Merrittville Speedway back on track with four-division program

St. Catharines driver Riley begins defence of track title in Victory Lane

Alex Riley started the stock car racing season at Merrittville Speedway the same way he did last year at the Thorold track — in Victory Lane.

On Saturday night, the St. Catharines driver led a top five of Kyle Rothwell, Austyn Werstroh, Mason Anderson and Ken Hair across the finish line to begin defence of the points championship in the fourcylinder division.

Rothwell clocked the fastest lap time in the 15-circuit feature at 19.951 seconds.

Dylan Westbrook — the defending Southern Ontario Sprints champion from Scotland, Ont., southwest of Brantford — set the pace over 25 laps in the main event in that class.

Ridgeway’s Gary Lindberg took the checkered flag in a 35-lap 358 Modifieds feature in his first race at Merrittville since failing a post-tech inspection in June 2023, and Caistor Centre’s Jim Lampman paced the field in a 20-lapper in Hoosier Stocks, the track’s eight-cylinder class.

Canada’s oldest continuously operating auto racing track’s 73rd season gets underway Saturday with Select Total Service presenting a five-division program. Mod Lites and Sportsman will race for points for the first time this season joining 358 modifieds, hoosier stocks and four-cylinders in the lineup.

Weather and track conditions permitting, pit gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m.

Following are the top five and heat winners from the Spring Sizzler presented by Peters Construction Group:

Southern Ontario Sprints, 25 laps

1. Dylan Westbrook

2. Jason Barney

3. Ryan Turner

4. D.J. Christie

5. Mike Bowman

■ Heat winners -Westbrook,

■ Christie and Eric Glendill Margin of victory — 0.564

■ Fastest time — Westbrook, 14.287 seconds, Lap 2

■ Field — 23

Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds, 35 laps

1. Gary Lindberg

2. Fred Carleton

3. Chad Brachmann

4. Pete Bicknell

5. Luke Carleton

■ Heat winners — Fred Carleton, Luke Carleton and Mike Bowman

■ Margin of victory — 3.219

■ Fastest time — Fred Carleton, 16.054 seconds, Lap 2

■ Field — 21

Hoosier Stocks, 20 laps

1. Jim Lampman

2. Pete Reid

3. Rodney Rutherford

4. Dave Bailey

5. Steve Shaw

■ Heat winners — Steve Shaw Sr., Reid, Lampman

■ Margin of victory — 0.561

■ Fastest time — Reid, 18.342 seconds, Lap 16

■ Field — 29

Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane Four Cylinders, 15 laps

1. Alex Riley

2. Kyle Rothwell

3. Austyn Werstroh

4. Mason Anderson

5. Ken Hair

■ Heat winners — Werstroh, Anthony Kelly, Rothwell

■ Margin of victory — 0.338

■ Fastest time — Rothwell, 19.951 seconds, Lap 10

■ Field — 24

BERND FRANKE ST. CATHARINES STANDARD FILE PHOTO Stock car racer Alex Riley of St. Catharines began defence of his four-cylinder track title with a victory Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway’s Spring Sizzler.