Predicted heavy rains arrived early in the afternoon and put things a little behind schedule, but couldn’t stop the show – Saturday, August 12^th – at Peterborough Speedway. Track staff and officials appreciate the patience and support of fans and racers during the rain delay and getting the surface race ready.

The first feature event of the night was a 20-lapper for the Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stocks that saw championship contenders Jacob Kelly and Sean Kennedy on the front row. The title rivals came into the night only 10 points apart in the running order. Kelly took the lead on the race’s initial start, with Kennedy hot on his tail and Angelo Novis 3^rd. Kelly had about a 5-car advantage on Kennedy, with the No. 9 machine carrying the same gap on Novis. The lead trio started working through backmarkers with about 5 laps remaining but Kelly remained in control and took the win. Novis got around Kennedy for 2^nd, with John Bates and Cory Horne completing the top 5 in the caution-free feature.

Gracelynn MacInnes and Avery Kirkpatrick led the Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late pack to the green flag, with newcomer Brayden Cappuccitti taking the lead after just a couple of laps. Backmarkers became an issue as the leaders caught the tail-end of the field. Cappuccitti – who swept the qualifying events earlier in the night – grabbed his second straight feature win. MacInnes and Kirkpatrick were next across the line, with Lakelyn Praxton Sellers rounding out the top 5 in the night’s second caution-free ‘A’ main.

20-laps of action for the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, presented by GEN-3 Electrical would be the issue as Bob Franks and Randy Hollingsworth brought the field to the line. Franks grabbed an early lead, with rookie of the year hopeful Andrew Massey taking 2^nd from his starting spot inside the second row. Reigning OMRS champion Alex Cuzzilla was marching through the field from his mid-pack starting spot, with current point leader John Baker Jr. on his bumper. The duo worked around Franks and Massey around the halfway mark and took control of the feature tilt. Tyler Bouillon was 5^th at the checkered flag. An early race spin by 6^th place finisher Shane Pollock – who kept rolling after the 4^th turn issue – created another caution-free feature.

Dan McHattie and Derek Lynch led the KOD Disposal Late Model pack to the stripe for a 25-lap feature event. McHattie took control early, with fellow former track champion and Autumn Colours Classic winner Ryan Kimball close behind. The waged a torrid battle at the front of the field, with Kimball looking for every possible way to get around the No. 71 machine he’d been chasing since the drop of the green flag. Even when they were working through lapped traffic, McHattie held the advantage. Even when the rear wheels of the car broke loose, McHattie kept control. With another feature going from green flag to checkered, McHattie claimed the win and praised Kimball for running a clean, hard race. James Horner, Lynch and Jacob Mercer chased the lead duo across the line.

The Kingsway Auto Centre Pro Late Model teams were next on the docket, with Lucas Cousineau and Landon Sellers bringing the field to the Great Canadian RV green flag for a 15-lap feature. 3-wide racing was the issue early as the top 6 in the running order battled for position. Fans saw the first feature race yellow flag of the night with 4 laps complete. Cole Cousineau took the lead on the restart and kept control of things until another caution for an issue in the 2^nd turn with 13 laps on the scoreboard. The No. 14 machine took the win, with Lucas Finnegan, Sellers, Kaiden Beatty and Lucas Cousineau next across the line.

Shawn Murray and Paul Boundy showed the way as the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck field rolled out for their 20-lap headliner. Murray led the opening stages, but Chad Strawn was a man on a mission. As the division’s most recent feature winner, he started deep in the pack but quickly made a 3-wide pass using the inside line to move into the runner-up spot and had the race lead with only a pair of circuits complete. The leaders started to catch slower traffic around the halfway mark, with a 4-truck battle for 2^nd. Strawn took the win in a dominating run during the caution-free feature. Kyle Gordon, Kurt Batty, Murray and Jordan Desroches completed the top 5.

The final feature race of the night saw Erin Kearns and Brandon Feeney lead the SwitchTire Mini Stocks to the green flag. Feeney was looking for the lead early, but Kearns held strong on the inside line. After starting deep in the field, Nolan Gould wheeled his No. 28G ride into 5^th, but continued to match toward the front and was leading the 20-lapper near the halfway mark. As the leaders starting to put slower traffic a lap down with less than a handful of laps remaining, Gould was showing his muscle at the front of the field and took another feature race checkered flag. Kearns and Feeney were 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. Jacob Mercer – filling-in for Carol Dawson in the No. 38 was 4^th – with Brad Lavalle 5^th.

Tegan Stanley, Angelo Novis, Cory Horne and Sean Kennedy took the Bone Stock opening rounds, with Brayden Cappuccitti sweeping both Junior Late Model heat races. Ontario Modifieds Racing Series qualifying heats went to Alex Cuzzilla and Rick Warnes, while Dan McHattie, Derek Lynch, James Horner and Ryan Kimball shared the Late Model preliminary rounds. Lucas Cousineau, Landon Sellers, Cole Cousineau and Lucas Finnegan had the Pro Junior Late Model heat wins. Chad Strawn swept Renegade Truck qualifying, with Nolan Gould scoring a pair of Mini Stock heats. Coleridge Phinnemore and Brad Lavalle had the others.

All finishing positions are unofficial, pending scoring review and post race inspection.

Bullring bullet points: Showers that rolled through the area just before the gates opened put the program about an hour and a half behind schedule and led to track officials cancelling the planned Fan Appreciation autograph session. Drivers went through the grandstands to hand-out treats and meet the fans…Brad Lavalle took a turn in the No. 6 Mini Stock, in place of his brother John…Coleridge Phinnamore made his first start of the year in his No. 80 Mini Stock…Jacob Mercer was tabbed as the designated driver of the No. 38 Mini Stock, in place of Carol Dawson…Pro Junior Late Model racer Cole Cousineau introduced a new paint scheme – reminiscent of the former Kyle Petty Mello Yello NASCAR Ride – on his No. 14 machine…For the second straight week Chris Tubman experienced engine issues with his No. 88 Mini Stock. He thinks the problem under the hood may have brought an early end to his season…With another storm cell showing on weather radar and lightning visible, all but one of the night’s feature events ran caution-free.

The 2023 schedule continues Saturday, August 19^th with the Canadian Legend Car Series joining the home track Mini Stock, Super Stock, Late Model and Junior Late Model divisions. Grandstand gates open at 5:00, with racing at 6:00.

Make www.peterboroughspeedway.com or the track’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media profiles for the latest news and information on this year’s remaining events at Canada’s Toughest 3^rd Mile Oval.