Brad Rouse Wins Sportsman Main At Humberstone

Story By: STEVE PETTY / HUMBERSTONE SPEEDWAY – PORT COLBORNE, ONT – Defending track champion Brad Rouse from St. Catharines, Ontario was victorious in the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman on CAA Niagara Night at the Humberstone Speedway. “The Beamsville Bullet” Paul Klager scored the win in the TUSA Mod Lites feature event.

Sam Pennacchio from Niagara Falls, Ontario won his first career Maple Leaf Foods RUSH Late Models feature event. Ryan Dinning from Hagersville, Ontario was declared the winner in the JC Auto Street Stock feature, sweeping the weekend action. Kyle Rothwell from Welland, Ontario won his first main event of the season for the Cosco Haulage Mini Stocks. “The Rose City Rocket”, Kyle Tomaski from Dain City, Ontario would take home the checkered flag for his first win of the season in the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks.

Tom Richau Jr led the opening laps in the 25 lap main event for the PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman with Cody McPherson and Brad Rouse racing in second and third. After a lap three restart, Rouse would take command of the field with Adam Leslie challenging Richau for second place, with Richau keeping the position. Luke Carleton would pass Leslie and Richau to take over second on lap nine with Richau, and Jordan Cosco racing inside the top four. Cosco would pass Richau to take over third on lap ten and would set his sights on second place running Luke Carleton. Cody McPherson slowed in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 14, erasing Rouse’s lead over the field. Off the restart, Jordan Cosco hit a Ute tire in turn one and spun to bring out the caution. On the restart, Rouse would take command of the field. Rouse would go on to take home the checkered flag for his first win at Humberstone in 2017.

Paul Klager showed the way early on in the 15 lap main event for the TUSA Mod Lites. Josh Sliter, Steven Beckett, and RJ Pietz came together to bring out the caution on lap nine, erasing the lead that Klager had over the field. Klager would take off back into the lead on the restart as Tyler Winger battled with Jeff May for second place. Josh Sliter flipped, in turn, two after contact with Rob Misener on lap 11 to bring the red flag out. Sliter drove his Niagara Falls Nissan sponsored machine to the pits under his own power. Klager would go on to score the win.

Tim Gillespie and Rob Pietz sat on the front row for the second race of the season for the Maple Leaf Foods RUSH Late Models with Pietz showing the way at the end of lap one. Sam Pennacchio would take second away from Gillespie on lap three and would begin his chase of race leader Rob Pietz. Chad Homan would take fourth place away from Mike Greene at the halfway mark as Pietz continued to show the way over Gillespie and Pennacchio. Rob Pietz’s lead would come to an end on lap 11 as Pietz’s number 69 ride went up in a puff of smoke, giving the lead to Sam Pennacchio with Paul Grigsby in second after Chad Homan went to the pits with issues. On the restart, Pennacchio would show the way over Grigsby, Jeff Dayman, Mike Greene and Ken Winfield. Pennacchio would go on to score his first career RUSH Late Model victory.

Jim Lampman and Jason Fontaine shared the front row for the JC Auto Street Stocks with Fontaine showing the way. Fontaine and Lampman made contact in turn one and collected Derek VanMil to bring out the first caution of the event. On the restart, it was Ken Sargent and Billy Bleich Jr with Bleich showing the way. Dave Bailey would work his way through the field and would take the lead away from Bleich on lap 10. Bleich and Bailey made contact coming to the checkered flag and it was Bleich crossing the start-finish line first. Bleich has been put two positions down in the final results for rough riding, giving the win to Ryan Dinning. Dinning’s victory was his third on the weekend, to go with his wins at Ohsweken and Merrittville.

Brandon Iudiciani and Jason Coutu led the field of Cosco Haulage Mini Stocks to the green flag for their 15 lap feature event with three different leaders leading the first three circuits with Iudiciani, Coutu and Kyle Rothwell all taking turns leading a lap with Rothwell taking command of the field on lap three. Defending track champion Kyle Haynes worked his way into the top four after passing Iudiciani on lap 10. Rothwell would go on to score the win, his first of the season.

Andy Imbeault and Mitch Dumont brought the Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks to the green flag for their 15 lap feature event with Imbeault showing the way. Kyle Tomaski would take the lead away from Imbeault on lap three with Imbeault, Dumont, Hillary Haegens and Danny Wurster running in the top five. Wurster would clear Haegens and then go after Dumont for third and the veteran racer would take the spot away at the halfway mark. Tomaski would dominate the final 12 circuits in route to the victory.

Humberstone Speedway put on the first ever side by side UTV races presented by Performance ATV and in the end; it was Darren and Jorden Peters getting the win in the exhibition event. Around 10 UTV’s took to the course that included a ramp on the front straightaway as well as launching themselves into the infield from outside the banking of turn three. Jr Race Fans Clayton and Chris were named the Leslie Motorsports Jr Race Fans of the Week. Both received checkered flags to get drivers autographs as well as a ride in the pace car and other great prizes.

Humberstone will be back in action on Sunday, June 18th for the annual Fathers Day Special. Super Mario’s Pizza presents a full card of racing plus the first visit of the season by the Vintage Cars. Pit gates will open at 4:30 pm. Grandstands at 5:00 pm with race time scheduled for 6:30 pm.

RACE RESULTS – CAA Niagara Night at the Races

PC Works DIRTcar Sportsman: BRAD ROUSE, Luke Carleton, Jay Mallory, Chad Chevalier, Adam Leslie, Dylan Davidson, Justin Sharp, Chris Storm, Tyler Puchalski, Tom Richau Jr, Dave Flannigan Jr, Emily Puchalski, Gord McIntosh, Jordan Cosco, Cody McPherson, AJ Custodi
Qualifying Winners: Adam Leslie, Tyler Puchalski

TUSA Mod Lites: PAUL KLAGER, Jeffrey May, Tyler Winger, Brent Begolo, RJ Pietz, Steven Beckett, Marty DeMoel, Ryleigh Sliter, Rob Misener, Josh Sliter

Qualifying Winners: Jeffrey May, RJ Pietz

Maple Leaf Foods RUSH Late Models: SAM PENNACCHIO, Paul Grigsby, Jeff Dayman, Ken Winfield, Mike Greene, Dave Stolzenberg Jr, Tim Gillespie, Chad Homan, Rob Pietz, Jay Liverance
Qualifying Winners: Chad Homan, Tim Gillespie

JC Auto Street Stocks: RYAN DINNING, Ken Sargent, Bill Bleich Jr, Kyle Pelrine, Jason Fontaine, Dave Bailey, Steve Shaw, Barry Beck Jr, Bryce Richardson, Derek VanMil, Teeple, Jim Lampman, Richard Champigny, Andrew Reece
Qualifying Winners: Dave Bailey, Ryan Dinning

Cosco Haulage Mini Stocks: KYLE ROTHWELL, Jason Coutu, Kyle Haynes, Cole Hardy, Fabio Oliveri, Brandon Iudiciani, Jay Moulton, Evan Curtis, Mike Sarantakos, Leroy Buscumb, Olivier Larocque, Tom Neale, Sam Iftody, Kevin McPherson, Rob Sauder, David Hoyle, Clinton Nicholls, Dave Small, Dan McKay
Qualifying Winners: Kyle Rothwell, Kyle Haynes

Mike Knapp Ford Pro 4 Trucks: KYLE TOMASKI, Andy Imbeault, Danny Wurster, Mitch Dumont, Dylan Llord, Taylor Vanderzanden, Hillary Haegens, Craig Vlasic, Nate Monahan, Kevin Conley
Qualifying Winners: Kyle Tomaski, Dylan Llord