6/5/2022
Merrittville Speedway
MAT WILLIAMSON, CODY MCPHERSON, ROB MURRAY, TYLER WINGER, TYLER LAFANTAISE AND DUSTIN DUGA SEAL THE DEAL AT MERRITTVILLE ON AUTOGRAPH NIGHT
THOROLD, ONTARIO (Math, 2022) … Merrittville Speedway held their annual Autograph Night Saturday as Auto FX Graphics and Signs presented Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing. Mat Williamson of St. Catharines won the Corr/Pak Merchandising 358 Modified feature. Cody McPherson of St. Catharines came away with the win in the Right Choice Auto & Leisure Sportsman. The Hoosier Stock Feature went to St. Catharines, Ontario’s Rob Murray. Tyler Winger of Ridgeway, Ontario won the Rona Doidge Building Centres Modified Lites Feature. Tyler Lafantaise of Thorold, Ontario won the Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane 4 cylinders, while Dustin Duga from Welland, Ontario won the V6 feature.
A wild night of racing was capped off by the Corr/Pak 358 Modifieds. Derek VanMil and Ryan Ferrri started on the front row, with both drivers able to lead multiple laps at the start. Multiple incidents brought out the yellow flag early in the feature. Gary Lindberg, Ryan Susice, and Boyd MacTavish tangled off turn two within the first ten laps with heavy damage forcing Susice to retire, while Lindberg would rally back to 5th. After the field was able to click off some laps under green, Mat Williamson established himself as the car to beat, taking the lead from Ryan Ferri and never looking back. Pete Bicknell gained 11 spots to finish 2nd, Fred Carleton was 3rd after beating Pierce to the stripe. Pierce went for a wild ride after finishing 4th and found himself in the turn 1 barrier.
Daniel McKay and Noah Mamo led the field to green in the Right Choice Auto and Leisure Sportsman. Cautions ran rampant has drivers fought tooth and nail for every inch of racetrack at Merrittville Speedway. Rob Knapp led early, before Cody McPherson worked his way from 8th starting spot to take the lead and eventually the win. Three drivers who started outside the top 10 James Friesen, Brent Begolo and Taylor Vanderzanden, took advantage of the chaos in front of them to climb inside the top and finish 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. Knapp rounded out the top 5.
It hasn’t been the start to 2022 that former track champion Rob Murray had hoped for. After blowing a motor on opening and string of incident filled night, Murray finally returned to his winning way in the Hoosier stocks. After starting 9th, Murray worked his way through the field methodically and took control at about the halfway point and never looked back. Kyle Pelrine was 2nd, pole-sitter Bryce Richardson was 3rd, Zach Bleich 4th and Dave Bailey finished 5th.
Brent Begolo looked to have his 4th win in a row all but locked up after dominating the Rona Doidge Building Centres Modified Lites. However, on a late restart, Begolo’s car sputtered and slowed forcing him to retire. This opened the door for Tyler Winger to capture his second win on the year, barely beating Sean Iftody to the line on the last lap. Jeffery May finished 3rd, Rob Misener 4th and RJ Pietz would finish 5th.
Tyler Lafantaise’s 15th starting spot placed the year’s best Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane 4 Cylinder driver and car in the middle of a hornet’s nest. After multiple cautions for slowing vehicles continuously stalled race progress, Lafantaise began to work his way through the field, even after a piece of Brian Aube’s car became lodged in the driver’s side door. Lafantaise scored win number four on the year, finishing ahead of Austyn Werstroh, Trevor DeBoer, Clinton Barrick, and Alex Riley.
Dustin Duga made it 2 for 2 in the V6 division this year. In the first feature of the night, Duga beat Jordan Fidler. Third place went to Jeff Marsh.
Racing continues at “Canada’s Oldest Dirt Track” June 11th as Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing is presented by Vansickle Petvalu/PV on the Lane. The Action Sprint Tour headline the show, while former NASCAR Star Ken Schrader joins the field in the Corr/Pak Merchandising 358 Modifieds. The DIRTcar Sportsman, and Vansickle PetValu/PV on the Lane 4 cylinders will also be action, and round 2 of the School Bus Racing series will close out the evening. Also, be sure to bring your four-legged friends as the Best Appearing Dog Contest will be held as well. Pit gates will open at 5:00 pm, grandstands open at 5:30, and racing will begin at 7:00 pm.
Follow Merrittville on social media including Facebook (facebook.com/MerrittvilleSpeedway), Twitter (@Merrittville), and now Instagram (@merrittvillespeedway). For results, point standings, and more, check out the brand new www.merrittvillespeedway.com
RACE RESULTS –- June 4th, 2022
Corr/Pak Merchandising 358 Modifieds – MAT WILLIAMSON, Pete Bicknell, Fred Carleton, Shayne Pierce, Gary Lindberg, Chad Chevalier, Ryan Ferri, Brad Rouse, Luke Carleton, Todd Gordon, Tanner Podwinski, Tom Neale, Brandon Gruhl, Derek VanMil, Glenn Styres, Dave Flannigan Jr., Ryan Susice, Boyd MacTavish, Scott Wood
Qualifying Heats: Todd Gordon, Mat Williamson, Chad Chevalier
Right Choice Auto & Leisure DIRTcar Sportsman: CODY MCPHERSON, James Friesen, Brent Begolo, Taylor Vanderzanden, Rob Knapp, Noah Mamo, Adam Leslie, Darrell Farraway, Jason VanMil, Jay Mallory, Billy Bliech Jr, Terry Smith, Trevor Wright, Nelson Mason, Curtis Friesen, Daniel McKay, Cameron Lane, Nathan Peattie, Justin Sharp, Doug Walsh
Qualifying Heats: Terry Smith, James Friesen, Rob Knapp
Hoosier Stocks: ROB MURRAY, Kyle Pelrine, Bryce Richardson, Zach Bleich, Dave Bailey, Donny Lampman, Jim Lampman, Jason Fontaine, Mark Fawcett, Gofast Teeple, Kyle Haynes, Jeff Larmet, Trevor Want, John Couture, Chris Schneider
Qualifying Heats: Jason Fontaine, Donny Lampman
Rona Doidge Building Centre Modified Lites: TYLER WINGER, Sean Iftody, Jeffery May, Rob Misener, R.J. Pietz, Cohen Corbett, Dave Cornish, Chance Kotar, Dillan Sliter, Ryleigh Sliter, Gavin Hill, Chris Watson, Josh Sliter, Leroy Buscumb, Brent Begolo, Ryan Anderson
Qualifying Heats: Jeffery May, Brent Begolo
Vansickle Pet Valu/Pv on the Lane 4 Cylinders: TYLER LAFANTAISE, Austyn Werstroh, Trevor DeBoer, Clinton Barrick, Alex Riley, Cole Hardy, Vincent Pagnotta, Jordan Denobriga, Mark Deagle, Sam Iftody, John Lubeck, Richard Hadler, Cierra Keus, Niko Hansen, Danny Wurster, Ken Hair, Fabio Olivieri, James McDonald, Brian Aube, Dave Winniger, Jay Moulton, Hana Rothwell, Ray Cerenzia, Randy Alway, Mason Anderson
Qualifying Heats: Ken Hair, Clinton Barrick, Austyn Werstroh
V6: DUSTIN DUGA, Jordan Fidler, Jeff Marsh, Zach Dmytrow, Nicholas Browning Storring, Tina Ronning
Article Credit: Jonathon Howe
