OMRS Teams Check In at Peterborough Speedway for the First Time in 2015
Numbering 16 strong, the fan favourite Ontario Modifieds Racing Series – powered by Torque Builders Inc. – made their first start of the season – Saturday, May 23rd – at Peterborough Speedway.
After starting the night with qualifying event wins by Brad Stevenson, Nick Lees, Donny Beatty and Josh Gruntz, it was time for the popular open wheeled brigade to show their stuff on the venue known as Canada’s Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval in the headline dance.
With Randy Hollingsworth and Rick Warnes on the front row, the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series rides came from the staging area for a 25 lapper. At the drop of the green flag, John Baker Jr. – a multi-time 2014 Peterborough Speedway Thunder Car winner – took the early lead. With 6 laps down, the yellow flag waved for defending series champion Rob Warnes who cut a tire and slowed to a stop in the 3rd turn. On the restart, former series champion Dwight Brown was fighting JBJ for the top spot. The pace was slowed again after 11 laps entered the record book for a hard crash into the 3rd turn wall, between rookie contender Jamie Wagar and Gary Tryon. Tryon rolled away under his own power, while Wagar’s #32 machine – owned by fellow OMRS racer Josh Gruntz – was cradled from the track between a pair of wreckers.
With the green flying again, so was Dwight Brown as he took the top spot from Baker and although the #63 of Baker got close as the pair fought through lapped traffic in the late stages, Brown held-off the challenge for the win. Baker crossed the line second. Brad Stevenson, Donny Beatty and Ryan Dick finished 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. Gruntz, Alex Lees, Christopher Mulders, Hollingsworth, Rob Warnes, Willow Barberstock, Chris Burrows, Rick Warnes, Tryon, Nick Lees and Wagar completed the OMRS finishing order.
Ontario Modifieds Racing Series News: After experiencing some overheating issues during practice and qualifying, Alex Lees removed some of the body panels from his #07 machine for the feature…Christopher Mulders piloted the #46 car, with Ryan Babin scheduled to take his turn when the series returns to action.
