Ridge Road Racing Comes Shining Through on Mobil 1 Night --------------------------- By Dave Vokey
Once again ideal weather conditions would bless the legions of fans and drivers alike at Barrie Speedway on June 21, and with the largest crowd of the season to date on hand it would be the Ridge Road Racing team based out of Oro Station that would be the most prominent players on Mobil 1 night. In the tracks premier Wahta Springs Late Model division, it would be the defending track champion #10 Gord Shepherd who would capture both ends of the twin 30 lap features, while in the Triple Sick Skin Thunder Cars it would be Shepherd's stablemate 15 year old Jordan Latimer of Coldwater who would march to victory lane in the 30 lap main. The win for Latimer would be his first career feature win at the speedway, and perhaps was the most popular victory in the 50 year history of the track, as the talented youngster is the grandson of the late Garry "The Gambler" Reynolds a former 7 time track champion and one of the most respected competitors ever to compete at the one third mile tri oval.
In the first 30 lap feature race in the Late Models, it would be #44 Rob Bromley of Orillia who broke out to a marginal lead after gaining the advantage on #27 "Smilin" Sam Reckzin from the drop of the green. Also quick on the move towards the front was the duo of #69 Al "Red Recket" Inglis of Orillia and Shepherd, as the pair of veteran drivers would power past Reckzin on the outside line midway down the backstretch to check into 2nd and 3rd respectively, just a couple laps in. At the five lap mark, the best battle forming on track was the race for sixth involving #12 Dwight Brown of Beeton and #24 Leonard "The Bandit" Johnston of Bracebridge who battled side by side for several laps, with neither driver able to gain a clear cut advantage. It was on lap 7 when Shepherd first began to make noise, as the talented pilot would work his way past Inglis for 2nd with a clean outside pass between turns 1&2.
At the front of the field Bromley was still firmly in control running laps in the 15.5 second range as Shepherd would soon begin to close, eventually pulling along the high side of the race leader and moving himself to the point on lap 14, with turn a outside pass in turn three. All the while in behind the duo of Johnston and Brown continued to race hard, now for 4th, with Brown finally taking the spot with a top side pass entering turn one. On lap 22, Johnston would find himself locked in another impressive dice, this time with rookie standout #31 Rick Walt of Hawkestone, as the latter would wrestle away fifth place with a clean inside pass on the exit of turn two. Shepherd, would soon open up a three car length lead at the front of the pack, completing circuits in the 15.1 second range with the second place car of Bromley now under heavy fire from the 69 of Inglis who would snatch away runner up positioning along the inside line in turn 2 with just four laps remaining. A little further in back, Walt would progress to 4th after working past Brown low in turn one. It would be clear this would be Shepherd's race to lose however, but the driver would show incredible poise in hitting all his marks along the way to record the win by four car lengths over Inglis at the checkered. Bromley, would record a season best finish in coming home third, while Walt and Brown would round out the top 5 in the caution free affair.
In the 30 lap finale to the evening, it would be the 27 of Reckzin who found the point early, after coming out the victor of a tough 2 lap dice with outside pole sitter #5 Mike "The Hulkamaniac" Langley of Orr Lake from the drop of the green. Also making noise in the early going was the 44 of Bromley, as he would dispose of Langley along the inside to claim 2nd, quickly leading the way for rookie #00 Darryl St. Onge of Barrie to follow through to take 3rd, also along the inside of Langley. On lap 4, it was Shepherd's turn to challenge Langley for position, as the 2009 and 2013 champ would soon move into 4th, leading the way for the ever tough 12 of Brown to follow and land inside the top 5. On lap 7, Bromley would mount his first challenge towards Reckzin for the lead, as the two promising upstarts would battle for a solid six laps side by side until Bromley would finally find the front, with the ever ominus 00 of St. Onge nipping at their heels all the while. Bromley, would continue to lead for another two laps, with Shepherd also now in the mix after negoiating a pass of St. Onge to check into runner up positioning.
At the midway mark, the race would see its 2nd lead change, as Shepherd would find the point along the outside line on the exit of turn 4, dropping Bromley back into the clutches of St. Onge who was quick to power past into 2nd. Also making his presence felt at the front of the pack was the 22 of visiting driver Taylor Holdaway of Orillia, as he would dispose of Bromley along the outside line to advance to third in the running order. Shepherd, was once again setting a torrid pace at the front of the field, holding St. Onge at bay by three car lengths, while Holdaway was being challenged for 3rd place a little further in back by the 31 of Walt, as last years Thunder Car champ would notch the position with a low pass while racing out of turn four, relegating Holdaway back to 4th in the running order. The race would once again be run caution free, in what was an incredible display of tough and clean short track racing by all drivers involved, as Shepherd would drive to his division leading 4th feature win of the season by a slender 3 car lengths over St. Onge at the stripe. Walt, would cap off a solid point night with a third place effort, while Holdaway and Brown would comprise the remainder of the fast five.
