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LINDBERG, MCPHERSON, FAWCETT, RILEY, AND PIETZ SCORE SATURDAY WINS AT MERRITTVILLE

THOROLD, ONTARIO (August 10, 2024) … Gary Lindberg from Ridgeway, Ontario won his sixth Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified feature of the 2024 season on Niagara Trailers at Merrittville Speedway. Cody McPherson from St. Catharines, Ontario won his eighth Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman feature of 2024. Mark Fawcett from Canfield, Ontario won the Hoosier Stock feature. Alex Riley from St. Catharines, Ontario won his second Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane 4 Cylinder feature. RJ Pietz from Port Colborne, Ontario won his first RONA/Doidge Builders Mod Lites feature of the season and first since 2018.

Derek VanMil and Brian Page brought the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds to the green flag for their 35-lap feature event, with VanMil to the early lead on. Luke Carleton would take over the lead on lap six, as Darrell Farraway battled with Martin Polhill for third place. The caution would come out on lap nine as Todd Gordon spun in turn two. Brad Rouse and Gary Lindberg raced their way through the field, as by lap 10, Rouse was up to fourth, and Lindberg raced in sixth place. The leaders would encounter lap traffic on lap 20, allowing the field to start to reel in race leader Luke Carleton. Rouse and Lindberg raced for fourth place, with Lindberg taking over the position on lap 25. Lindberg would then go after Fred Carleton for third place. Lindberg would then take over second with seven laps remaining and would negotiate lap traffic to get to Luke Carleton. The caution would come out on lap 32 as Jacob Dykstra spun in turn two. Lindberg would use the bottom of the the track to take the lead, as Rouse raced his way to third place. Lindberg would hold off Carleton and Rouse to win his sixth of 2024.

Matteo Panunte and Daniel McKay were on the front row for the Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman main event, with Panunte showing the way over Nigel Pendykoski. Noah Mamo raced in third place ahead of Curtis Friesen and Mitch Dumont. Panunte would continue to show the way over Pendykoski. Cody McPherson started 15th on the grid and on lap 10, entered the top five after passing Taylor Vanderzanden. Pendykoski and Mitch Dumont got together in turn one to bring out the caution on lap 12. Cody McPherson would take over the lead from Noah Mamo on lap 17. McPherson would go on to score his eighth win of the season.

Jason Fontaine and Gofast Teeple were on the front row for the Hoosier Stock feature event, with Fontaine in the lead. Teeple would race in second and the battle was on for third between Zach Bleich and Mark Fawcett, with Kyle Pelrine and Dave Bailey racing in the front half of the field. Bleich would take over second and would challenge Fontaine for the lead at the race’s halfway mark. Mark Fawcett would take over second on lap 11 and would battle with Fontaine for the lead. Fawcett would take the lead on lap 14 as Fontaine slowed down the front straightaway. Dave Bailey would take over second and would go after Fawcett in the late going. Fawcett would hold off Bailey to score the Hoosier Stock win.

Tyler Colbert and Cole Hardy brought the RONA/Doidge Mod Lites to the green flag for their feature event, with Anthony Kelly in the lead. Dave Cornish flipped violently down the back straightaway to bring the red flag out. Cornish climbed out under his own power. The restart would see Kelly and Colbert on the front row, with Kelly pulling away from Chris Watson. Leroy Buscumb would pass Watson on lap three to take over second place, as Kelly pulled away from the field. Buscumb would take over the lead on lap nine. Josh Sliter would enter the top three on lap 12 from his 14th starting position and would challenge Ryan Anderson for second place. Cole Hardy spun on lap 13 to bring the yellow flags back out. On the restart, Ryan Anderson would take over the lead. Josh Sliter’s night would end as he slowed on the front straightaway, and Cohen Corbett had nowhere to go. Sean Iftody would inherit the lead as Buscumb and Anderson spun in turn two to bring out the caution. Iftody and RJ Pietz battled for the lead

Cierra Keus and Ray Cerenzia were on the front row for the 15-lap Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane 4 Cylinders, with Keus in the lead ahead of Cerenzia, John Lubeck, Sam Iftody, and Sierra Robison. Lubeck would take over second on lap two, just before a turn three wreck that involved Hana Rothwell, Sam Iftody, Mason Anderson, and several others. Following the restart, Alex Riley would make his presence felt as he entered the top three. Riley would take over the lead on lap five after starting 12th on the grid. Riley would go on to score his second win of the season.

