Winning the Autumn Colours Classic is the goal of every short track racer in the province and the Chase for the Colours Pole Qualifier – Saturday, August 22^nd – at Peterborough Speedway locked-in the front row starting spots for drivers in the Mini Stock, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car and Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model divisions. Also on the night’s program was the hometown Renegade Truck class and the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series.

Nolan Gould and James Townsend brought the field of 27 starters to Great Canadian RV green flag to kick-off the 30 lap Mini Stock main event. After an early race yellow flag slowed the pace, things settled-down nicely with some exciting racing throughout the pack. Gould led through the opening stages, before surrendering the top spot to Tyler Junkin with 9 laps showing on the scoreboard. As field encountered lapped traffic with around 14 circuits complete, Junkin’s advantage grew and he scored his second consecutive ‘Chase’ win. Ryan Oosterholt, James Townsend, Kyle Baker and Gould completed the top 5.

Bill O’Hara and Tim Burke paced the pack of pick-ups to the line for the Renegade Truck division main event. Burke got a jump on the initial green flag and managed to hold-off a late race charge by defending track champion Jack Dallin for his second win of the year in the caution-free feature tilt.

It was Steve Foster and Tyler Betts on the front row as the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model teams set-sail for a 50 lap main event that would determine inside and outside pole positions for October’s Autumn Colours Classic. Green flag racing was the order of business until a lap 16 spin by Jack Horner. The caution flag also saw Betts and Rick Walt give up what had been a straight-away advantage on the field. With the inside line the quick way around, several drivers tried to make the outside groove work. Dave Morgan’s attempt on the 22^nd lap cost the Buckhorn, Ontario veteran 7 spots in the running order. Former track champion Bryan Sudsbury attempted a similar move a few laps later, but also couldn’t make it work. At the checkers, it was Walt earning the Autumn Colours Classic pole, over Bryan Mercer. Morgan, Betts and Mike Wallace chased the lead pair to the line.

Alex Lees and defending series champion Robert Warnes led the way as the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series rolled from the staging area for their 25 lap main event. An early race yellow slowed the pace and Warnes grabbed the lead on the restart. A few laps later, contact between Chad Strawn and Nick Lees sent both drivers to the rear of the field, but Warnes remained in control. Donny Beatty had mounted a hard charge from the 9^th starting spot and worked his way to the runner-up position with a dozen laps complete. The veteran runner tried to get around the leader using the high and low lines for a handful of laps, but the #95 machine would thwart every challenge on the way to his first win of the year. Alex Lees, Jamie Wagar and Ryan Babin were next in line.

Howie Crowe and Cayden Lapcevich occupied the front row as the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car runners hit Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval for 40 action-packed laps. Hard charging throughout the field kept fans on the edge of their seats from the drop of the green flag. Upstart Lapcevich took the early lead, but his Chase for the Colours win was hardly a walk in the park. Matt Bentley tried to snatch victory from the youngster a number of times, with several yellow flags kept the field tight. Former Autumn Colours Classic champion Joe Adams, Luke Gignac and Dan Archibald completed the fast 5 finishers.

Qualifying heats earlier in the night went to Mini Stock drivers Danny Benedict, Tyler Junkin, James Townsend, Andy McCann, Chris Allard and Nolan Gould. Jack Dallin and Chris Burrage in the Renegade Trucks. Bryan Mercer, Mark Gordon, Tyler Betts and last Saturday night’s feature winner Rick Walt took the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model preliminary rounds. Jamie Wagar, Nick Lees with a pair and his twin brother Alex won OMRS qualifiers, with Cayden Lapcevich, Ken Grubb, Howie Crowe and Mike Meyer claiming the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car checkered flags.

Bullring bullet points: Oshawa, Ontario’s Wayne Hunter pocketed a 50/50 draw payoff of more than $810…Peterborough’s Mike Wallace did double duty on the night. He finished 5^th in the Late Model Main event and also steered the #15 – usually campaigned by Rob Richards – in Thunder Car action. Donny Beatty was scheduled to drive a Thunder Car in addition to his OMRS ride, but the #R40 full fendered machine was sidelined by mechanical gremlins…With his regular ride, ‘Black Magic’ damaged a few weeks ago, Howie Crowe pulled ‘The Bus’ out of the team’s shop on the Alderville First Nation.

2015’s Hot August Night Racing Series wraps-up Saturday, August 29^th at Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval. The hometown Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car and Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model teams will be in action, along with the INEX Ontario Legends and Ontario Modifieds Racing Series. Pit gates will open at 3:00, with the spectator grandstands unlocked at 5:00 and the night’s first green flag at 6:00.

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