the season in Hoosier Stocks, Thorold’s Brent Begolo his third of the year in Sportsman, and Ridgeway’s Josh Sliter to win No. 2 in Mod Lites.
Drivers in the speedway’s new entry-level division, Pure Stock V6, had the night off to clear room on the program for an enduro qualifier.
Following are the top five finishers and heat winners in the Sportsman, Hoosier Stock and Mod Lite classes from Saturday’s racing program at Merrittville Speedway.
Sportman, 25 laps: 1. Begolo, 2. Rob Knapp, 3. Brad Rouse, 4. Cody McPherson, 5. James Michael Friesen. Heat winners: Greg Panunte, Knapp, Dave DiPietro.
Hoosier Stock, 20 laps: 1. Murray, 2. Kyle Pelrine, 3. Brad Sheehan, 4. Dave Bailey, 5. Bill Podwinski. Heat winners: Dave Small, Bailey.
Mod Lites, 15 laps: 1. Sliter, 2. Tyler Winger, 3. Chris Watson, 3. Jeffrey May, 5. R.J. Pietz. Heat winners: Begolo, Winger.
The Sportsman feature doubled as Round 2 in this year’s David Chevrolet King of the Crates Series. Begolo, with 206;
Rouse, 189; and McPherson, 177; are the top point-getters heading into the series finale Saturday, Aug. 18.