Speedway set to crown a king
King of the Crates Series wraps up at Merrittville; Mod Lites racing second time at Humberstone
Brad Rouse, current points leader in the Sportsman racing class at Merrittville Speedway, also is in the driver’s seat heading into the finale of this year’s King of the Crates Series.
Rouse is going to the green flag for tonight’s 40-lap, $1,000-towin Gabe Bellante Memorial leading fellow St. Catharines driver Jay Mallory by 28 points, 194-166.
Right behind Mallory, with 162, only four points back; is defending series and track champion Cody McPherson, also from St. Catharines.
Thorold’s Brent Begolo, with 161 points; and Port Colborne’s Adam Leslie, 156; round out the top five heading into the finale of the three-race series sponsored by David Chevrolet.
James Michael Friesen of St. Catharines, seventh in the standings, 47 points behind the pacesetter; raced to victory in the series opener on CAA Niagara Night May 27. Rouse won Round 2 July 22, when Hingston Metal Fabricators Night.
Tonight’s six-division program is being presented by Niagara Trailers.
Rick Bellante, a one-time racer at the Thorold track, was four years old when he began sharing a passion for racing with his father Gabe. The bond between the life-long fans continued until the elder Bellante’s death in October 2013.
Following that season Rick stepped back from being a car owner and his company, Rick’s Delivery, began sponsoring a racing division.
“I don’t think he missed a single Saturday night (in 50 years),” Bellante said of his late father. “He was a diehard fan who lived see a good race.
“If you asked him who his favourite driver was, he would proudly say, ‘All of them.’”
“Dad always loved a good race, however, it turns out. We are looking forward to a great night of racing to honour him. “Good luck to all the drivers.” Don Spiece, the speedway’s owner, said the track would be hard-pressed to find a division sponsor “more passionate” about racing than Rick Bellante.
“The series finale will give us all a chance to remember Gabe.”
Rick Delivery’s sponsorship of the Sportsman grew out of a friendship with Rouse.
“Brad and I have a pretty good chemistry together,” Bellante said. “We think alike as to what changes the car needs every night.”
This season that chemistry so far has resulted in 14 wins for the Rick Delivery No. 18R and points leads at Freedom and Merrittville, as well as in the DIRT car Western Region championship race.
Rouse has three wins at Merrittville so far this season and five at Humberstone, where he and McPherson, with 576 points apiece; trail Port Colborne’s Chad Chevalier in the points race.
Rouse is the defending track champion at Humberstone, where he took six checkered flags last season.
Also in tonight’s lineup, weather permitting, are heats and features in Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modifieds, Novice Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks, Wood Motor Co. Modified Lites and Central Fabricating & Welding 4 Cylinders.
Biggest points lead is in Novice Sportsman, Merrittville’s newest division. Thorold’s Gregg Rauscher tops the driver standings heading into racing action tonight with 632 points, 222 more than Bethel’s Scott Sonnenberg.
Following are the top 10 pointgetters in each racing class. An X before the name denotes defending track champion:
358 Modifieds: 1. Chad Brachmann, Sanborn, N.Y., 948; 2. Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, 890; 3. Gary Lindberg, Ridgeway, 888; 4. x-Pete Bicknell, St. Catharines, 852; 5. Scott Wood, Thorold, 825; 6. Ryan Susice, Ransomville, N.Y., 822; 7. Tim Jones, Port Robinson, 804; 8. Fred Carleton, Niagaraon-the-Lake, 755; 9. Mike Bowman, St. Catharines, 753; 10. Todd Gordon, Ridgeville, 750.
Sportsman: 1. Rouse, 868; 2. xMcPherson, 806; 3. Begolo, 782; 4. Friesen, 753; 5. Mallory, 712; 6. Justin Sharp, St. Catharines, 700; 7. Luke Carleton, Port Colborne, 677; 8. Rob Knapp, Niagara Falls, 653; 9. Trevor Wright, Smithville, 544; 10. David Flannigan Jr., St. Catharines, 542.
Novice Sportsman: 1. Rauscher, 632; 2. Sonnenberg, 410; 3. Dave Mamo, Ridgeway, 316; 4. Paul Cunningham, Niagara Falls, 202; 5. Brandon Gruhl, St. Catharines, 244; 6. Gord McIntosh, Smithville, 176; 7. Terry Larmet, St. Catharines, 60; 8. Brian Schmidt, St. Catharines; Jeff Larmet, St. Catharines; Dalton Slack, Welland, tied with 56.
Mod Lites: 1. Begolo, 712; 2. R.J. Pietz, Port Colborne, 622; 3. Tyler Winger, Fort Erie, 594; 4. Chris Watson, Niagara Falls; Steven Beckett, Fonthill, tied with 582; 6. Jeff May, Mount Hope, Ont.; Rob Misener, Welland, tied with 568; 8. Tucker Wood, Stevensville, 494; 9. Marty deMoel, Welland, 486; 10. Craig Martin, Beamsville, 446.
Hoosier Stocks: 1. x-Dave Bailey, Hagersville, 852; 2. Rob Murray, St. Catharines, 721; 3. Kyle Pelrine, Smithville, 698; 4. Jim Lampman, Caistor Centre, 690; 5. Vince Fargnoli, Niagara Falls, 647; 6. James Thompson, St. Catharines, 623; 7. Trevor DeBoer, Hagersville, 544; 8. Dave Small, Port Colborne, 540; 9. Bill Bleich Jr., Port Robinson, 508; 10. Bill Podwinski, Caistor Centre, 495.
4 cylinders: 1. Tony Kelly, Niagara Falls, 846; 2. Alex Riley, Thorold, 758; 3. Jay Moulton, St. Catharines, 700; 4. Cole Hardy, Welland, 672; 5. Sam Iftody, Fenwick, 583; 6. Tom Neale, St. Catharines, 579; 7. Vincent Pagnotta, St. Catharines, 536; 8. Austyn Westroh, Niagaraon-the-Lake, 533; 9. Garnet Wilson, Canfield, Ont., 502; 10. Jason Coutu, St. Catharines, 462.
The second visit to New Humberstone Speedway by Mod Lites this season highlights a full program being presented by Port Colborne Home Hardware Sunday night.
Also in the lineup is Round 4 of the Cooper Motorsports Minivans of Mayhem.
Pits open at 4:30 p.m., the grandstand at 5 p.m. with racing getting underway at 6:30 p.m.
He was a diehard fan who lived see a good race. If you asked him who his favourite driver was, he would proudly say, ‘All of them.” Rick Bellante