Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Kawartha Speedway 2010 - Friday the 13th and the Luck of the Draw

With the flashing lights, buzzers and bells of the slot machines creating a different style of excitement on the other side of the complex, the stars and cars of Kawartha Speedway gathered before a capacity Friday the 13th crowd to treat the fans to non-stop wheel to wheel thrill ride on Canada's finest 3/8th mile oval.

 

With a $1,500 winner's cheque waiting at the end of their 100 lapper, the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Models kicked-off qualifying with Larry Jackson and Dan McHattie sharing the 10 lap heats.  Howie Crowe and Willie Reyns split the Better Carpet Thunder Car preliminary events, while Mike Nelson and Daryl Fice found their way to victory lane following the first round of Hasiuk Trailer and Container Rentals Mini Stock action.  Bryan Mercer, Andy Ford and Daryl Fice picked-up wins in the late model, thunder car and mini stock semi features.  Tim Burke and Brad Martin earned their way into the feature events after winning the late model and mini stock consolation rounds.

 

Dan Price and Andy Ford brought the field to the green flag as the Better Carpet Thunder Cars kicked-off the night's main events.  The pack was slowed near the mid-way point when Chad Strawn and Steve Mayhew made contact near the entrance to turn 3.  Mayhew's #14 left on the back of a wrecker, while Strawn brought his damaged ride back to the fray after a quick trip to the pits.  With nearly a half straightaway's advantage, it looked like Andy Ford could finally make a long-awaited first stop in a main event victory lane, but those plans were foiled when Strawn slowed to a stop in turn 4 with 16 laps complete and was pushed off the track.  On the re-start, current point leader Willie Reyns lined-up to the outside of Ford and the rest was history.  The driver of the #87 Chevy made his 3rd trip to the winner's circle, with Ford, Howie Crowe, Dave Landles and Joe McLeod completing the top 5.

 

While the thunder car feature was on the track, the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Models were straining the ropes of the turn 4 staging area, ready to treat the fans to 100 laps of excitement.  Ryan Kimball and Sean Cronan brought the pack of money-hungry hunters to the starting line as the field of 20 took the green. The first yellow flag appeared for a solo spin by Cale Bailey in turn 2.  The caution colours were back over the field on lap 31 when Tim Burke looped his mount in almost exactly the same spot.  The green was back out quickly and as current point leader Chris Morrow and last year's track champion Dan McHattie battled for top spot, the big dance was slowed again when Mike Sinopoli encountered trouble.  Turn 2 claimed another victim when Brandon Mowat spun.  He took the #46 to the pits, but was back on the track as the field took the green flag.  His race came to an end on lap 64 when his Chevy slowed to a stop on the back straight.  With about 35 laps to go, McHattie had the field under control and wouldn't be challenged the rest of the way. Morrow crossed the line second, with Dwight Brown, Dave Morgan and pole sitter Kimball completing the top 5.

 

Their name is hardly representative of their on-track performance, but the Hasiuk Trailer and Container Mini Stocks regularly close-out the show and treat fans to some of the best racing of the night.  Kyle McCabe and John Bryan made-up the front row and the field took the green.  With racing sometimes 3 and 4 lanes wide, the action was intense throughout the pack.  With a pair of checkered flags already in the hip pocket of his fire suit, 7th place starter Daryl Fice marched directly to the front.  The shy Oshawa, Ontario youngster parked his #44 machine in victory lane at the end of the 20 lap distance.  'Too' Moroney was second.  Mike Nelson, Tyler Junkin and Dwight Lavoie finished in positions 3 through 5.

 

Kawartha klips:  In a moment of whimsy, when speaking with a group of track officials, race director Rob McCrae predicted the night's action would be finished by 10:PM – well ahead of the curfew.  When the checkered flag fell on the mini stock feature before 9:30, racers had bettered McCrae's guess by 30 minutes. All qualifying heats, semi-features and consolation rounds were completed without a yellow flag.  For the second week in a row, the mini stock main event ran from green to checkers without a single slow-down. While in victory lane, Dan McHattie acknowledged the team of family, friends, sponsors and supporters who will help him in a bid for a second trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second annual ACT Invitational in September.  Long time Kawartha Speedway sponsor J.J. Stewart Motors in Norwood, Ontario will loan McHattie a pick-up to help him make the trek.

 

Kawartha Speedway will be quiet Friday, August 20th but action will return Friday, August 27th.  A 50 lap main event for the Better Carpet Thunder Cars will be the headline event.  Also on the show will be the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Models, the Hasiuk Trailer Mini Stocks and the Ontario Legends Series.

 

Photo attachment: Dan McHattie has 1500 reasons to smile after winning the 100 lap NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model feature Friday, August 13th at Kawartha Speedway.

Photo Credit: Joel & Heather Wiebe  www.adrianmediaservices.com

 

Release Prepared by:  Jim Clarke

Clarke Motorsports Communications

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com

613.968.6410  /  613.922.0654