In the Thunder Car division, it would be the afore mentioned Latimer who found the front early after starting from the outside pole position and winning the duel with fellow rookie #3 Jim Morrison. Another rookie would soon begin to put on a charge, as #11 Adam Misener would bring his gorgeous 63 Impala into 2nd past Morrison with an outside pass entering turn one, with the stout #55 Pontiac of Shawn Goggins quick to follow to land in third place in the early going. Latimer, would soldier on with the race lead, running laps just a shade over the 16 second barrier, now moving out to nearly a full straightaway lead on Misener when the first and only caution would fly on lap 9, as Morrison and #12 Rick Walt would tangle out of turn four while racing for 4th, with Morrison being shown the black flag for rough driving thus ending his evening prematurely, with Walt taking a spot at the rear of the field for the restart. At this point in the race the top 5 would be comprised of race leader Latimer, Misener, Goggins, current point leader #00 Luke Gignac, and division sophomore #16 Bryan Penny. When the race went green once again, it was Latimer who was again in control, moving to a two car length lead over Misener, who was then passed for 2nd by Goggins on the low side in turn two, as Gignac and speedway newcomer #83 Johnny Morrison ran tightly behind that duo.
Just beyond the midway point, Gignac would continue his charge toward the front, getting alongside Misener midway down the backstretch, and completing an outside pass of his fellow competitor to now move into third, while just in behind the action was hot and heavy for 5th in a duel involving #22 Jason Elliott and Walt, with the latter taking the spot with a clean low move while racing out of turn two. On lap 23, Gignac would wrestle away 2nd place from Goggins after executing a low pass in turn 3, while Walt would take 4th from Misener with a low move in turn four just moments later. Over the duration, Gignac would close in on leader Latimer, looking both high and low for a way past, but the talented Latimer would show poise beyond his years in fending off every challenge Gignac could mount his way. The young Latimer would drive like a grizzled veteran with ice water in his veins in recording the win by just a single car length over the oncoming Gignac at the checkered. #55 Shawn Goggins would match a season and career best with a third place showing, while Walt would mark his return to the division in coming home 4th, as Misener would also match a season best in completing the top 5.
Heat wins were recorded by Latimer, Gignac, Walt, and #21 Desi Walt.
In the St. Onge Recreation Pure Stock ranks it was current point leader #10 Doug Butler of New Lowell who captured the 25 lap feature win, marking his 3rd feature victory of 2014 in just six attempts. The race would begin with #88 Jeremy McLean moving out front from outside pole positioning, as #8 Paul Bogensberger Jr. and #06 Ryan Hardy would follow that progression to land in 2nd and 3rd respectively in the early going. On lap 5, Hardy would move to 2nd past Bogensberger, with the latter then falling under pressure from the duo of #28 JP Rosevear and defending track champ #77 Mike Gettliffe, as that duo would work their way past on lap 10. At the front of the field, McLean was holding close to a full straightaway lead when the first and only caution would appear when Rosevear and Gettliffe would make contact while racing into turn one, with Gettliffe suffering a flat right rear tire and forced pitside, as both drivers were sent arrears as involved cars. On the restart, it was the 06 of Hardy who moved out front from the outside line, with Butler making an inside pass of McLean for 2nd in turn two. It was on lap sixteen Butler would make the winning move, getting alongside of Hardy in turn one and passing him along the outer groove, while just in behind that battle #400 Justin Holmes would advance to third after getting past McLean. Over the duration, Butler would encounter heavy lapped traffic and was completing laps in the 17.3 second range while working his way around the outside of the racetrack, as positions began to change with each passing lap, with many tightly bunched groups of cars racing for position. Butler, would eventually claim the win by a half straightaway over Hardy at the checkered, with it being a career best finish for the runner up Hardy. Holmes, would have a solid third place showing after starting the race in the 13th place position in a deep 24 car field, while #57 Ryan Toon, and #68 Brandon Crumbie would round out the top 5.
Six different qualifying heat race winners came in the form of Butler, Holmes, #09 Dean Curry, #77 Mike Gettliffe, #64 "California" Dave Crumbie, and #63 Jamie Cairns. The win for Cairns was his first career checkered flag after five years spent competing in the Pure Stock ranks, quite a landmark accomplishment for the #63 race team..
PIT NOTES ---------- A number of new faces continue to parade through the pit gates throughout the month of June, as #22 Taylor Holdaway would make his 2nd start of the season in the Wahta Springs Late Models, and third career at the speedway.. Holdaway, would campaign the Peter Schotanus house car to 4th and 6th place feature results after recording a 3rd place on the June 7 evening's card. #83 Johnny Morrison of Barrie would also make his 2nd start of the season in the Thunder Car ranks, bringing home two fifth place heat results, along with an impressive 8th place showing in the 30 lap feature. Meanwhile in the St. Onge Recreation Pure Stocks, #15 Dave Middel of Barrie would make his first ever Barrie appearance, coming home with 5th and 6th place heat race showings to go with a 17th place feature effort in a deep and talent laden 24 car field in the feature. Middel, would impress mant in keeping a clean car under him the entire evening.. Be sure to join us this coming Saturday June 28 for Fan Appreciation Night where our drivers will align the track during intermission, handing out treats and autograph cards for the kids enjoyment.. Our regular intermission King of the Hill feature will return on July 5 for Mid Season Championship Night that features twin 50 lap features for the Late Models, while the Thunder Cars will race for 40 laps, with the Pure Stock feature being a 30 lap affair.. Pit gates open at 2pm for both events, with spectator gates commencing business at 5pm and green flag slated to fly at 7pm sharp... THESE WILL PROVE TO BE TWO CAN'T MISS EVENTS!!!!!
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