A packed pit area was on hand to tackle Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval and there was nearly a full house watching them do it. It was almost like all of Central Ontario spent part of the Victoria Day holiday long weekend at the Country 105 Season Opener – Saturday, May 21^st – at Peterborough Speedway. With free spectator grandstand admission, that may have been the case.

Feature race action got rolling with a 15 lap main event for the Renegade Trucks, with Stacey and Stephen Bierworth on the front row. With just a pair of circuits on the lap counter, 2 time defending track champion Jack Dallin grabbed a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Chris Burrage, Stephen Bierworth, Doug Dallin and Stacey Bierworth rounded-out the top 5.

Ray Schroer and Ryan Oosterholt paced the pack of 30 starters to the Great Canadian RV green flag to start the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun ‘A’ main. The leaders caught the tail-end of the field and began lapping cars with 4 complete and 2 laps later, a 3 car crash entering the 3^rd turn brought out the red flag. A lap 7 restart was short-lived, as a multi car wreck entering the first turn brought things to a halt. All involved drivers were okay, but there was a lengthy clean-up required. Oosterholt jumped into the lead on the restart and put some distance between himself and Schroer. The defending track champion held on for the win. Sean Kennedy, Jeremy Kelly and Matthew Vanderbelt chased the lead duo across the stripe.

With 2015 Rookie of the Year Bailey Jacobs and Rob Richards leading the way, the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Cars hit the track for a 20 lap feature. Richards found a quick way around, but there was a hungry pack behind him. Dan Archibald took over the top spot with 7 laps on the scoreboard and stretched his lead over the closing laps. A single car spin by newcomer Jessica Pasinetti brought out the yellow with just 4 circuits remaining. The driver of the #07 scored the opening night win, with Howie Crowe, Richards, Jacobs and Nick Oram completing the top 5.

Dave Riopelle and defending series champ Nicholas Ledson showed the way as the Trailers Plus INEX Ontario Legends came to the line for a 25 lapper. A single car spin in the 4^th turn brought out the yellow with just a couple of laps down. As the pack started to work through lapped traffic, Kevin Foisy was filling the rear-view mirror of Cole Ledson. A yellow with 11 circuits on the lap counter slowed the pace again, but also collected Nick Ledson, who was running in 3^rd spot. Foisy took the top spot with 15 down, but Cole Ledson took it back a lap later. Foisy used his experience to get through lapped traffic for the win. Ledson, Riopelle, Matt Haufe and Jamie Riberdy were next across the line.

Front row starters Kevin Strutt and James Townsend brought the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock field to the line for a 20 lap feature tilt. With just 4 laps on the board, the yellow flag waived for an incident in the 4^th turn. With defending track champion Tyler Junkin in tow, Townsend continued to pace the field as the pair caught the backmarkers with 15 complete. Townsend took the win, with Tyler Junkin, Ember Junkin, Gil Brooks and Steve McNevin 2^nd through 5^th.

Randy Bull and Mark Gordon paced the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Models to the track, with 20 laps on the agenda for a trip to Dart Heating & Air Conditioning victory lane. The field started to catch the tail end of the field with 4 laps complete and Gordon wrestled the lead from Bull 3 laps later. Yellow flew over the pack on lap 11 when Chris Mitchell – who was celebrating his birthday – spun coming off the 4^th turn. James Horner went around in the same spot with 17 circuits down, to create a green, white, checkered finish. Gordon held back a late race charge from former track champion Bryan Sudsbury for the win. Tyler Betts, Mike Wallace and Rick Walt completed the top 5.

Earlier in the evening, Jack Dallin won a pair of Renegade Truck Series heats, while the Battlefield Equipment 4Fun qualifiers were shared by Ryan Oosterholt, Griffin Powell, Ray Schroer, Sean Kennedy, Jeremy Kelly and Keith Parkes. Howie Crowe with a pair, Dan Archibald and Fedele DiBello took the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car preliminaries. Kevin Foisy and Cole Ledson each won a pair of INEX Ontario Legends heats, while Tyler Junkin with a pair, James Townsend and Donovan Price claimed the Jiffy Lube Mini opening rounds. Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model heats went to Rick Walt, Mike Wallace, Bryan Sudsbury and Chris Mitchell.

Bullring Bullet Points: There was a huge payday of more than $1500 in the 50/50 draw, won by Steve Parker of Ennismore…The Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun division had close to 30 teams sign-in for the opening night battle and nearly half of those runners were making their first ever start…A number of new teams were in attendance, including the #52 Thunder Car of Kyle Gordon, who’s father Mark campaigns the same number in the Late Model field.

Action returns to Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval Saturday, May 28^th as the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, OSCAAR Midgets and Pro Midgets join the home track 4Fun, Mini Stock and Thunder Car divisions. Pit gates open at 3:00, with the spectator areas unlocked at 5:00 and racing underway at 6:00.

Full schedule details, along with up to the minute news and results are always available at www.peterboroughspeedway.com, by liking the track on Facebook or following it on Twitter. You can also download the free Peterborough Speedway app on your Smartphone.