THOROLD, ONTARIO (June 27, 2020) … Racing returned to “Canada’s Oldest Dirt Track” Saturday Night as defending track champion Brad Rouse from St. Catharines, Ontario won the main event for the RM Racing Lubricants/Rick’s Delivery DIRTcar Sportsman as part of Operation Green Flag: Mission Merrittville Speedway. Port Colborne, Ontario’s Jacob Dykstra picked up the win in the Action Sprint Tour A-Main. Jay Moulton from St. Catharines, Ontario won the main event for the Central Fabricating/Glo & Go Tanning Mini Stocks. The event was streamed LIVE on GForceTV.net and will be broadcasted nationally on REVTV Canada.
Jake Dykstra and Darren Dryden were on the front row for the first Action Sprint Tour event of the 2020 season with with Dykstra showing the way. After a couple of early cautions slowed the pace down, Dykstra, Dryden, and Mike Bowman started to pull away from the field. Ryan Hunsinger and Cody Smith brought out the caution to bunch the field back up again. Bowman would battle with Dryden for second place for several laps. Bowman would take over the second position with six laps remaining. Bowman would be on the tail tank of Dykstra on the lap 19 restart and would look to the inside of Dykstra with five laps remaining. Allan Downey would pass Dryden to take over third place with four laps remaining. Downey would continue his trek towards the front and would go to the outside to pass Bowman to take over second with two laps remaining. Jacob Dykstra would hold off Downey to bring home the win. Mike Bowman would finish in third to complete the podium. “I’ve felt like I’ve had millions of laps here at Merrittville and its always cool to win here” stated Dykstra in victory lane. “I’m speechless with a second-place finish and I’m pumped about my first top-five finish”, commented runner up finisher Allan Downey. Third place finisher Mike Bowman said “I had a lot of fun. Can’t thank Terry Baker and his crew enough for letting me have fun tonight.”
Marketing and support of Operation Green Flag: Mission Merrittville is provided by Bobcat of Hamilton, Corr/Pak Merchandising, Bicknell Racing Products, Hoosier Tire Canada, Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Rick’s Delivery, Bellinger Electric Inc., and Rouse Motorsports.
RACE RESULTS – JUNE 27, 2020 – MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY
Heat 1
1. 1EH Paul Klager; 2. 49L Lucas Smith; 3. 26X Mike Bowman; 4. 5 DJ Christie; 5. 45 Nick Sheridan; 6. 2M Steve Murdock; 7. DNF 70MM Dave McKnight
Heat 2
1. 56 Dereck Lemyre; 2. 12D Darren Dryden; 3. 19D Allan Downey; 4. 20 Johnny Miller; 5. 14 Noelle Teal; 6. 50LS Adrian Stahle; 7. 49C Cody Smith
Heat 3
1. 08 Steven Beckett; 2. 29 Liam Martin; 3. 88H Josh Hansen; 4. 4 Jesse Costa; 5. 7 Eric Gledhill; 6. 9C Brian Nanticoke; 7. 14 Larry Gledhill
Heat 4
1. 5D Jacob Dystra; 2. R52 Ryan Hunsinger; 3. 74 Rob Neely; 4. 29W Tyler Ward; 5. 51 Trevor Young; 6. B39 Brett Stratford; 7. 77 Darrell Pelletier
A-Main
1. 5D Jacob Dykstra; 2. 19 Allan Downey; 3. 26X Mike Bowman; 4. 12D Darren Dryden; 5. 29 Liam Martin; 6. 1EH Paul Klager; 7. 08 Steven Beckett; 8. 88H Josh Hansen; 9. 56 Dereck Lemyre; 10. 20 Johnny Miller; 11. 45 Nick Sheridan; 12. 5 DJ Christie; 13. 4 Jesse Costa; 14. 49L Lucas Smith; 15. 50LS Adrian Stahle; 16. 7 Eric Gledhill; 17. 74 Rob Neely; 18. R52 Ryan Hunsinger; 19. 51 Trevor Young; 20. 2M Steve Murdock; 21. 9C Brian Nanticoke; 22. 70MM Dave McKnight; 23. B39 Brett Stratford; 24. 14 Larry Gledhill; 25. 29W Tyler Ward; 26. 77 Darrell Pelletier; 27. DNF 49C Cody Smith; 28. DNF 14 Noelle Teal