JBJ Takes OMRS Win at Peterborough; DiBello Earns 2018 Series Title
Peterborough Speedway’s Championship Clash – Saturday, September 1st – also included the popular Ontario Modifieds Racing Series – powered by Torque Builders Inc. – who crowned its 2018 tour champion at the venue known as Canada’s Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval.
Former Peterborough Speedway 4Fun/Bone Stock track champion Willow Barberstock and her grandfather Randy Hollingsworth led the pack of 13 OMRS machines to the green flag for their 25 lap feature tilt. Before a single lap had been scored, the red flag was displayed for an issue in the first turn. To avoid another car, Tyler Betts – who was steering Rob Warnes’ #95 ride – shot-off the first turn. The car made contact with the retaining wall and needed to be towed from the scene. Luckily Betts – the 2017 home track Late Model champion – was unhurt.
Back under green, former series champion John Baker Jr. quickly worked his way into lead, bringing Josh Gruntz – another former Thunder Car/Super Stock regular – along with him. With slower cars becoming a factor with about a 5th of the race complete, Amanda Balson – who was making her first career Modified start, in Brad Stevenson’s #77 – closed on the lead duo and snatched 2nd place away from Gruntz with 11 circuits on the board. A lap 13 yellow bunched field and saw Anthony DiBello take the runner-up spot on the restart.
Baker Jr. moved-out to a 5 car length advantage and held-on for the win. DiBello, Balson, Chad Strawn and Bob Franks were next across the line. Gruntz, Rick Warnes, Donny Beatty, Barberstock, Hollingsworth, Craig Stevenson, Alex Cuzilla and Betts rounded-out the finishing order.
Ontario Modifieds Racing Series notebook: Balson, Baker Jr., Franks and Strawn each won an OMRS heat race…His second place main event finish was enough to clinch the 2018 series title for Anthony DiBello…Donny Beatty’s 8th place effort came at the wheel of Craig Scott’s #69 car. It was the first series start in a couple of years for the former tour champion…A 12th place showing was an impressive debut for newcomer Alex Cuzillla. The former go-karter was making his first start, after participating in a couple of the OMRS ‘Test-a-Mod’ sessions.
2018 Ontario Modifieds Racing Series schedule
Saturday, May 26th Peterborough Speedway
Cancelled – rain
Saturday, June 9th Peterborough Speedway
Main event winner: #77C, Chad Strawn
Saturday, June 16th Sauble Speedway
Twin 20 lap feature winners: #77, Brad Stevenson. #63, John Baker Jr.
Saturday, June 23rd Peterborough Speedway
Main event winner: #16, Anthony DiBello
Saturday, June 30th Flamboro Speedway
Twin 20 lap feature winners: #63, John Baker Jr.
Saturday, July 21st Peterborough Speedway
Main event winner: #77C, Chad Strawn
Saturday, August 4th Flamboro Speedway
Twin 20 lap feature winners: #16, Anthony DiBello, #77, Brad Stevenson
Saturday, August 18th Delaware Speedway
Twin 20 lap feature winner: #81, Justin Demelo
Saturday, August 25th Peterborough Speedway
Cancelled – rain
Saturday, September 1st Peterborough Speedway
Championship Clash
Main event winner: #63, John Baker Jr.
To learn more about the 2018 Ontario Modifieds Racing Series – powered by Torque Builders Inc. – schedule, visit the group’s social media platform, www.facebook.com/OMRS or look for the newly redesigned web-site www.ontariomodifiedsracing.com, coming soon.
For over a decade, Torque Builders Inc. has worked with partners and clients in the construction industry, offering new, general construction services, renovations and retrofits in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector. See www.torquebuilders.com to find out more. The 2018 OMRS tour is also supported by Complete Mechanical, Borque Transmission, Gen-3 Electrical, Sterling Tire and Clarke Motorsports Communications.
