ONTARIO SHORT TRACK UPDATE

A Round-Up of Several Ontario Touring Series

Ontario Modifieds Racing Series

The 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.

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 his dominance when the series returned to Cornwall, on August 20, winning for the fifth consecutive race.

In the West Tour, it was Mike Bowman who set the pace during races at Ohsweken Speedway on August 14 and 16. Bowman took the lead on lap four of 25 to win the Monday event, lapping up to the fourthplace car. He then used a restart to chase down the early leader on the Wednesday, pulling away to the victory. The West season concluded at Merrittville Speedway on August 26, where Bowman made it six wins in seven races.

Similar to DIRTcar in the U.S., the Action Sprint Tour regional schedule led into national competition, with the National Tour kicking off on July 22 at Brockville Ontario Speedway. Bardier moved up from a midpack starting spot to take the lead on Lap 6, holding off a late charge from Ladouceur, in lapped traffic, to grab the victory.

Next up was a return to Brockville on August 19, where Adam Turner held the top spot through a string of cautions. On Lap 21 of 25, it was Matt Billings who took the lead, going on to record his first career series win. Billings carried the momentum into Brighton Speedway, on September 2, where he climbed from a third-place starting spot to take an early lead en route to the victory.

The tour returned to Brighton the following day, where Andrew Hennessy, from nearby Picton, ON, recorded a popular victory, his first in the series. Billings held a 16-point lead over Turner in the National Tour; the drivers who dominated regional action, Ladouceur and Bowman, were third and seventh respectively.

Outlaw Midgets

The sixth race of the Outlaw Midgets season took place on July 29 at Sunset Speedway. NASCAR on TSN announcer Dave Bradley, running a part-time schedule, started on pole and stayed ahead through a pair of cautions, leading all 25 laps in the win. Mikey Homewood and Warren Mahoney completed the podium.

Next up was a trip to Peterborough Speedway, on August 5, where Homewood started on the pole. Homewood stayed up front for the first half of the race, before Larry Lawson took the spot. Homewood then took advantage of a caution, getting a good restart to claim his first series victory; Rob Harrison and Derek Millman rounded out the podium.

A busy stretch for the Outlaw Midgets continued at Sauble Speedway, on August

12.Nick Spiez took the lead on the opening lap, going flag-to-flag for his first win of the season. Harrison and Fred Homewood completed the podium. Mike Bradley led the standings, with four races remaining.

Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models

Following a pair of weather cancellations in July, the Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models visited Delaware Speedway on August 11.J.R. Fitzpatrick joined the field and played spoiler over series regulars, grabbing the win. The next race saw defending and multitime champion Glenn Watson visit victory lane, on September 2 at Sauble Speedway.

Watson has two wins in the last three races, following a slow start to the season, with a new car. Fitzpatrick’s points went to early season winner Dario Caprichio, whose ride he borrowed. Watson and Caprichio led the title battle, with two races remaining.

CAN-AM TQ MIDGETS

The Can-Am TQ Midgets made their only stop at Grand Bend Speedway on July 22, where James Stanley got the lead from polesitter David Miller after the second restart to claim his second straight victory.

The series then visited Sauble Speedway, on August 5, where Junior Farrelly started on the pole and led early; Farrelly had a busy weekend, also competing in APC

Series and Legend Cars. Dominique Smith took the top spot after a restart, before being passed by Daniel Hawn on Lap 18, with Hawn going on to record the victory.

Following a rain out the next day, at Sauble, the TQ Midgets travelled to Sunset Speedway on August 19. Hawn took the lead after the fourth caution, winning at his home track. Hawn’s hot streak continued at Flamboro Speedway, on August 26, where he took the lead early en route to his third straight victory; it was also his fourth win in the last six races. Hawn led Cory Whittam by 14 points entering the finale at Flamboro.

Ontario Pro Challenge

July and August saw three race nights for the Ontario Pro Challenge. Tim Norris and son Mike Norris split wins on Night 6, at Full Throttle Motor Speedway, where a runner-up result for Travis Majuery saw Tim handed his first finish outside the top-two this season. Nights 7 and 8 saw the series at Flamboro Speedway, where Tim and Mike split victories on August 12 before Mike and sister Emma Norris took the wins on August 26. IT