Gary Lindberg Wins On Canada Day Weekend At Merrittville Speedway

Story By: STEVEN PETTY / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD, ONT – Four drivers earned their second wins of the season on Saturday night as Submission Subs presented the kickoff to the Canada Day Long Weekend at Merrittville Speedway.

Gary Lindberg from Ridgeway, Ontario won his second S&W Service Centre 358 Modified feature of the season. Brad Rouse from St. Catharines, Ontario scored his second David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman checkered flag on the season. Dave Bailey from Hagersville, Ontario scored his second win of the season for the Hoosier Stocks. Brent Begolo from Thorold, Ontario scored his second win on the season in the Doidge Building Centre’s Mod Lites. Cole Hardy from Welland, Ontario picked up the victory in the Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders. JJ MacDonald from Ridgeville, Ontario scored his first career win in the Dave’s Auto and Speed Centre V6’s.

Bill Podwinski and Shayne Pierce brought the S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds to the green flag for their 35-lap feature with Pierce showing the way. Scott Wood spun in turn four to bring out the races first caution on lap four. On the restart, Mike Bowman looked underneath Podwinski to move into second with Gary Lindberg moving into the top three. Bowman would take the lead on lap nine after Pierce went through the moat. Lindberg, Mat Williamson and Ryan Susice would also get around Pierce to move into the top five. Williamson would move into third on lap 15 after clearing Susice off of turn two. On a lap 18 restart, Bowman would clear for the lead as Lindberg and Williamson battled for second. The top three would pull away from the field as Lindberg started to reel in Bowman and would challenge for the lead. Lindberg would take the lead with five laps remaining as lap traffic became a factor late in the event. Lindberg would hold off Bowman and Williamson to pick up the checkered flag.

Derek VanMil and Robbie Johnston brought the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman to the green flag for their 25-lap feature with Johnston quickly getting the lead. Paul Gaboury took over second with Cosco, Dylan Davidson and Ryan Ferri racing in the top five. Brad Rouse and James Michael Friesen worked their way through the field as they raced with Jay Mallory and Ferri. Derek VanMil, Brent Begolo, and Brandon Gruhl crashed on the front straightaway to bring out the red flag on lap seven. All drivers did climb out of their cars under their own power with Begolo being able to drive away on his own. On the restart, Johnston would continue to lead with Gaboury, Cosco, and Brad Rouse raced in the top four. Rouse would move into second and then would take the lead away on lap 11. Cosco would move back into the top three as Friesen and Greg Panunte challenged Gaboury at the halfway mark. Rouse would pull away from the rest of the field as Panunte and Cosco both battled Johnston for second place, with Panunte taking away the position with six laps remaining. Rouse would go on to score the win, his second of the season.

Kyle Pelrine and Bryce Richardson were on the front row for the 20-lap Hoosier Stocks feature with Pelrine showing the way with Billy Bleich Jr racing in second. Richardson got high exiting turn four to bring out the races first caution on lap three, giving up the second position. Off the restart, a six-car battle for the lead started to take shape with Pelrine, Rob Murray, Dave Bailey, Billy Bleich Jr, Jason Fontaine, and Rob Disher. Bailey would take the lead just before the halfway mark. Rob Murray and Bleich would battle for second with Murray clearing Bleich with six laps remaining. Murray would close in on Bailey in the late going but Bailey was able to hang on to score the win. Bleich, Fontaine, and Disher would complete the top five.

Garnet Wilson and Cole Hardy were on the front row for the Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders with Hardy taking the lead. Hardy would lead as Tony Kelly would take over second with Jay Moulton, Tyler Lafantaisie, and Austyn Werstroh racing in the top five. After a lap five restart, Hardy and Moulton would battle for the lead with Hardy holding onto the top position. The top two of Hardy and Moulton would pull away from the battle for third place with Lafantaisie, Kyle Haynes, and Tony Kelly racing in the top five. Hardy would hold off Moulton to score the win.

Ryleigh Sliter and Chris Perry were on the front row for the Doidge Building Centre Mod Lites feature with Perry to the lead early on. RJ Pietz would take the lead away on lap two as Perry, Rob Misener, Brent Begolo, and Josh Sliter raced in the top five. Pietz would keep the lead as Begolo and Sliter moved inside the top three to go after race leader Pietz. The top three would pull away from Chris Perry, who was holding off Jeffery May for fourth place. Begolo would take the lead on lap 17, as Sliter took second away on lap 19. Begolo would hold off Sliter by .0019 to score the win.

