Three nights of racing on track in Niagara
50- and 100-lappers for Modifieds at Merrittville; All-Canadian Championsips at Humberstone
Extended-distance races at Merrittville Speedway bookend a three-program weekend at stock car tracks in Niagara.
Weather permitting, full-throttle action gets underway Saturday with the 50-lap Jerry Winger Memorial for 358 Modifieds. Heats and features in the Mod Lite, Hoosier Stock and Sportsman classes and a Vintage Car race round out a Reunion Night show on the track.
Highlights off the track include the induction of former racers turned track officials Barry Davidson and Steve DeVos into the CAA Niagara Wall of Fame.
Dedication to Racing Honorees also will be recognized in a prerace ceremony in a show being sponsored by Tim Hortons.
Action shifts to Port Colborne the following night for the AllCanadian Championships at New Humberstone Speedway. Performance ATV and Leisure Vintage Cars presents a full card – Sportsman, Late Models, Thunder Stock, Mini Stocks, Pro 4 Trucks – as well as a visit by the Vintage Car class.
A highlight of the Merrittville racing calendar – the Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series 100-lapper – wraps up the Civic Holiday weekend.
Mini Stocks, Hoosier Stocks and a BEI Lightning Series event in Sportsman are also on tap on a night off for race teams in the Mod Lite and Pure Stock V6 classes.
Merrittville owner Don Spiece hopes this time Reunion Night, originally set to take place July 24, won’t be rained out again.
“Growing up in the sport, I always look forward to Reunion Night, and it was unfortunate that we could host it a few weeks back with our friends from Cotton Inc.,” said Spiece, a former Pro Stock champion.
He suggested Reunion Night, the speedway’s race down memory lane, offers something for fans of all ages.
“For today’s fans you’ll get a look of how racing was back in the with the Thunder on the Dirt Series Vintage Race Cars on display and on the track.
“Longtime fans can also visit with man of their favourite drivers from the past as well.”
Established in 1959, the Jerry Winger Memorial honours the memory of an up-and-coming racer and point champion who was passed away due to illness.
George Winger, no relation, was the inaugural winner and winners in the modern era include Pete Bicknell, Chad Brachmann and Mike Bowman, who has two career Winger Memorial victories.
Brachmann is the defending race winner and the driver from Sanborn, N.Y., has won the Reunion Night main three times over his career.
Two drivers are competing regularly in two divisions this season at Merrittville: Port Colborne’s Adam Leslie, Sportsman, 358 Modified; Thorold’s Brent Begolo, Mod Lite, Sportsman.
Begolo tops the Mod Lite class in points and trails only James Michael Friesent in the race to the Sportsman track champion.
The son of Wall of Famer Jimmy Begolo and the grandson of Jeno Begolo leads all drivers in victories heading into the holiday week. His six wins in Mod Lites and three in Sportsman are both division highs.
Leslie is third in the Sportsman points race and 16th in the 358 Modified driver standings.
Leslie is third behind Cody McPherson and Jordan Cosco in Sportsman points at Humberstone.
The grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. for the Merrittville programs this weekend.
At Humberstone, gates open at 4:30 p.m. with the first race taking place two hours later.
Bernd.Franke @niagaradailies.com 905-225-1624 | @TribSportsDesk