Williamson & Sliter Claim Second Features Of ’19 At Merrittville Speedway
Story By: STEVE PETTY / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD, ONT – Defending S&W Service Centre 358 Modified Champion Mat Williamson from St. Catharines, Ontario won his second feature of the young season on Saturday night as the Pen Centre presented the racing program at Merrittville Speedway.
Also collecting his second checkered flag of the season was Ridgeway’s Josh Sliter in the Doidge Building Centre’s Mod Lites. Winning their first features of the season were Justin Sharp from St. Catharines in the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman, Jason Fontaine from Port Colborne in the Hoosier Stocks, and Welland’s Tyler Lafantaisie in the Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders. Joe Bleich was victorious in the first Tim Hortons Enduro of the season accelerated by JC Auto.
Twenty-One small block DIRTcar 358 Modifieds took the green flag for the 35-lap feature for the S&W Service Centre Modifieds. Tim Jones took the lead away from Shayne Pierce early on and would appear to be on cruise control. Until reigning track champion, Mat Williamson worked his way around Ryan Susice to take over second. Williamson would look underneath Jones to take the lead and Williamson would go on to score his second win of the season. Jones would settle for second. “Mr. Small Block” Pete Bicknell, after going to the rear of the field on lap one, drove back through the field to finish third.
Justin Sharp won his first feature of the season in the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman. Sharp held off the challenges from Ryan Ferri, James Michael Friesen and Brad Rouse. Sharp took the lead for good exiting turn four to hold off Ferri to score the win.
The Hoosier Stocks feature started with a bang. Fontaine would take the lead from Murray as Murray slowed on top of the back straightaway. Fontaine would go on to score his first feature win of the season.
Austyn Werstroh, Jeremy Cooper, and Tyler Lafantaisie all had turns at the lead in the main event for the Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders. In the end, Lafantaisie used the bottom of the racetrack to pick up the win, his first of the season.
Past divisional champion Jeffery May had the lead in the main event for Doidge Building Centre’s Mod Lites when Josh Sliter went three-wide with Randy Giroux and Chris Watson to catch up to May. Sliter went to the outside of the track to take the lead away from May. Sliter would go on to take his second straight feature win.
NEWS AND NOTES: 71 bikes were given away to lucky young race fans in the bike giveaway. 92 cars signed in pitside to kick off Victoria Day holiday weekend.
Victoria Day Monday, the UMP Modifieds featuring Ken Schrader will be on hand sponsored by Zavitz Financial Strategies and ZFS Benefit Solutions. The Action Sprint Tour will make their first stop of the season plus Sportsman, Hoosier Stocks, V6’s and a School Bus Race. Pit gates will open at 4, with grandstands at 5:30 and race time is scheduled for 7 pm.
Saturday night racing returns on May 25 as CAA Niagara presents the first race of the King of the Crates for the Sportsman plus Modifieds, Mod Lites, 4 Cylinders, and V6’s.
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RACE RESULTS – THE PEN CENTRE NIGHT
S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds: MAT WILLIAMSON, Tim Jones, Pete Bicknell, Gary Lindberg, Todd Gordon, Ryan Susice, Tyler Willard, Scott Wood, Chad Brachmann, Rick Richner, Tommy Flannigan, Dalton Slack, Tom Neale, Fred Carleton, Shayne Pierce, Rob Knapp, Tanner Podwinski, Andrew Spurback, Bill Podwinski, John Smith, Mike Bowman
Qualifying Winners: Mike Bowman, Dalton Slack, Mat Williamson
David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman: JUSTIN SHARP, Ryan Ferri, Brad Rouse, James Michael Friesen, Dave DiPietro, Brent Begolo, Darrell Farraway, Jordan Cosco, Adam Leslie, Greg Panunte, Boyd MacTavish, Jay Mallory, Brett Senek, Brandon Gruhl, Paul Gaboury, Robbie Johnston, Chad Chevalier, Derek VanMil, Chris Storm, Noah Mamo, Vince Fargnoli, Tom Richau, Dylan Davidson, Trevor Wright
Failed to Qualify: Jason VanMil, Taylor Vanderzanden, Joey Herremans, Nathan Peattie, Austin Wood
Qualifying Winners: Greg Panunte, Ryan Ferri, Dave DiPietro, Justin Sharp
Last Chance Qualifier: Robbie Johnston
Hoosier Stocks: JASON FONTAINE, Billy Bleich Jr, Rob Disher, Donny Lampman, Brad Sheehan, Robin Mortensen, Rob Murray, Bryce Richardson, Zack Bleich, Jim Lampman
Qualifying Winners: Billy Bleich Jr, Jason Fontaine
Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders: TYLER LAFANTAISIE, Jeremy Cooper, Kyle Haynes, Jay Moulton, Kyle Rothwell, Cole Hardy, Tony Kelly, Austyn Werstroh, Anthony Kelly Jr, Sam Iftody, Jeremy May, Garnet Wilson, Mike Giberson, Kenny Hair, Dan McKay, Dave Lane
Qualifying Winners: Kyle Haynes, Jay Moulton
Doidge Building Centre’s Mod Lites: JOSH SLITER, Jeffery May, Brent Begolo, Tyler Winger, Randy Giroux, Rob Misener, Chris Watson, RJ Pietz, Chris Perry, Sean “Cheeseburger” Iftody, Ryleigh Sliter, Dave Cornish, Craig Martin, Zach Trotter
Qualifying Winners: Jeffery May, Tyler Winger