JJ MacDonald and Tina Ronning shared the front row for the Dave’s Auto and Speed Centre V6 main event with MacDonald showing the way. Tina Ronning raced in second with Barry Blanchard racing in third. Kevin Conley would move into third as the top two pulled away from the field. JJ MacDonald would lead the entire distance to score the win. Conley would finish in second and be followed by Lane, Blanchard, and Ronning.

NEWS AND NOTES: 102 cars signed in pitside for the racing program.

Canada Day July 1, Graybar Electrical and Schneider Electric presents Fireworks! Racing action will feature the Race of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman Series, the Action Sprint Tour presented by Race Rivalz.com and the Northeast Late Model Alliance for RUSH Crate Late Models presented by Zanchin Truck and Trailer. The Hoosier Stocks will also have their Insta Panels Duel on the Dirt event. A school bus race will end the racing action before a gigantic Fireworks display lights up the sky. Showtime is at 7 pm.

Saturday racing continues on July 6 as Modern Corporation presents a full Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series program plus the annual Truckers Show and Shine. Race time is at 7 pm.

Follow Merrittville Speedway on social media including Facebook (facebook.com/MerrittvilleSpeedway), Twitter (@Merrittville), and online at www.merrittvillespeedway.com

RACE RESULTS – SUBMISSION SUBS NIGHT

S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds: GARY LINDBERG, Mike Bowman, Mat Williamson, Ryan Susice, Fred Carleton, Chad Brachmann, Tyler Willard, Pete Bicknell, Tim Jones, Shayne Pierce, Chris Steele, Scott Wood, Rob Knapp, Rick Richner, Dalton Slack, Tom Neale, Bill Podwinski, Todd Gordon

Qualifying Winners: Ryan Susice, Mike Bowman, Dalton Slack

David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman: BRAD ROUSE, Greg Panunte, Robbie Johnston, James Michael Friesen, Paul Gaboury, Jordan Cosco, Dylan Davidson, Justin Sharp, Jay Mallory, Brent Begolo, Trevor Wright, Chris Watters, Vince Fargnoli, Brian Bellinger, Jason VanMil, Ryan Ferri, Joey Herremans, Ray Hockridge, Nathan Peattie, Noah Mamo, Terry Larmet, Brandon Gruhl, Derek VanMil, Taylor Vanderzanden Did Not Start: Dave DiPietro

Qualifying Winners: Brad Rouse, Robbie Johnston, Ryan Ferri

Hoosier Stocks: DAVE BAILEY, Rob Murray, Billy Bleich Jr, Jason Fontaine, Rob Disher, Kyle Pelrine, Brad Sheehan, Go Fast Teeple, Ian Blanchard, Chris Schneider, Zack Bleich, Bryce Richardson, Robin Mortensen, Clinton Nicholls

Qualifying Winners: Dave Bailey, Rob Disher

Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders: COLE HARDY, Jay Moulton, Tyler Lafantaisie, Kyle Haynes, Tony Kelly, Garnet Wilson, Dave Lane, Austyn Werstroh, Sam Iftody, Mike Thomson, Dan McKay, Rob Shaw, Mike Giberson, Aiden Nigh, Jeremy Cooper, Anthony Kelly, Kyle Rothwell, Trevor Want, Kenny Hair

Qualifying Winners: Cole Hardy, Tyler Lafantaisie

Doidge Building Centre Mod Lites: BRENT BEGOLO, Josh Sliter, RJ Pietz, Tyler Winger, Chris Perry, Jeffery May, Cheeseburger Iftody, Randy Giroux, Rob Misener, Marty DeMoel, Chris Watson, Ryleigh Sliter, Craig Martin, Zack Trotter, Dave Cornish

Qualifying Winners: Rob Misener, Josh Sliter

Dave’s Auto and Speed Centre V6: JJ MACDONALD, Kevin Conley, Colton Lane, Barry Blanchard, Tina Ronning, Mike Hatcher, Kyle Irving, John Couture, Dave Hahl, Peter Greer Did Not Start: Josh Dmytrow

Qualifying Winners: Kevin Conley, John Couture