A full line-up of action led to the crowning of the overall 2024 track championships – Saturday, August 31^st – at Peterborough Speedway.

 

The Championship Clash action began with a 20-lap feature event for the Battlefield Equipment Rental Bone Stock field that saw Alex Dallaire and Victoria McLenon on the front row. John Bates took the race lead on the initial start, with Dallaire moving into the runner-up position. Tegan Stanley was marching toward the front of the field and claimed the race lead just after the halfway mark. Slower traffic became an issue for the leader but couldn’t keep Stanley from closing the 2024 season with another win. Bates, Dallaire, Cory Horne and Sean Kennedy completed the top 5. The Novis Racing No. 21 Mini Cooper was named 2024 Bone Stock champion with a 6^th place finish.

 

Kingsway Auto Centre Junior Late Models were next to take the track as Knox Richardson and Robbie Miltimore set the stage for the title deciding headliner. Richardson was the early race leader with Wyatt Beatty looking to take over the position. A hard crash in the 3^rd turn with a handful of laps sidelined Beatty and Miltimore. Both young drivers were checked by track personnel and released to their teams. Back under green flan conditions, Carter Cappuccitti picked-up the main event win over Lakelyn Junkin and Richardson. Beatty’s damaged No. 68 machine towed to Dart Heating Victory Lane, where the 10-year-old racer accepted the accolades as the 2024 track champion.

 

Shawn Murray and Jack Dallin brought the Trent Lakes Complete Plumbing Renegade Truck teams to the line for their regular season finale 20-lap feature. Dallin took the race lead following an early caution flag and sprinted away to a strong advantage. Howie Crowe moved into the runner-up with 5 laps complete and it wasn’t long before he was joined by teammate Mark Gordon as the pair set off in pursuit of Dallin. The pilot of the No. 07 held-back the late challenge, as the former track champion grabbed his first win of the season. Crowe, Gordon, Stacy Switzer and Kurt Batty completed the top 5. Crowe’s second place effort was enough to clinch the 2024 championship.

 

Title hopeful Chris Tubman and Mark Downer were on the front row as the SwitchTire Mini Stock pack came to the stripe for the final time in the 2024 Peterborough Speedway regular season schedule. Tubman took the early race lead, with Downer, Rob Crick, Carol Dawson and Shawn Solomon glued to his rear bumper. A yellow flag with only 3 laps complete slowed the pace, but Tubman remained in control. Just as the field was working through the backmarkers another yellow flew with less than a handful of laps remaining. Tubman held on to take the win and clinched the crown, with Crick, Solomon, Tyler McMurter and Dawson completing the top 5.

 

Lucas Finnegan and Landon Sellers led the way as the Kingsway Auto Centre Pro Junior Late Models rolled-out for their 15-lap regular season finale. Finnegan’s No. 26 was the class of the field as he took control of things and was the first car across the line. Brayden Cappuccitti, Hudson Sellers, Landon Sellers, Lyla Sikma and Carson Cousineau were next to cross the line. Even though he was disqualified in post-race inspection, Finnegan’s lead heading into the feature race was enough for him to clinch the overall title.

 

Front row starters Mark Gordon and Donovan Price brought the Jiffy Lube Super Stocks from the staging area for a 20-lap ‘A’ main event. From the drop of the green flag, Gordon was in control of things with solid runs by Clayton Reed, Price and Sean Walker turning heads. Holding a straightaway lead, the driver of the No. 52 machine sprinted away as his son Kyle – who started the night as the division’s point leader – making his presence known inside the top 5. Mark Gordon claimed the checkered flag over Reed, Price and Walker. Kyle Gordon’s 5^th place showing was enough to clinch to 2024 Super Stock championship.

 

The only division not in a position to crown its 2024 champion – the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, presented by GEN-3 Electrical – came to the initial green flag in the missing driver formation, with the pole position left vacant in tribute to one of the group’s former competitors Robert Maebrae who passed away in November of 2022. Andrew Massey took the lead under racing conditions, before surrendering the position to Tyler Bouillon. The new racer leader, who ironically campaigns a car that once belonged to Maebrae held the advantage despite being challenged by former group titleholder Alex Cuzzilla and the No. 90 of Rick Warnes, who has enjoyed some solid runs during the current schedule. Bouillon scored the win in the 20-lap feature, with Cuzzilla, Warnes, John Baker Jr. and Bob Franks rounding out the top 5. The 2024 OMRS championship will be awarded Friday, October 11^th during the Autumn Colours Classic.

 

Kelly Balson and Jacob Mercer paced the KOD Disposal Late Model field to the flag for the 25-lap spotlight event that would clinch the group’s champion. With success in a variety of Peterborough Speedway divisions over the years, it was only a matter of time before Kelly Balson would land another weekly Late Model win to his resume. The driver of the No. B10 took the early lead and survived a caution for a frontstretch incident with only 5 laps on the scoreboard. Bobby Cousineau took the runner-up spot from Mercer on the restart, with Dan McHattie and Ryan Kimball making their presence known with about 6 laps remaining. Balson was strong enough to take the regular season’s final win over Mercer, McHattie, Kimball and James Horner. Kimball’s 4^th place finish was enough to clinch the 2024 Late Model title.

 

Action wrapped-up with a trio of 10-lap non-Winners races. Alex Dallaire (No. 46) took the checkered flag in the Bone Stock shootout, with Erin Kearns (No. 42x) claiming the Mini Stock victory. Carson Cousineau (No. 11) was the Pro Junior Late Model winner.

 

All finishing positions are unofficial, subject to scoring review and post-race inspection. Following the Mini Stock feature event, driver of the No. 26 Mark Downer was disqualified for his crew putting hands on a track official during a pit area incident. Pro Junior Late Model racer Lucas Finnegan was disqualified for improper weight placement on his No. 26 car.

 

Bullring bullet points: Former Bone Stock track champion Shawn Solomon was kept busy as a relief driver. He ran the No. 06 Bone Stock in place of Christen Lavalle and the No. 6 Mini Stock, while John Lavalle took a break from the action…2024 Bone Stock title contender Sean Kennedy needed replace a brake line following the opening round of practice…Former Super Stock racer Darren Jones was on-hand to make his debut in the Late Model field. He ran some laps during the pre-race practice session, struggled with handling issues during his qualifying event before retiring his No. 68 ride after only a few laps in the headliner…In a show of good sportsmanship, Erin Kearns – who had made less than a handful of starts this season – informed track officials that she wouldn’t be scoring points for her effort so not to interfere with drivers racing for the overall Mini Stock title.

 

Track officials will now continue to work on plans for the running of the 31^st annual APC Autumn Colours Classic – October 11^th through 13^th. One of the first events of this year’s season-ending spectacular will be an open practice session slated for Sunday, October 6^th from 11:30 ‘til 4:00.

 

Keep up to date with the latest track news, information and schedule updates at www.peterboroughspeedway.com or on the track’s social media platforms and pages.