During intermission, fans had the opportunity to go onto the track and see their favorite drivers and collect autographs.

Racing action continues at “Canada’s Oldest Dirt Track” on Saturday, August 17 as King Paving & Construction presents the Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series and the School Bus Race. The Merrittville Kart Club will be having an autograph session pre-race with the future stars of racing. Pit Gates will open at 5pm, with grandstands opening at 5:30pm, and racing will get underway at 7pm.

For more information, visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com and can follow the action on My Race Pass.

Follow Merrittville on social media including Facebook (facebook.com/MerrittvilleSpeedway), Twitter (@Merrittville), and now on Instagram (@merrittvillespeedway). For results, point standings, and more, check out www.merrittvillespeedway.com

RACE RESULTS – NIAGARA TRAILERS PRESENTS FAMILY AUTOGRAPH NIGHT

Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds: GARY LINDBERG, Luke Carleton, Brad Rouse, Fred Carleton, Pete Bicknell, Martin Polhill, James Friesen, Scott Wood, Jay Mallory, Justin Sharp, Paul Gaboury, Todd Gordon, Dylan Davidson, Nelson Mason, Dave Flannigan Jr, Ken Winfield, Brian Page, Derek VanMil, Jacob Dykstra, Shayne Pierce, Bill Gill, Darrell Farraway

Qualifying Heats: Justin Sharp, Fred Carleton, Luke Carleton

Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman: CODY MCPHERSON, Noah Mamo, Taylor Vanderzanden, Adam Leslie, Tyler Puchalski, Matteo Panunte, Mitch Dumont, Matt Sharpe, Billy Bleich Jr, Jacob Chevalier, Jeff Panunte, Nigel Pendykoski, Tyler Lafantaisie, Dave Small, Daniel McKay, Terry Smith, Doug Walsh Jr, Nathan Peattie, Graeme Toth, Matthew Jessome, Elijah Knutt, Kyle Rothwell, Curtis Friesen

Qualifying Heats: Matteo Panunte, Cody McPherson, Nigel Pendykoski

Hoosier Stocks: MARK FAWCETT, Dave Bailey, Kyle Pelrine, Zach Bleich, Donny Lampman, Gofast Teeple, Rob Disher, Pete Reid, Spencer Smolders, Chris Crowe, Jim Lampman, Kevin Kocarik, Dustin Duga, Jason Fontaine

Qualifying Heats: Jason Fontaine, Go Fast Teeple

RONA/Doidge Building Centre Mod Lites: RJ PIETZ, Cohen Corbett, Sean Iftody, Anthony Kelly, Jamie Gilbert, Dan Kviring, Ryan Anderson, Leroy Buscumb, Cole Hardy, Chance Kotar, Nick Sarantakos, Ryleigh Sliter, Tyler Colbert, Josh Sliter, Evan Leonard, Ashton Anderson, Chris Watson, Brent Begolo, Dave Cornish

Qualifying Heats: Ashton Anderson, Josh Sliter, Leroy Buscumb

Vansickle Pet Valu/PV on the Lane 4 Cylinders: ALEX RILEY, Josh Dmytrow, John Lubeck, Austyn Werstroh, Cierra Keus, Ken Hair, Randy Alway, Brendan Lefrancois, Rob Goulding, Sierra Robison, Ray Cerenzia, Dave Wininger, Dylan Llord, Richard Hadler, Braden Keus, John Trivieri, Tina Ronning, Kallie Akins, Jason Coutu, Olivier Larocque, Sam Iftody, Matt Christie, Clinton Barrick, Hana Rothwell, Mason Anderson, Blair Rousselle

Failed to Qualify: Roger Winfield, Nick Bowman, Nathan Joyner, Connor Chambers, Pat Burse

Qualifying Heats: John Lubeck, Cierra Keus, Ray Cerenzia

Last Chance Qualifier: Olivier Larocque

(Contact –– Steven Petty: stevenj.petty@gmail.com, Don Spiece: donspiece.merrittvillespeedway@gmail.com)

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