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Last week, seven races into the program, the skies opened up and rain covered Flamboro Speedway. It was Kids Ride Night, and determined to not disappoint all of our young fans we waited out the weather. An hour and fifteen minutes later the racing action continued. The Mini Stocks and Thunder Cars had already completed first round qualifying: #77 Bryn Rennie beat Robert Allerellie to the line to win the first Mini Stock heat; and both #12 Mike Post and the #31 of Kevin Gallant saw victory lane in their respective heats. The Street Stocks were the first to hit the track after the rain, and #45 Dave Bennett and #20 Gary Slama had no problem with the damp asphalt as they both picked up checkered flags. In second round action, it was the #72 of Randy “the Rocket” Rusnell” and #41 Dave Miskolczi who led the Street Stock pack to the line, but did not get a chance to do so in the feature, until tonight. Due to the curfew restriction, the Street Stock and Thunder Car Features were postponed until July 14th, so tonight those classes will run double features. Also, due to time restraints, Kids Ride Night was moved, to July 28th. So if you couldn’t make it out last weekend bring your child out on July 28th for Kids Ride Night, and let them take a lap around Flamboro Speedway in a racecar. And as an added bonus, there will be a demolition derby!
As only the Go Fours can, they raced three wide up in the front at
the very start of the feature. #26 Bryan Sweers was leading the pack
out of corner two when behind him three cars went three wide down the back
stretch and into corner three racing for second spot. Eventually
the trio split, and two duels for position started. Behind Sweers’
#26, Ron Larkin Jr. and Duncan Gallagher were running door-to-door for
second, and Jim Hill was in the same position with Bryn Rennie for fourth.
The name to remember would be Rennie, as he brought the #77 through traffic
to pass Bryan Sweers for the lead, and then defend his new rank against
a flying Ken Turner in the #22, and the guy with the most experience in
victory lane so far, Robert Allerellie. Rennie stayed quick and made
no mistakes to allow Turner a run for the lead, and as the Go Fours spread
out a little, it looked like the #77 had the race well in hand. Bryn
Rennie won the feature in his #77, and was followed by #22 Ken Turner,
#85 Robert Allerellie, #73 Ron Larkin Jr., and then #26 Bryan Sweers.
Then there was the Late Models. Petey Shepherd did not have a good start to his night, when he broke the steering in his #7 Monte Carlo in first round qualifying. #36 Jim MacDonald and #14 Justin Fraser had no problem steering their way around the track though, both ending their heat races in victory lane. Drivers with similar success were #40 Charlie Gallant and #9 Chris Boschler, who both won heats in second round qualifying. The most exciting moment came in the third heat, when #39 Harry Topp made contact with Rob Munday’s #5, sending the yellow corvette sliding wildly through the infield, right over the demolition derby barriers. Munday caught air, and landed with a bump, tearing the body panels off the entire rear of the car. But when he turned the key the car fired up, and so he continued racing with his now modified looking body, and still did well in the feature. When the green flag dropped it was the #77 of Kenny McNicol Jr. out in front first to lead lap one, but he had a charging pack of cars, lead by #57 Rob Mass, coming hard to his bumper. Maas broke free of the pack to chase McNicol, and just in time. In the middle of the field, the Late Models took a page from the Go Four’s book ad tried to race three wide. Rob Munday was on the inside, #4 Terry King was on the outside, and Jim MacDonald’s #36 was the meat in the sandwich. King was squeezed high and forced to back out of the battle, and in doing so lost some positions. Back up front Rob Maas had caught McNicol, and brought with him the company of #9 Chris Boschler. Again the Late Models went three wide, this time for the lead. Boschler, McNicol, and Maas raced down the front chute and into corner one. Maas drove around McNicol to steal away the lead, and leave Kenny to try and defend second. As Maas pulled away out front, Kenny McNicol went the other direction slipping in rank until he was out of the top five and looking out of contention. With two laps to go the Late Models split into two pack at the front, the first being led by Rob Maas, with #8 Paul Howse and #5 Rob Munday in tow, and then a gap to Chris Boschler, Jim MacDonald, and #7 Petey Shepherd, who had fixed the earlier problem and was back in the hunt. When the white flag was dropped with one lap to go it was obvious that the battle to watch was for the lead. Paul Howse was applying steady pressure to Rob Maas, and Maas was doing everything he knew to not let the win slip away. Out of corner four one last time, a quick block on the #8, and Late Model Rookie Rob Maas put the #57 in victory lane for his first feature win of 2001, and his first in a Late Model. Paul Howse finished up second, Rob Munday third, Chris Boschler in fourth, and Jim MacDonald rounded out the top five. The Late Models return to Flamboro for Christmas in July, the July 21st Late Model special, schedule Twin 25 lap features for the sportsman. As well, the drivers will bring their cars out for an autograph session during intermission, and there will be some Christmas Goodies for all who attend. And don’t forget, Kids Ride Night, now July 28th, the only scheduled one for 2001. Don’t miss all the action, all the excitement, and all the fun, right here at Flamboro Speedway in July.
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