THOROLD, Ontario – May 24, 2011 – Mother Nature continued her wrath on the 2011 racing season as inclement weather forced the postponement of the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series opener Monday night at Merrittville Speedway with just 25 of the 100 scheduled laps complete.
Series officials announced the final 75 laps of the event will be added to the Bob St. Amand Sr. Memorial on Aug. 1, which already features a full racing program for the Big-Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series.
The historic night will mark the first time both the Super DIRTcar Series and the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series offer points-paying events at the same facility on the same night.
Despite threatening weather forecasts, 46 Modifieds filled the Merrittville pit area hoping to make the 30-car starting field. Scott Wood and Carey Terrance led the 30-car starting field to the green flag with Wood jumping out into the early lead.
As Wood stretched his lead over Terrance and the rest of the field, Brett Hearn, the 2010 winner of this event, was charging through the field. Hearn, who started 14th, had worked his way up inside the top 10 when the first caution waved on lap 10.
Wood was able to maintain his lead on the field through the restart as Hearn, running the high side of the race track, continued his march forward. The Sussex, New Jersey driver moved passed Mike Bowman and into the second spot on lap 15. By lap 18, Hearn had caught Scott Wood and went to the outside and around the leader to take the lead.
Hearn only lead under green flag conditions for a couple laps as the inevitable rain showers finally made their way to the Thorold, Ontario oval. The red flag flew on lap 25 and the postponement came soon after.
When the event restarts, Brett Hearn will lead the field to the green flag over Wood, Mike Bowman, Pete Bicknell, and Chad Brachmann. Of the 30 original starters, 28 were still on track when the red flag was displayed.
Caution laps will not count until after the lap 25 restart on August 1st. Following the initial restart, yellow laps will be counted as per normal DIRTcar rules.
The stars of DIRTcar 358 Modified Series will resume their chase for the Series title on Sunday, July 31 at Cornwall Motor Speedway.
Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Super DIRTcar Series Race #1 – Merrittville Speedway, May 23, 2011, ‘Bobcat of Hamilton’ 100 Event Summary
Feature Rain-Delayed to Aug. 1, 2011
FEATURE (THROUGH 25 of 100 LAPS)
RUNNING
POS. CAR# DRIVER
1 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
2 38 Scott Wood/Thorold,ONT
3 71 Mike Bowman/St.Catharines,ONT
4 42 Pete Bicknell/St.Catharines,ONT
5 3b Chad Brachmann/Sanborn,NY
6 7F Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville, NY
7 66x Carey Terrance/Akwesasne,NY
8 1w Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
9 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
10 76 Travis Braun/Jordan Station,ONT
11 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
12 1h David Hebert/St. Damase,QUE
13 6x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
14 15j Tim Jones/Sanborn,NY
15 6m Mat Williamson/St.Catharines,ONT
16 22c Mario Clair/St-Edmond,QUE
17 26 Rick Richner/Niagara Falls,NY
18 12 Chad Chevalier/Port Colborne,ONT
19 38R Ryan Susice/Ransomville,NY ®
20 37s Boyd MacTavish/Ransomville,NY
21 17d Danny O’Brien/Kingston,ONT
22 108 Bill Bleich/Port Robinson,ONT
23 19 John Lazore/Hogansburg,NY
24 22 Robbie Krull
25 22j Jeremy Wilder/Fort Plain,NY
26 72 Tommy Flannigan/St.Catharines,ONT
27 74 Matt Billings/Brockville, ONT
28 38w Luke Whitteker/Iroquois,ONT
29 96 Fred Carleton/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT -5 Laps
30 44 James Friesen/St.Catharines,ONT -7 Laps
GATER NEWS LAP LEADERS: Wood (1-18), Hearn (19-25).
CAUTIONS: 2 – (laps 10-12) #96 slowed on backstretch; (laps 20-25) Rain
RED FLAG (lap 26).
HEAT WINNERS: Bicknell, Wood, Phelps, Planck, S. Friesen.
CONSI WINNERS: Chevalier, Jones.
FAST TIME AWARD: Scott Wood (16.162sec/74.248mph).
CARS ENTERED: 46
NEXT EVENT: Cornwall Motor Speedway – July 31, 2011.
QUALIFYING
FAST AVG.
