By Ken Keating
The O.T.R.A. Series, the I.M.S. 4 Mini Stocks, the Stock Car Series, and the Late Models Series made their way onto the track at Western Speedway for Trophy Dashes, Heat races and the Feature events sponsored by O'Dell Slinger Service on Saturday night. Trophy Dash wins went to Alex Mouner and Gord Percival in the Mini Stock Series, Tom Cinnamon and Larry Joyce in the O.T.R.A. Series, Aaron Wilkie and Dean Mackney in the Stock Car Series, and Jason Terasenko and Dale Robinson in the Late Model Series. Giles Parenteau and Justin Woodske took the wins in Mini Stock Heat race action while other winners were James Miller and Tom Cinnamon in the O.T.R.A. Series, Chris McInerney and Mike Haslam in the Stock Car Series, and Wade Bland and Rory Smith in the Late Model Series.
Ron Simpson had a rough start to his night as he hit the front stretch wall after the car in front of him checked up just before the green flag was to drop for the O.T.R.A. Heat race. This crash caused a lot of damage to the front of the #12 car and ended his night. George "The Jet" Jenson spun out about half way through the race and the cars following all checked up causing a chain reaction pile up that included Tom Cinnamon and Robert Morneau. In Late Model Heat race action, Robbie Haslam had the lead and had lots of pressure from Bart and Rory Smith trying to get by for the lead. As they were going through turn one, they got too close and Haslam got spun around. Bart was the driver that got the black flag for this one while Rory went on for the win.
Gord Percival and Sharon Constantine shared the front row for the start of the Mini Stock Feature event but on the first corner Alex Mouner was forced off the corner and into the gravel on turn one sending him to the pits. On the restart Caleb Van Bree took the lead followed by Giles Parenteau and Matt Szauer. Justin Woodske, Percival, and Jeremy Waksel moved into contention fighting for positions and on lap twelve, Woodske claimed the third spot and the took second two laps later. When the chequered flag dropped after twenty laps, Van Bree hung on for his first win, in the Mini Stocks, followed by Woodske, Parenteau, Szauer, and Waksel filling out the top five positions.
Kail Beck and James Miller had the front row for the O.T.R.A. Feature event and Beck got the early lead until Miller passed him on lap three. On lap five George Jenson moved up to run second and then took the lead on lap eight dropping Miller back to second with Larry Joyce now running third. On lap eleven, James Campbell, always a top contender entered the pits with an apparent problem. On lap seventeen, Joyce passed Miller to take over the second spot and set his sites on Jenson. Dennis and Rob Morneau traded positions in the late stages of this race but it was Jenson who hung on for the win followed by Joyce, Rob Morneau, Roger Beck, and Miller rounding out the top five positions.
Mike Haslam and Dean Mackney led a field of fourteen cars to the green flag for forty laps of racing in the Stock Car Feature event and the action started very early. On the very first lap the red flag came out as Steve Copp got tagged and hit the inside frontstretch wall extremely hard. Steve was unhurt but his car suffered heavy damage front and rear thus ending his night. After just two laps, the yellow came out as Mackney touched Daryl Crocker thus spinning the #14 car around and then got hit by another car tearing out the rear wheel on Crocker's machine and ending his night in another Copp sponsored car. At that time Crocker was running in second place. Mackney got sent to the back of the pack for a restart. On the restart, Chris McInerney grabbed the lead and had Aaron Wilkie and Ryan Wade move in behind him very quickly. On lap eight, McInerney went a little wide through turn one and Wilkie dove to the inside and took the lead and Wade followed him through for second spot dropping McInerney back to third. Over the next several laps, fans were treated to some classic racing as these two hard charging drivers ran bumper to bumper and door handle to door handle often crossing the start finish line in almost a dead heat. Each driver took their turn at crossing the line by mere inches as Wade tried everything to make a clean pass while Wilkie tried just as hard to keep the lead. Finally on lap twenty-five Wade managed to wrestle the lead away from Wilkie going the long way around the outside where he was for most of these laps. On lap twenty-eight, Wilkie come out of turn four sideways but kept his car off the wall and straight trying to get back at Wade. When the chequered flag dropped, Wade was the victor for his fifth straight Feature event win followed by Wilkie, McInerney, Cody Aumen, and Dave Reside rounding out the top five positions. When asked about this classic race, Wade said, "We traded some paint but that is racing and it was a great race".
Doug Richens and Robbie Haslam shared the front row as twelve Late Models lined up for the green flag and fifty laps of racing ahead of them. Richens led for the first two laps that saw some bumping as faster cars tried for the lead. Jason Terasenko,back in the field, got turned around going through turn one bringing out the yellow. Damage to his car was just cosmetic and the loose parts were quickly pulled off allowing him to return to the track sacrificing just one spot. On the double file restart, Richens and Haslam were again side by side and Richens got squeezed again sending him to the pits. On lap four Dale Robinson grabbed the lead followed by Wade Bland and Rory Smith. On lap eight, Smith made the pass and moved into second dropping Bland back to third with Brandon Carlson behind him. On lap nine, Smith dove to the inside and made the pass for the lead and Carlson also went by both Bland and Robinson and took over the second spot. On lap fifteen, Terasenko had moved very quickly coming through the pack and into the third spot and began his charge to the front. On lap twenty-eight, Terasenko passed Carlson and took over the second spot and continued to run fast laps as he started to reel in Smith in the lead. On lap thirty-three Terasenko dove to the inside and passed Smith for the lead, a lead he would not give up. A few years ago Terasenko was a terror on the Western Speedway oval and he has not lost his touch here as he went on to take the Late Model Feature event followed by Smith, Carlson, Gord Quaite, and Bland rounding out the top five positions.
The next event, at Western Speedway, is another Wednesday Night Fever with the Steve Copp Construction sponsored Hornet Series scheduled for August 10th. The regular racing returns both Friday and Saturday evening with the Demo Cars, Demo Trucks, Figure 8s, and the Bomber Series. Both nights will feature a little extra as a boat race and a bus race is planned plus Colin Heacock with the Crazy Canuck car jump will highlight both nights. There is an Island Bomber Championship pitting the Bombers from Saratoga Speedway against the Western Speedway Bombers with the winners taking home a trophy and bragging rights based on the overall points for the two nights. Demo Cars and Trucks from Saratoga also are invited to take part in this special event in their respective classes.