Thorold, Ontario – Last season. 30 years after he was named Rookie of the Year – Randy Slack returned to Merrittville Speedway’s Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Division as a car owner. It was a story everyone watched with Watertown NY Driver Billy Dunn behind the wheel of the BRP Chassis powered by an experimental Wegner W-16 Spec Engine.

Now that that engine has been adapted by DIRTcar circuit-wide, the Caledonia trucking company owner will return for a second season of Saturday Night racing. For 2016, the 2015 BRP Chassis will have a new W-16.

Also new is Chris Steele of St. Catharines who was recently named as the new driver of the 3RS.

“Last summer was a lot of fun with Billy,” said Randy’s son Bob, “he raced Karts for me and he’s like my little brother but over the off season we both decided that with all the travel time and being away from home and work – maybe we should look for another driver. Billy suggested Chris and when Dad heard that … he was all in. He’s watched Chris race and likes his dedication – his respect for other drivers and his respect for equipment.”

Steele and his father Owen were avid race fans as Chris was growing up with their passion getting to the point that they both wanted more.

That more led to Chris’ start in Kart Racing Tuesday Nights at 14 years of age, “our original plan was to race Saturday Nights right from the start,” added Steele, “with no knowledge or equipment we thought a few years of karting would be best to get our feet wet.”

Steele, who will turn 29 next Christmas Day made the move to the big track with a Mod Lite where he spent 3 seasons before making the move to the 358 Modifieds. With three seasons in that class the Steeles took on another of their interests – Sprint Cars.

“They really appealed to Dad and I,” said Steele, “our concern was all the travel. When Ohsweken Speedway added a weekly schedule … that made our plans real easy.”

Steele won the Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprint Car Title in 2012 and in 2016 has no set schedule but the plans include races at Ohsweken and some Patriot Sprint Tour and Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint Events.

For the last 5 seasons Steele has spent his Saturday Nights as driver of the Pete and Linda Cosco-owned 17c Modified. After Pete’s untimely passing in 2014 – Steele and his then fiancée Sami wanted to honor his memory and were instrumental in establishing the Pete Cosco Car Owner of the Year Award.

“The award was the least I could do,” remembered Steele, “I’ll always be grateful for all that Pete and Linda did for me.”

2015 was shaping up to be one that the Registered Dental Technician at the family-owned Niagara Dental Arts might have liked to forget as an accident during the Spring Sizzler put his Sprint Car Racing behind schedule only to be followed later in the season by an engine failure in his Cosco Haulage 17c. For the 1st Annual Pete Cosco Memorial at Humberstone Speedway – fellow racer Chad Brachmann lent Chris his car which proudly sported the body panels from his 17c.

The season would close on a high note as after Paul Klager suffered an injury - Steele would take Klager’s ride to Victory Lane September 5th.

Soon after racing ended last fall, Chris and Sami were married. Sami is the sister of Modified Racer Shayne Pierce and at one time was Miss Merrittville.

“Sami comes from a racing family and together – we’re looking forward to this next chapter in our lives.”

The newlyweds who met at the races are avid travelers - whether it’s for a couple days or a couple weeks. The Steeles aren’t afraid to go anywhere as evidenced by their Honeymoon in Greece and a recent ski trip to Mont-Tremblant although it may have been Sami’s first time on skis.

“I’m really excited to be able to work alongside Randy and Bob,” said Steele, “they are both highly respected in the racing community … I am looking forward to joining their team and producing some good results.”

In their first season with Dunn as the driver, the 3RS visited Victory Lane on 3 occasions resulting in a 5th place finish in the points.

“I was very surprised with the way the W-16 Engine performed last season,” said Steele, “I ‘m not too familiar with it but it looks like Billy and the team were able to get all the bugs out of it last season. Up until now I haven’t been a big fan of Spec Engines – but as an option … I think it works.”

“This deal with Chris came together almost as quickly as it did last year with Billy,” said Randy before a Golf Game near his Florida Winter Home, “we are looking to build on last season and make a run at a Championship.”

Randy – the son of former Cayuga Speedway owners and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famers Bob and the late Leone Slack began his racing career in a Mini Stock at the Nelles Corners speed plant. Before getting behind the wheel, Slack was part of the Track Clean Up Crew and was quite surprised that his racing paid more than the $6 he earned at work.

