Mat Williamson Does It One More Time Saturday At Merrittville

Story By: STEVE PETTY / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD, ONT – Fourth-generation driver Dylan Davidson from St. Catharines, Ontario won the Bill Willard Sr Sterling Silver Cup for the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman on Niagara Employment Help Centre night at Merrittville Speedway on Saturday night.

Mat Williamson from St. Catharines, Ontario won his seventh S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds feature of the season. Rob Murray from St. Catharines, Ontario won his fifth Hoosier Stock feature of the season. Brent Begolo from Thorold, Ontario scored the win in the Doidge Building Centre’s Mod Lites. Kyle Rothwell from Welland, Ontario won his second Central Fabricating 4 Cylinder feature. John Couture won his fifth Dave’s Auto and Speed Centre V6 feature of the season.

Taylor Vanderzanden and Ryan Ferri brought the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman to the green flag in the annual Bill Willard Sr. Sterling Silver Cup event with the front row dueling for the lead over the first couple of laps. Dylan Davidson would take the lead away on lap three as Jordan Cosco passed Jay Mallory to move into fourth place. Cosco, Vanderzanden, and Ferri battled for second with Ferri and Cosco moving into second and third. With Davidson opening the lead, Jay Mallory and James Michael Friesen entered the top five. A Noah Mamo spin in turn three on lap 16 would bring out the races first caution. On the restart, Ferri would challenge Davidson for the lead with Davidson keeping the lead. A lap 17 caution would bunch the field up as Rouse and Chevalier came together on the front stretch. On the restart, Davidson would pull away from Jay Mallory as Friesen challenged for second place. Davidson would hold off a hard-charging James Michael Friesen to score his second win of the season.

Rob Knapp and Rick Richner were on the front row in the 35-lap feature for the S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds with Knapp showing the way as Richner was holding off Tom Neale, Todd Gordon, and Fred Carleton raced in the top five. Richner would take the lead away from Knapp on lap three as Carleton went around Gordon to move into third place. Off a lap eight restart, Richner would continue to show the way over Carleton and Pete Bicknell. Bicknell would take the lead away from Richner on lap 11 with Mat Williamson and Gary Lindberg lingering in the top five. Carleton would hold off several challenges from Williamson in the battle for second as Williamson would take second away on lap 20. The caution would come out for Scott Wood. The restart would see Williamson take the lead away from Bicknell as Lindberg, Ryan Susice, and Carleton raced in the top five. Williamson would open his advantage over the field and would pull away to score his seventh win of the season.

Zack Bleich and Rob Disher were on the front row for the Hoosier Stocks with Jason Fontaine using his top five starting position to take the lead away. Fontaine would keep the lead as he was being pressured by Rob Murray for several laps. Murray and Fontaine would exchange the lead for several laps before Murray reclaiming the lead for good on lap 13. A late race caution on lap 18 would bunch the field up

Dave Cornish and Craig Martin were on the front row in the main event for the Doidge Building Centres Mod Lites with Randy Giroux taking over the lead with Brent Begolo moving into second place. Begolo would take the lead away from Giroux on lap two and would start to pull away from the field. Cheeseburger Iftody and Paul Klager would start to reel in Giroux and would battle for second place. After a lap 11 caution bunched the field up, Begolo would pull away as Klager and Giroux battled for second place. Tyler Winger spun in turn four to bring out the second caution of the event on lap 12. Klager would use the outside of the speedway to take the lead away from Begolo on lap 15. Begolo would regain the lead on lap 18 after slowing on the front straightaway. Begolo would hold off Sliter and Klager to claim the win.

Austyn Werstroh and Cole Hardy led the Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders to the green flag for their main event with Werstroh showing the way. Kyle Rothwell would take the lead on lap six as Jay Moulton and Monday night’s feature winner Jeremy Cooper racing inside the top four. Cooper would close in, but Rothwell would pull away to score the feature win, his second win of the season.

Tina Ronning and JJ MacDonald shared the front row for the Dave’s Auto and Speed Centre V6 feature with Josh Dymtrow taking over the point with Colton Lane moving into second at the end of lap two. Colton Lane would take the lead away on lap three from Dymtrow. John Couture would take the lead away on lap six. Couture would go on to score the feature win, his fifth of the season.

NEWS AND NOTES: 82 cars signed in pitside for the racing action. Young race fans had the opportunity to race in the annual Kid’s Box Car Races and feature winners all received feature win hats from the Friends of Auto Racing (FOAR SCORE) Fan Club.

Saturday action continues next week, August 17, as Niagara Trailers presents the 40-lap King of the Crates Finale for the David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman plus a full card of racing and Family Autograph night. Pit gates will open at 5pm with grandstands opening at 5:30pm and showtime will be at 7pm sharp.

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

RACE RESULTS – NIAGARA EMPLOYMENT HELP CENTRE NIGHT

S&W Service Centre 358 Modifieds: MAT WILLIAMSON, Pete Bicknell, Gary Lindberg, Ryan Susice, Fred Carleton, Dalton Slack, Mike Bowman, Rick Richner, Tom Neale, Rob Knapp, Bill Podwinski, Tanner Podwinski, Scott Wood, Todd Gordon

Qualifying Winners: Tom Neale, Rob Knapp

David Chevrolet DIRTcar Sportsman: DYLAN DAVIDSON, James Michael Friesen, Jay Mallory, Jordan Cosco, Ryan Ferri, Justin Sharp, Robbie Johnston, Trevor Wright, Paul Gaboury, Brent Begolo, Derek VanMil, Vince Fargnoli, Jason VanMil, Noah Mamo, Dave DiPietro, Taylor Vanderzanden, Brad Rouse, Chad Chevalier, Nathan Peattie, Ray Hockridge (Did Not Start)

Qualifying Winners: Ryan Ferri, Justin Sharp, Dylan Davidson

Hoosier Stocks: ROB MURRAY, Rob Disher, Mark Fawcett, Brad Sheehan, Zack Bleich, Dave Bailey, Billy Bleich Jr, Chris Schneider, Jeff Larmet, Robin Mortensen, Jason Fontaine

Qualifying Winners: Dave Bailey, Jason Fontaine

Central Fabricating 4 Cylinders: KYLE ROTHWELL, Jeremy Cooper, Austyn Werstroh, Tyler Lafantaisie, Kyle Haynes, Anthony Kelly, Cole Hardy, Tony Kelly, Dan McKay, Garnet Wilson, Mike Giberson, Jay Moulton

Qualifying Winners: Tyler Lafantaisie, Kyle Haynes

Doidge Building Centres Mod Lites: BRENT BEGOLO, Josh Sliter, Paul Klager, Randy Giroux, Tyler Winger, RJ Pietz, Cheeseburger Iftody, Craig Martin, Dave Cornish, Ray Sliter Jr, Ryleigh Sliter, Chris Perry, Rick Albrent

Qualifying Winners: Tyler Winger, Brent Begolo

Dave’s Auto & Speed Centre V6: JOHN COUTURE, Colton Lane, Josh Dymtrow, Kevin Conley, Kyle Irving, Kenny Hair, Tina Ronning, Dave Hahl, Jayda Gruhl, Rob Shaw, Chris Mussat, JJ MacDonald

Qualifying Winners: Colton Lane, Tina Ronning