Memorial races on track in Niagara
Memorial races in the mostpowerful classes highlight weekend programs at the two dirt tracks in Niagara.
Taking place Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold is the 27th Bill Willard Sr. Sterling Silvr event for drivers in the sportsman drivers, while second annual Pete Cosco Memorial, a 75lap feature for modified 358s, goes to the green Sunday night at New Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne.
Also going to the green Saturday at Merrittville is the final round of Triple Crown Series for mini stocks.
While races in the three-event series have twice been washed out by wet weather, on May 14 and again on Aug. 13; that didn’t do anything to reign on Tyler Lafantaisie’s parade. The Welland driver, the front-runner in the first two rounds, leads Tony Kelly of Niagara Falls and Kyle Rothwell of Welland by 11 and 13 points, respectively, in the Triple Crown Series standings.
“Every year our 4-cylinders provide some of the best racing, and 2016 has been no exception,” Merrittville general manager Erica Bicknell-Jones said. “The Triple Crown Series could go right down to the final lap.”
Lafantaisie leads Rothwell 770741 in the overall mini stocks points race. Kelly, with 720 points; is third in the standings.
Ken Walsh, a sportsman racer from St. Catharines, established the Sterling Silvr Award as a way of thanking Willard for all the help he received over his racing career.
The Willard family’s involvement in dirt track racing dates back to the 1950s, and over the years Bill Willard Sr. owned cars drived by Don Taylor, Bev MacTavish, Stan Friesen, George Winger and Terry Edward.
He operated Willard & Son Towing, which is now CAA Niagara.
By the 1970s, the family’s third generation – Bill Willard Jr. and Tammy Willard – would be racing cars owned and maintained by Bill Sr. and his son Al.
A fourth generation is now behind the wheel and, if Cody McPherson’s success racing sportsman at Merrittville and Humberstone is any indication, the family is showing no signs of slowing down. McPherson leads Brent Begolo 866-806 in the points race at Merrittville and trails fellow St. Catharines driver Brad Rouse 818-814 in the race to the track championship at Humberstone.
McPherson, who won the race honouring his great-grandfather in 2011, is one of only four former winners still active in the Thorold track’s sportsman class. St. Catharines’ Justin Sharp set the pace in 2013, Port Colborne’s Chad Chevalier in 2009 and Rouse last year.
Following are the points leaders in Merrittville’s other racing classes heading into the weekend:
Modified 358: 1. Pete Bicknell, St. Catharines, 924; 2. Ryan Susice, Ransomville, N.Y., 890; 3. Gary Lindberg, Ridgeway, 887; 4. Chad Brachmann, Sanborn, N.Y., 852; 5. Chris Steele, St. Catharines, 824.
Mod lites: 1. Josh Sliter, Ridgeway, 676; 2. Rob Misener, Welland, 632; 3. Chris Watson, Niagara Falls, 616; 4. Steven Beckett, Fonthill, 610; 5. R.J. Pietz, Port Colborne, 572.
Hoosier stocks: 1. Mark Fawcett, Canfield, Ont., 795; 2. Dave Bailey, Hagersville, 780; 3. Pete Reid, Stevensville, 754; 4. Chris Crawford, Welland, 738; 5. Jim Lampman, Caistor Centre, 724.
Cosco, a hall of fame driver and car owner, bought the former Gasport Speedway and brought dirt track racing back to Port Colborne following a one-year absence.
He was 60 years old when he died of a brain aneurysm in August 2014.
Heats and features in Humberstone’s weekly classes – sportsman, late model, street stocks, mini stocks and 4-cylinder trucks – round out Sunday night’s program.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with racing getting underway two hours later.