With hot weather in the forecast and sizzling action on the racetrack, everyone put their best foot forward as the 2024 schedule reached its unofficial halfway point with the Pure Country 105 Mid-Season Bash – Saturday, July 13^th – at Peterborough Speedway.

A bit of housekeeping was the night’s first order of business, as the Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock teams hit the track for a feature event that was weather delayed from June 8^th. Kyle Johnson and Alex Dallaire brought the starting field to the green flag for the 20-lap affair. Johnnie McIntyre took the early race lead and was showing the fast way around until Samuel Arnott took the lead just before the halfway mark, with Victoria McLenon enjoying another strong run in her No. 89 machine. Arnott, Tegan Stanley, Sean Kennedy, Kyle Novis and McIntyre were the first 5 across the line at the checkered flag. Arnott and Stanley were both disqualified in tech for ride height violations, giving Kennedy the win. Dallaire was credited with 5^th in the revised running order.

Another holdover main event saw the KOD Disposal Late Models come to the line for a 25-lapper that had James Horner and Jacob Mercer showing the way. From his inside front starting spot, Horner took the lead, with Dan McHattie moving into the runner-up position. Just as the driver of the No. 71 machine took the lead, the pace was slowed for an incident in the 3^rd with 4 laps on the scoreboard. Mercer restarted 2^nd, as Ryan Kimball was the 3^rd place runner. McHattie was unchallenged over the closing stages of the feature tilt and took the checkered flag. Kimball, Horner, Mercer and Steve Powell completed the top 5.

Rookie of the Year hopeful Mark Downer lined-up alongside Erin Kearns as the SwitchTire Mini Stock pack left the staging area for an ‘A’ main event. Kearns was the initial race leader, with Downer and Tyler McMurter on her tail. With just over a handful of laps complete, Chris Tubman was running 3^rd and slipped into the 2^nd spot with less than half the race complete. Slower traffic became an issue with 13 laps on the scoreboard. Tubman took control with only a handful of laps remaining and scored the win. Kearns, Ember Junkin, Rob Crick and Downer completed the fast 5.

The 2024 season has been a tough one for Chad Strawn. His No. 35 Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck has experienced a multitude of mechanical issues throughout the year and entered the Mid-Season Bash event sitting 6^th in the overall standings. He’d line-up alongside Howie Crowe as the pack came to the Great Canadian RV green flag to kick-off the 20-lap headliner. Strawn took the lead early, with Crowe never far from his back bumper. Kurt Batty and Stacy Switzer entered the fray, but the leader’s streak of tough luck was behind him. Not even a late race caution could keep Chad Strawn from the checkered flag. Crowe, Mark Gordon, Batty and Switzer chased the race winner to the line.

Following a rainout in 2023, the Ontario Outlaw Super Late Model Series returned to Peterborough Speedway for a 50-lap feature event that put Dario Caprichio and Thayne Hallyburton on the front row. Early in the race distance, all eyes were on JR Fitzpatrick, as the driver of the potent No. 84 ride – who had started 4^th – took the lead with less than a handful of laps complete. Fitzpatrick started to put slower traffic a lap down with 10 circuits on the lap counter and had a straightaway advantage only 2 laps later. A lap race yellow flag slowed the pace but there were only 3 cars on the same lap as the race winner when the checkered flag fell. Fitzpatrick was followed across the line by Brandon Passer and Caprichio. Local favourite Marlie Owen finished 4^th, with Ethan Courneyea 5^th.

Tegan Stanley and Cory Horne led the Bone Stock field to the stripe for its regularly scheduled feature. Stanley was the early race leader and held that advantage to through the entire race distance to take the checkered flag. In post race inspection, the No. 23 and No. 04 rides of Stanley and Sam Arnott were disqualified. The revised finishing order of the caution free feature was changed to give Horne the win over Johnnie McIntyre, Sean Kennedy, Alex Dallaire and Angelo Novis.

Action concluded with the night’s Late Model feature tilt. Front row starters Bobby Cousineau and Jacob Mercer led the way for the 25-lap finale. The field closed-in on the backmarkers with just over a handful of laps complete, as Cousineau continued to lead at the halfway point. McHattie moved into 2^nd with 18 laps on the scoreboard and wrestled away the lead 2 laps later to log a sweep of the night’s Late Model action. Cousineau, Ryan Kimball, Mercer and James Horner rounded-out the top-5.

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

Bullring bullet points: After seeing the team’s No. 07 truck heavily damaged earlier in the season, Adam Chatten was back at the controls of a ride he shares with former track champion Jack Dallin…A former Legend Car and Ontario Sportsman Series racer, Jeremy Coulter made his first Renegade Truck division start in the No. 38 machine.

Next on this year’s calendar will see the home track Bone Stock, Renegade Truck, Super Stock, Late Model and Junior Late Model teams return to action, along with the annual running of the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series Bill Pickford Memorial, with Kid’s Bike Races as the intermission feature. Also on the agenda will be the make-up Mini Stock and Super Stock feature races from Saturday, June 8^th.

Get the latest news, schedule details and event information by checking the redesigned www.peterboroughspeedway.com or the track’s social media platforms and pages.