POS TIME MPH CAR DRIVER
1 16.162 74.248 38 Scott Wood
2 16.305 73.597 7F Jimmy Phelps
3 16.373 73.291 42 Pete Bicknell
4 16.378 73.269 76 Travis Braun
5 16.379 73.265 6X Dale Planck
6 16.418 73.091 1w Stewart Friesen
7 16.427 73.050 9s Matt Sheppard
8 16.445 72.971 20 Brett Hearn
9 16.464 72.886 22c Mario Clair
10 16.478 72.824 71 Mike Bowman
11 16.511 72.679 3b Chad Brachmann
12 16.522 72.630 22L Robbi Krull
13 16.552 72.499 66x Carey Terrance
14 16.555 72.486 6 Brandon Easey
15 16.573 72.407 6m Mat Williamson
16 16.617 72.215 12 Chad Chevalier
17 16.620 72.202 72F Tommy Flannigan
18 16.668 71.994 37s Boyd MacTavish
19 16.684 71.925 15J Tim Jones
20 16.702 71.848 27J Danny Johnson
21 16.705 71.835 53 Jamie Gilbert
22 16.767 71.569 17d Danny O’Brien
23 16.773 71.544 38R Ryan Susice
24 16.784 71.497 69 Rob Pietz
25 16.794 71.454 4J Jeff Sykes
26 16.803 71.416 88 Shayn Pierce
27 16.841 71.255 108 Bill Bleich
28 16.867 71.145 19 John Lazore
29 16.878 71.098 74 Matt Billings
30 16.960 70.755 22J Jeremy Wilder
31 16.976 70.688 28 Todd Gordon
32 16.987 70.642 8 Mark D’Ilario
33 16.989 70.634 1H David Hebert
34 17.018 70.514 8s Justin Sharp
35 17.055 70.361 13 Dennis Giancola
36 17.089 70.221 38w Luke Whittaker
37 17.124 70.077 96 Fred Carleton
38 17.130 70.053 99 Bruno Lepage
39 17.143 69.999 26 Rick Richner
40 17.159 69.934 1 Paul Klager
41 17.185 69.828 97 Michel Chicoine
42 17.259 69.529 82 Ken Winfield
43 17.298 69.372 44 James M. Friesen
44 17.320 69.284 17c Pete Cosco
45 17.470 68.689 24 Brandon Sweet
46 17.561 68.333 71s Shawn Sliter
Heat Races (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to feature, top 2 went to re-draw)
#1: Bicknell, Braun, Johnson, Clair, Krull, Flannigan, Carleton, Sliter, Sweet, Giancola.
#2: Wood, Bowman, MacTavish, Lazore, Bleich, Winfield, Sykes, Gordon, Whittaker.
#3: Phelps, Brachmann, Williamson, Susice, J. Friesen, Billings, Easey, Gilbert, Pierce.
#4: Planck, Sheppard, Hearn, Wilder, Jones, O’Brien, Sharp, Klager, Chicoine.
#5: S. Friesen. Terrance, Hebert, Richner, Chevalier, Pietz, D’Ilario, Lepage, Cosco.
Consolation Round (10 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Chevalier, O’Brien, J. Friesen, Carleton, Sweet, Pierce, Krull, Easey, Klager, Cosco, Winfield, D’Ilario, Gordon (DNS).
#2: Jones, Bleich, Flannigan, Billings, Pietz, Sliter, Sharp, Sykes, Whittaker, Lepage, Chicoine, Gilbert, Ginacola.
Provisionals: Whittaker.
Added: Krull (based on fastest non-qualified car).
DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners; including Hoosier Racing Tire; VP Racing Fuels; GM Performance Parts and Safety-Kleen. Promotional partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio and Chizmark & Larson Insurance. Contingency sponsors are ASI; Bert Transmissions; Bicknell Racing Products; Bilstein Shocks; Brodix; ButlerBuilt; Comp Cams; Intercomp; JE Pistons; KSE Racing Products; Motorsports Safety Systems; MSD Ignition; Penske Shocks; Racing Electronics; R2C; Super Flow; Vicci Racing Apparel; WIX Filters; Wrisco Industries; Xtreme Lubricants and Extreme Mufflers.
