Central Ontario motorsports fans were treated to a full night of short track fun – Saturday, August 10^th – at Peterborough Speedway.

The night’s opening order of business was the completion of a 25-lap Trailers Plus Ontario Legends Series feature that was red-flagged July 6^th with only a single scored lap because of the track curfew. Paul Pierik and Matt Haufe brought the field from the staging area to resume the main event. Haufe took the early lead from his outside front row starting spot, bringing Cole McFadden and Pierik along with him as Adam Cuthbertson slipped into 4^th. The potent No. 7 of Haufe had an advantage of close to 5 car lengths with just over a handful of laps on the scoreboard. There was excellent racing throughout the field before the race’s only yellow flag waved with only 5 laps remaining. Haufe hung-on for the win, with McFadden, Cuthbertson, Dawson Drimmie and Mitch Wright completing the top 5.

A 12-lap demonstration event for the Ontario Bandoleros saw Luke Cuthbertson and Lyla Sikma on the front row. Sikma took the early race lead, with Eva Boundy moving into 2^nd. As the field started to move through slower traffic, Lucas took the race lead and held on for the victory. Sikma, Boundy, Landon Sellers and Peyton Milburn rounded-out the top 5.

Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late Model teams rolled from the staging area for 10 lap main event that saw Austin Finnegan take the lead from the initial green flag. Near the midway mark, the driver of the No. 26 ride had an advantage of about half the track and had started working through the backmarkers. Without a yellow flag to slow the pace, he scored the win over Carter Cappuccitti, Wyatt Beatty, Knox Richardson and Robbie Miltimore.

Front row starters Andrew Massey and Rick Warnes brought the OMRS Modified teams to the stripe, with Massey taking the early race lead. The driver of the No. 83 held a strong advantage before being parked for a mechanical issue that was deemed to be a fuel leak. Rick Warnes held-off a late-race charge from crowd favourite John Baker Jr. and scored his 2^nd main event win the group’s last 3 races. Tyler Bouillon, Bob Franks and Robert Warnes chased the lead duo across the line.

Kingsway Auto Centre Pro Junior Late Model teams came to the Great Canadian RV green flag with Chase Cousineau and Landon Sellers on the front row. Cousineau’s No. 08 machine was fast but had Hudson Sellers turning in a strong run behind him. A multi-car incident on the front stretch produced a red flag with 7 laps on the scoreboard eliminated several cars, but there were no injuries to the drivers. A late race yellow flag slowed the pace but didn’t delay the outcome, as Chase Cousineau claimed the win. Landon and Hudson Sellers were 2^nd and 3^rd, with Brayden Cappuccitti and Carson Cousineau completing the top 5.

With 20 laps to settle the score, the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck feature came to the line with the field on the grid in the missing racer formation to honour the memory of former racer Bill O’Hara, who had passed away a week earlier. Chad Strawn and Mark Gordon ran most of the race’s early laps nose-to-tail, before Strawn’s No. 35 machine broke away. There was 10 truck length margin as the race leader came to the checkered flag. Gordon, Howie Crowe, Jack Dallin and Shawn Murray followed Strawn across the line.

The regularly scheduled Ontario Legend Car Series feature had Jordan Latimer and Mitch Wright on the front row for the group’s National Qualifier. Latimer took the early lead and held through a stretch where 6 different racers were battling for the top spot. A yellow flag just short of the halfway mark slowed things down, with Wright taking the lead on the restart and previous Peterborough Speedway race winner fighting for 2^nd with Latimer. The No. 21, 66 and 90 trio held onto the top 3 positions at the checkered flag, as Wright, Drimmie and Latimer crossed the stripe under a virtual blanket. Matt Haufe and Adam Cuthbertson.

Following a tribute to fallen local racer Joe Craven, Mark Downer and Chris Tubman brought the SwitchTire Mini Stock pack from the staging area for the night’s 50-lap finale. Tubman – who came into the show leading the point standings – was the early race leader. The No. 88 machine logged some fast laps at the front of the field, while Charlie Smith – who picked-up the checkered flag in this year’s season opener – was marching toward the front. His No. 95 car was the race leader with 7 laps complete and started to work through slower traffic a lap later. By the time the race was halted for Neil Bennett’s hard wreck with the 3^rd turn wall, Smith’s performance had left only 4 cars on the lead lap. The green-white-checkered flag restart with only 2 laps remaining saw Smith take the win and claim a $500 payday from Lakeside Mobile Tire. Karl Sault, Tubman, Mark Downer and Dave Watchorn completed the top 5.

All finishing positions are unofficial and subject to scoring review and post race inspection.

Bullring bullet points: Josh Millain of Petawawa, Ontario made his Ontario Legends Series debut in the No. 12x ride, while Dave Watchorn made the tow from North Gower, Ontario with his No. 97 Silver Bullet Celica for a start in the 50-lap Mini Stock feature…Last weekend’s Bone Stock feature winner Tegan Stanley made changes to his No. 23 car to run with the Mini Stock field. Mechanical issues kept him in the pits for the night…Track officials paid tribute to the recent passing of former racers Bill O’Hara and Joe Craven prior to the Renegade Truck and Mini Stock feature events…Larry Crowe of Alderville First Nation set a fast time of 16.14 seconds in his 2024 Corvette during King of the Hill.

Racing continues Saturday, August 17^th for the year’s final Double Toonie/Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Pepsi. Spectator grandstand admission is just $4.00. On track divisions will include the home track Bone Stock, Mini Stock, Super Stock and Late Model divisions. The night’s intermission feature will see the debut of the Reverse Race and Flagpole Race attractions. With times revised from the posted schedule, pit gates will open at 1:30 and grandstand admission at 4:00. Racing will start at 5:00.

Experience the best of the best when it comes to family motorsports entertainment in Central Ontario. See www.peterboroughspeedway.com for the latest schedule details, news and information and start Making Memories for Life at Peterborough Speedway.