I NEWS
(Left) Alex Cuzzilla with Tanis Maebrae after winning the inaugural OMRS Maebrae Memorial Classic on Sept. 2 at Peterborough Speedway. (Right) Dawson Drimmie (centre) is joined by second and third place finishers Jordan Latimer (left) and Adam Cuthbertson (right) following his Aug. 26 Canadian Legend Car Series win at Peterborough . Photos by Melissa Smits / OneNine Marketing (Cuzzilla) and Jessica Blair – Follow Me Photography (Drimmie)
ONTARIO SHORT TRACK UPDATE A Round-Up of Several Ontario Touring Series ONTARIO MODIFIEDS RACING SERIES
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he Ontario Modifieds Racing Series (OMRS) raced at Peterborough Speedway on July 22. Local driver Chad Strawn, who competes in the track’s Renegade Trucks division, took the lead at the start of the 20-lap feature. The Newcastle, ON driver stayed up front en route to victory, ahead of John Baker Jr. and defending champion Alex Cuzzilla. The OMRS then visited Flamboro Speedway, on August 5, where Baker Jr. swept a pair of races. He took the lead on Lap 7 of the first race, while coming from behind, after the invert, in race two, taking the lead at the halfway mark. Cuzzilla and Tyler Bouillon each had finishes of second and third. Returning to Peterborough on August 12, Bob Franks led early in the OMRS event. Cuzzilla moved up from a fifth-place starting spot to take the lead at halfway, going on to record the victory, ahead of Baker Jr. and Franks. Next on the calendar was the Bill Pickford Memorial, which took place August 26 at Flamboro. The second annual event honoured one of the OMRS’ founders and former racer Bill Pickford. Baker Jr. took the lead on a late restart to grab the first feature win, while Bouillon went flag-to-flag in the second feature, the drivers earning a co-win for the title event.
30 Inside Track Motorsport News
On September 2, the series returned to Peterborough, where Cuzzilla grabbed the win, ahead of Rick Warnes and Baker Jr. The OMRS announced before the event that the race date would become the Maebrae Memorial Classic, in honour of former competitor Robert Maebrae, who passed away last November. The OMRS season would conclude with its first-ever appearance at the Autumn Colours Classic.
CANADIAN LEGEND CAR SERIES The Canadian Legend Car Series held two recent race dates at Peterborough. On August 19, a pair of races were held, including one that was postponed by rain in early July. Jordan Latimer led early in the first feature, before Parker Traves took the lead with eight laps completed. The defending champion took the win, followed by Dawson Drimmie and Latimer. Adam Cuthbertson and Matt Haufe led early in the second feature, before Traves took the spot on a restart. Traves went on to win, ahead of Drimmie and Matt Boyes. On August 26, the Legends returned to the 1/3-mile oval, where Latimer led early, ahead of Traves and Drimmie. A restart, just past halfway, gave Drimmie the opportunity to move ahead, the driver grabbing his first main event win in over a year. Latimer and Cuthbertson completed the podium.
GREAT LAKES LEGENDS A stacked field of 34 cars made the trip to Sauble Speedway for the sixth race of the Great Lakes Legends season, on August 5. Parker Traves recorded the win, ahead of Jade Franklin, Jordan Latimer, Mitchel Wright and Greg Rudzik. Defending champion Kenny McNicol finished 10th. Racing was scheduled to continue at Sauble the following day, but was rained out. The series then visited Grand Bend Speedway on August 19, where Rudzik became the second driver with multiple wins this season, joining runner-up finisher McNicol. Joe Adams, Shawn Sliter and Austin Arnel rounded out the top-five. McNicol led Adams by 13 points in the standings, with two races remaining.
ACTION SPRINT TOUR The Action Sprint Tour started its schedule transition from the East and West divisions to the National Tour as the summer progressed. The East Tour was rained out at Can-Am Speedway on July 21, before visiting Cornwall Motor Speedway on July 23. Mathieu Bardier and Jeffrey Weare combined to lead almost every lap, but it was Lee Ladouceur who passed Bardier on the last lap to take the win. The driver of the No. 51 continued
