Kelly Makes Impact At Merrittville, & So Does Weather
Story By: JIM IRVINE / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD, ONT – Impact Promotions is in the business of making an impact for your business, organization, team or cause.
Tony Kelly made an Impact – his second straight Central Fabricating & Welding 4 Cylinder Feature Win of 2017 would see the Niagara Falls Driver take home the Tomaski Racing Triple Crown Series Opener.
Unfortunately, the weather would also make an impact on the May 13th Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series Event.
“We are able to survive the first band of rain,” said (Merrittville Speedway Owner) Don Spiece, “it delayed our start about a half hour but I thought we would be in good shape for the rest of the night. Unfortunately it picked up again with the Hoosier Stocks on the track for their feature … we couldn’t recover in a reasonable time from that.”
Kelly’s win ended up being the only feature action of the evening.
May 27th’s CAA Niagara Night will see the rain-delayed Modified Lite and Hoosier Stock Features added to the program. The Feature Finishes will be used to line up the regularly scheduled Feature and there will be no qualifying heats.
June 17th’s Ontario Truck Driving School Retro Race T Shirt Night will have the rain-delayed Sportsman and 358 Modified Features added to the program and again – the first Feature Results will be used to line up the regular feature and there will be no Heats.
Olivier Larocque out raced former champion Leroy Buscumb to the initial green flag in the 20 lap Tomaski Racing Triple Crown Series Opener. Larocque would surrender top spot to Kelly down the backstretch of lap 1.
Kelly, who started 4th drove away to almost a full straightaway lead on the field by lap 8. Lap 12 would find the leader nearing lap traffic until a lap 13 caution would bring the 24 car starting field closer together.
Kelly would resume control on the restart and then again on another two laps later.
From a 10th starting spot, one driver on the move was Alex Riley.
The former Kart Racer would chase down Larocque in the closing laps with Kelly enjoying at least a 5 car advantage on the battle for the runner up spot.
The last time into turn 3, Riley would make his move and coming out of Turn 4 was now in the runner up spot behind Kelly.
Larocque settled for third with defending overall champion Tyler Lafantaisie 4thafter starting 16th. Rob Sauder rounded out the Top 5.
Round Two of the Tomaski Racing Triple Crown Series is set for Archer Truck Centre Night Saturday June 10th.
The Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Karting Series
Merrittville Speedway would like to extend a HUGE Thank You to the Staff and especially the Karters that joined in the Display and Exhibition Races!
For more than 20 years, Tuesday Nights have been Race Nights on the infield track
When you look through the Saturday Night Driver Roster you will find so many that got their start Kart Racing at Merrittville or at one of the many area tracks over the years.
Grandstand Admission is FREE with Race Time 7 PM.
For those interested in Karting contact racemerrittville@gmail.com or Chris Long at rcmracing@sympatico.ca.
The 2017 Lucas Oil Kart Weekly Racing Series for Merrittville Speedway’s 7 Divisions is brought to racers by partners including Performance Manufacturing, Designed Wright, the Southern Ontario Modified Lite Racing Association, RCM Racing Equipment, Quick Ink Custom Screen Printing, Superior PetroFuels, Briggs & Stratton, St. Catharines Discount Auto Parts, Wilder Racing Engines and Burris Tire.
UPCOMING at Merrittville Speedway
Merrittville will host a Wednesday Night Practice May 17th. The Pits will open at 5:30 with the first cars on the track at 6:30.
The first Double Header of the 2017 Season kicks off Saturday May 20th when the Pen Centre presents a Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series Event that features the first Vansickle Pet Valu & Groomindale’sEnduro Qualifier accelerated by Niagara College.
Also on the card – the Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modifieds, S&W Service Centre Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks and Wood Motor Company Modified Lites.
The Pen Centre has provided Six $50 Gift Cards which a driver in each of the starting fields will take home as well as a fan through draws.
Monday May 22nd – Zavitz Financial Strategies and ZFS Employee Benefits Solutions will present the Brian Stevens Memorial for the Pinty’s 358 Modifieds.
The 66 lap $2666 to win Main Event will be joined by the RUSH Late Models, Centril Fabricating & Welding 4 Cylinders and the first Eatay Foods Triple Truck Challenge by Tomaski Racing of the new season.
For both events – the Great Clips Grandstand Ticket Office opens at 5:30 and Show Time is 7 PM.
For further information on Merrittville Speedway’s 2017 Season visit http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com or call the Speedway Office at 905-892-8266 or via e mail at merrittvillemedia@gmail.com. Race fans and Race teams alike can follow Merrittville on Face Book (Facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Merrittville
MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY SPONSORS The 2017 66th Anniversary Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series for Merrittville Speedway’s 5 Divisions was brought to race fans and racers by division sponsors – Pinty’s Delicious Foods, S&W Service Centre, Hoosier Tire Canada, Wood Motor Company and Central Fabricating in addition to many marketing partners Visit them at http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/sponsors.htmand visit them when you require their products and/or services.
Celebrating 15 years of serving the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara Regions, Bobcat of Hamilton is a leading provider of compact equipment for a wide variety of markets – striving to empower customers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.
To learn more about more about the Bobcat of Hamilton Advantage click on www.bobcatofhamilton.com.
Bobcat of Hamilton … One Tough Animal!
Tomaski Racing Triple Crown Series # 1 for the Central Fabricating & Welding 4 Cylinders (20 laps) Tony Kelly, Alex Riley, Olivier Larocque, Tyler Lafantaisie, Rob Sauder, Mike Sadusek, Leroy Buscumb, Cole Hardy, Jeremy Smith, Jason Coutu, Austyn Werstroh, Clinton Nicholls, Vincent Pagnotta, Kyle Rothwell, Gary Hodason, Sam Iftody, Jay Moulton, Dylan Llord, Kenny Hair, Trevor Want, Kourtney Kocarik, Tom Neale, Dan McKay.
