Heat warnings were the issue of the day as Peterborough Speedway opened the door to the summer portion of the track’s 2025 Saturday night race schedule.

First to leave the staging area was a 20-lap main event for the SwitchTire Mini Stocks that had Kent Missons and Mike Nelson on the front row. The lead duo battled side-by-side for the top spot through the early stages before Nelson grabbed the lead with just a few circuits complete. James Townsend – in his first start of the season – moved into the runner-up position with 4 laps on the scoreboard, while last week’s winner John Lavalle looked to steal 4^th away from Rob Crick. The pack started to put slower traffic a lap down just past the halfway mark, with Nelson still the race leader. The No. 70 machine broke loose coming off the 4^th turn with 5 laps to go and Townsend was quick to pounce. He took the race lead but pulled onto the infield pit lane with only a few turns remaining. Nelson held on for the win, with Missons, Crick, Lavalle and Tyler McMurter completing the top 5 in the caution-free feature.

With a race window of 15 laps or 15 minutes to settle the score, the Junior Late Model field came to the line with Avery Kirkpatrick and Lucas Finnegan leading the way. Finnegan grabbed the lead with the drop of the green flag, with Oliver Gibbons hot on his tail. It wasn’t long before the leaders caught the back of the pack as the young chargers started putting the tail of the field a lap down with only about 3 laps on the scoreboard. A pair of mid-race yellow flags may have slowed the pace but couldn’t keep Finnegan from victory lane. Newcomer Owen Ephgrave, Lyla Sikma Brayden Cappuccitti and Kaiden Beatty rounded out the front 5 finishers.

Front row starters Andrew Whelan and Jaden Riddell led the group of 14 starters as the Can Am TQ Midgets prepped for a 25-lap feature tilt at the venue known for Making Memories for Life. Riddell took the early race lead, with James Stanley closing-in from his 2^nd position. A yellow flag in the 2^nd turn with 4 laps on the scoreboard slowed the pace and brought the field back together. Daniel Hawn grabbed the top spot with a handful of laps complete, with Stanley hanging on to 2^nd. Another pair of caution flags regrouped the pack but couldn’t knock point leader Hawn out of the race lead. A 6-car fight for the lead was brought to a halt for a rollover on the back stretch. Despite being sidelined for the rest of the night, Alex Connell walked away from the wreck unhurt. Hawn would pull out to a 7-car length advantage over Stanley, with the driver of the No. 57 almost the margin of a straightaway ahead of 3^rd place. Hawn held on for his 3^rd straight win over Stanley. Darren McLennan, Domonique Smith and Riddell rounded out the top 5 in the latest event of the group’s 60^th anniversary season.

Setting the stage for the 20-lap KOD Disposal Late Model main event had Gary Hannah and Kelly Balson leading the field to the green flag. Balson grabbed the early race lead, with John Owen taking over 2^nd and Dan McHattie moving into 3^rd. Balson enjoyed almost a straightaway advantage over Owen, before McHattie took 2^nd near the halfway mark. As the race distance ran down, reigning track champion Ryan Kimball put his No. 16 ride into 3^rd. At the checkered flag, it was Balson, McHattie, Kimball, Hannah and Owen as the top 5.

The night’s action wrapped-up with a Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck 20-lap tilt that had Scott Jacobs and Jack Dallin on the front row. Dallin took the lead from the drop of the green flag and held the position for the first handful of laps, before Kyle Donaldson took control of the field. Donaldson – who made headlines of his own in the Super Stock and Late Model fields at other provincial venues – has been tabbed as a relief driver by Howie Crowe over the years and wheeled the team’s No. 62 to a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Despite being involved in an early race caution, Mark Gordon bounced back to finish 2^nd. Dallin, Kyle Fetterly and Jacobs locked up the top 5 positions.

Qualifying events earlier in the night saw checkered flags for Kent Missons, John Lavalle and James Townsend with a pair in the SwitchTire Mini Stocks. Avery Kirkpatrick, Kaiden Beatty, Lyla Sikma, Oliver Gibbons, Lucas Finnegan and Owen Ephgrave in the Junior Late Models. Daniel Hawn and Jeff Blackburn split the Can Am Midget preliminary rounds. Former track champions Ryan Kimball and Dan McHattie shared the KOD Disposal Late Model wins. Shawn Murray, Kyle Donaldson and Mark Gordon (with a pair) had the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck heat race victories.

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

Bullring bullet points: A brief rain shower limited all teams to a single round of practice, but didn’t prevent racing from starting at the advertised time of 6:00…Veteran Super Late Model racer John Owen made his first start of the season in the No. 2 Late Model, while Paul Toms was back for his 2^nd run in the No. 67 Late Model…Kris Inglis took advantage of a night off from his home track to run with the Peterborough Speedway Mini Stocks…Howie Crowe took the night off and relinquished the controls of his No. 62 Renegade Truck to Kyle Donaldson…Bone Stocker Tegan Stanley made his long anticipated Mini Stock debut. Unfortunately, mechanical issues sidelined his effort before the start of the feature event.

With rising temperatures, the track’s new Whips n’ Licks Ice Cream Shop, featuring Kawartha Dairy Products was a popular break fans looking to beat the heat. Peterborough Speedway is the latest track to offer the Track Tune feature that will allow fans to eavesdrop on the raceday chatter between track announcers, whether at the facility or in the comfort of home.

Coming up Saturday, June 28^th will be the year’s 2^nd Double Toonie/Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Pepsi. Spectator grandstand admission is just $ 4.00 for a night of home track racing with the Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock, SwitchTire Mini Stock, Jiffy Lube Super Stock and KOD Disposal Late Model divisions, plus the Trailers Plus Ontario Legend Car Series. Gates open at 4:00, with racing at 5:00.

Stay in touch with www.peterboroughspeedway.com and the track’s social media pages or platforms for the latest track news and information for Central Ontario’s favourite race place.