Mother Nature may have turned-up the heat through the week. Saturday, July 8^th Peterborough Speedway added some summertime action to the mix, as Attersley Tirecraft in Port Perry, Peterborough and Oshawa presented a night of home track action that included a 50-lap feature tilt for the Bone Stock field.

The night’s opening round of feature race action rolled to the line with Jordan DesRoches and Stephen Bierworth on the front row for a 20-lap Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck headliner. DesRoches took the early lead but his time at the front of the field was short-lived, as Kyle Gordon took over the top spot with only a couple of circuits on the scoreboard. Gordon had moved out to about a half a straightaway advantage with 5 laps complete, as Chad Strawn worked to chase down the leader from his starting spot deep in the pack. As Gordon continued to lead, Strawn clicked-off position after position. He closed on the frontrunner but couldn’t get close enough to take the lead. Gordon picked-up the win, with Strawn, Kurt Batty, Shawn Murray and DesRoches completing the top 5.

The first of a pair of Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late Model features was next, with Gracelynn MacInnes and Lyla Sikma leading the rookie runners to the line. At the drop of the green flag, Sikma took the lead and never looked back as the division’s point leader took her first ever feature win. Avery Kirkpatrick, MacInnes and Praxton Sellers rounded-out the running order.

Tegan Stanley and Christen Lavalle brought a field of a dozen Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock machines to the Great Canadian RV green flag for the night’s 50-lap main event. Jake Kelly jumped out to an early lead, with Stanley falling-in behind. Kyle Novis got inside Stanley for the runner-up spot as the field started to put some of the backmarkers a lap down. A pack of slower cars that was fighting for their own positions got together at the exit of the 2^nd turn, bringing out a red flag for the multi-car wreck. Before the race could be restarted, track officials sent the No. 9 of last week’s winner Sean Kennedy pit-side to have a suspected oil leak checked-out. Returning to the track at the back of the pack, Kennedy put on a clinic, running the outside line to perfection and executing a precision 3-car pass with 28 laps complete. While Kennedy was charging to the front, the race had a new leader with less than 10 laps remaining, as Novis wrestled the lead away from Kelly. Kennedy got as high as 2^nd but ran out of time as the No. 21 Mini Cooper of Novis took the win. Kelly hung on for 3^rd, with Stanley and John Bates next across the line.

In post race inspection, Tegan Stanley’s No. 23 was found to have an issue with the front springs, while the No. 09 of Cory Horne had an engine infraction. Both cars were disqualified and the finishing order was adjusted.

With 20 laps on the table, the Jiffy Lube Super Stock hit the track as Mark Gordon and Brandon Feeney brought the field to the line. Like his son did earlier in the night with the team’s Renegade Truck, Gordon grabbed the lead right from the hop. Early in the going, Feeney was looking to the inside line to take the position from the leader. Miles Tyson moved into the 3^rd spot with 4 laps complete and set his sights on the lead duo. He’d take the runner-up spot from Feeney with about a handful of laps remaining and closed on Gordon. The pair came together coming through the 3^rd and 4^th turns, with Tyson being sent to the rear. Gordon picked-up the win, with Feeney, Donovan Price, Paul Boundy and Clayton Reed completing the fast 5.

With only the Pro Junior Late Model and Canadian Legend Car Series main events left to run, showers moved into area and forced the balance of the night’s program to be postponed. Track officials will look at potential dates to add the remaining features to the upcoming schedule.

Qualifying saw Renegade Truck heat race wins by Kyle Gordon, Kurt Batty, Stephen Bierworth and Chad Strawn. Samuel Arnott, Jacob Kelly, Tegan Stanley and Sean Kennedy had preliminary round Bone Stock victories. Lyla Sikma had both Rookie Junior Late Model wins. Cole Cousineau scored a pair of Pro Junior Late Model opening round wins, with the others going to Chase and Carson Cousineau. Mark Gordon and Miles Tyson took the Super Stock heat race victories. Canadian Legend Car Series qualifying rounds went to Dawson Drimmie, Matt Haufe, Adam Cuthbertson and Cole McFadden.

All posted finishing positions are unofficial and subject to scoring review and post-race safety and technical inspection.

Bullring bullet points: Veteran campaigner and owner of Kingsway Auto Centre – sponsor of the Junior Late Model division – Dwight Lavoie took a turn at the controls of the No. 00 Bone Stock, with Kyle Novis wheeling the No. 21 machine…with periodic sprinkles, track officials made the decision to postpone the scheduled King of the Hill timed spectator laps…The tough luck continued for Super Stock racer Gerrit Tiemersma who had another night of action sidelined by mechanical issues…13-year-old Amber Wallis of Alma, Ontario made her Peterborough Speedway debut in the No. 36w Canadian Legend Car ride…Special thanks to the team at Attersley Tirecraft who brought a group of staff members and customers to the track.

Next on the 2023 schedule at Canada’s Toughest 3^rd Mile Oval will be the Mid-Season Bash – presented by Pure Country 105 – Saturday, July 15^th. On track action will be highlighted by a 50-lap feature event for the Ontario Outlaw Super Late Models. The night’s line-up will also include the home track Bone Stock, Mini Stock and Late Model divisions, plus the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series. Kid’s rides will be the intermission feature. Pit gates will open at 2:30, grandstands at 5:00 with the first green flag at 6:00.

The Autism Awareness Night – in support of the Canadian National Autism Foundation – that was postponed Saturday, June 24^th has been added to the July 15^th schedule.

Complete details on upcoming events can be found at www.peterboroughspeedway.com and on the track’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram social media platforms.