Feature Wins early in his career at his home track and many others around Southern Ontario and the US led to Points Championships in 1972 and 1973 at Cayuga. One of his earliest highlights was a 50 lap win at Delaware when he lapped the whole field.

In the early 80’s – Randy made the move to the Super Late Model Division with Sam Rounce as Crew Chief and would soon be driving a car built by Junior Hanley. Originally #13 – another change was his current car #3.

In 1981, Slack would win the last two Friday Night Races at Cayuga beating legends Don Biederman and Hanley himself. That final weekend also saw him compete in an ASA Event where he would turn second fastest qualifying time.

As his dad would convert Cayuga from a weekly track to a specials format, racing would take off for Randy. During the 80’s he would win championships at Delaware and Flamboro as well as some Series Titles. A partnership with eventual L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Famer Don Turner in 1985 and 1986 led to his Rookie Award after adding a Dirt Big Block Modified to his racing resume.

During the 80’s his Super Late Model Career also included NASCAR North Events, ASA and in the new GATR Big Rig Truck Series. In the late 1980’s, it was a conversation between Slack, Joe Plazek and Glenn Donnelly that led to the DIRT Asphalt Series.

“It was great to get back into a DIRT Modified again,” relayed Slack, “when I was in Don’s car it was quite a switch coming from asphalt but with the car on asphalt … it was a lot more comfortable.”

Slack finished second in a small block against all the big blocks and bought a second BRP Car that Reggie Ruggiero won with at Thompson Speedway and still has the (still unused) spittoon from winning one of the final SKOAL Racing Super DIRTcar Series Events back in the day.

Slack would also win 3 Championships in the GATR Big Rig Series that ran events on both Dirt and Asphalt Ovals – a series that lasted until the early 90’s. A few more Late Model Races through the mid 90’s eventually had Slack step away from racing to focus on growing his Transport Sales and Service Trucking firm.

One thing was obvious – Slack loved to race.

“Looking back … I’d like to say that I was a full time racer,” said Slack who one season ran 60 races, “I stepped away from racing for about 20 years … until returning regularly to my favorite Saturday Night stop – Merrittville.”

These days, Slack race schedule is quite busy once again – making two trips weekly to Merrittville as his eldest grandson Dalton has established himself as quite a kart racer.

Randy and Cathy Slack’s son Bob grew up in the sport and has made his own name – starting out in Karts. The originator of the Slack Chassis now owned and manufactured by Lockport NY’s Performance Manufacturing – Slack in recent years has played an integral role in the continued success of Bicknell Racing Products when not Kart Racing.

Also making a name for himself in racing is Bob’s brother Roger who before taking on the role of GM at Eldora Speedway was working at Charlotte Motor Speedway and it’s Dirt Track.

Support for the 3RS this season comes from Transport Sales and Service, Integra Shocks, Bicknell Racing Products, Davis Fuels, Tim’s Tires, Bridgestone Tires and several product sponsors.

With a fresh Wegner W-16 Engine for Steele – last year’s power plant is for sale. Slack hopes that DIRTcar 358 Modified Rookies and Veterans alike take a look at the engine combination.

“I actually still have one of my old Late Model Engines in the shop – it’s 25 years old but it’s been fitted with DIRTcar legal components and it’s ready to go.”

Both Randy and Chris have spent most of their lives in the sport and come together with the same dedication and desire to be successful.

Their first step in their quest will come in Saturday April 23rd’s Spring Sizzler.

For all the news on Merrittville Speedway’s 65th Consecutive Season in 2016 – visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com. Become a fan of Merrittville Speedway on Face Book at www.facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Merrittville

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MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY SPONSORS The 2016 65th Anniversary Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series for Merrittville Speedway’s 5 Divisions is brought to race fans and racers by division sponsors – Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Yager Bros Trucking, Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports, Hoosier Tire Canada and Van Raine Construction and Contingency Partners http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/contingency.html in addition to many marketing partners. Visit them at http://www.merrittvillespeedway.com/sponsors.htm and visit them when you require their products and/or services.

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