Brachmann Wins Unique 65 Lap Jerry Winger Memorial

Details: Category: Oval Racing

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Chad Brachmann in Victory Lane after winning unique 65 lap Jerry Winger Memorial. (Photo-BMD Photography)

By: Merrittville Speedway
July 17 2016

Welland & Fort Erie Timber Marts Night has Carleton & Sider inducted into L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame

Thorold, Ontario – The Welland and Fort Erie Timber Marts presented Merrittville Speedway’s 65th Anniversary Reunion Night July 16th and one driver celebrating was Sanborn NY’s Chad Brachmann who won his second career Jerry Winger Memorial for the Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modifieds.

Also celebrating their own Feature Wins were Brad Rouse of St. Catharines in the Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Division, Josh Sliter of Ridgeway in the Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lite Division and Tyler Lafantaisie of Welland in the Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinder Division.

Former Sportsman Champion and Merrittville Speedway Reunion Committee Member Bill Willard Jr. of St. Catharines returned to Victory Lane – winning the Vintage Race Car Feature.

After Geronimo Sky Diving delivered the American and Canadian Flags, the night began with the annual L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame Inductions.

Fred Carleton Sr. and George Sider Jr. were the 2016 Inductees and in a new award – the CAA Niagara Dedication to Racing honored Dan Sider and Pat Ciolfi.

For Bernd Franke’s article on the L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame Inductees visit http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2016/07/17/two-inducted-into-merrittville-speedway-wall-of-fame

Despite missing out on a possible $2,500 Bonus from Bicknell Racing Products, Brachmann may still have capitalized on a bonus after finishing 10th in the first 20 lap segment of the Jerry Winger Memorial.

“In the first 20 lap segment … the car was terrible,” revealed Brachmann who won his first Jerry Winger Memorial in 2007, “I went to BRP’s Randy Williamson and he gave me some set-up ideas … in the second 20 and final 25 the car was so consistent.”

Ryan Susice beat fellow front row starter and former Jerry Winger Memorial Winner Tyler McPherson to green flag in the first 20 lap segment. After an early caution Susice resumed control of top spot with Pete Bicknell taking over the runner up spot.

Susice was out front once again after a lap 5 caution and racing to the halfway point on lap 10 Susice, Bicknell and Gary Lindberg in third had pulled away from the field. On lap 12, Lindberg took over the runner up spot some 10 car lengths behind Susice.

By lap 15, Lindberg was about a full second behind the leader – a margin that would stay through to the finish.

At the start finish line Susice would draw 10 which would set his Segment 2 starting spot. The pole sitter – Chad Brachmann.

Chad Brachmann and Phil Vignieri were side by side much of the first lap of the second 20 lap segment until Brachmann found the advantage and top spot. After a lap 2 caution Brachmann was back out front.

By lap 5, Susice had landed in the top 5 from his 10th starting spot – the only driver eligible for the $2500 Bonus posted by Bicknell Racing Products. Lap 7 had the field slowed once again. With Brachmann in control on the restart a lap 8 caution again slowed the pace.

Brachmann once again set the pace with Susice battling Bicknell for third spot. Quickly the battle for third spot saw 5 cars racing it out until another caution on lap 12.

Brachmann resumed top spot on the restart which saw Susice off the pace after making contact with the guardrail but only losing a few spots. The race for second between Vignieri and Bicknell allowed Brachmann to open up a comfortable lead.

Bicknell would take the runner up spot with Vignieri holding on for third at the finish.

Lined up by points from the first two segments – the front row for the 25 lap Finale was Ryan Susice and Chad Brachmann.

Susice was first to lead with Brachmann joining him side by side - Susice around the top and Brachmann on the bottom with Susice holding the advantage. Despite the side by side racing – the two were able to pull away from field by almost a straightaway by lap 10.

Lap 10 saw Brachmann taking over top spot. By lap 15,

Brachmann would stretch his lead to about a straightaway ahead of Susice.

10 laps later after a total of 65 laps of racing, Brachmann and Susice were followed by Lindberg, Fred Carleton and Bicknell.

“I picked a line and stayed with it, said Brad Rouse after his 5th win of the season, “it got a little better as the race went on … the car was good right from the start tonight.”

Second generation driver Jay Mallory set the pace at the start of the 25 lap Feature for the Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Division. Caution would slow the field on lap 3 with Paul Gaboury the new leader on the restart.

A lap 5 incident slowed the pace once again with Mallory regaining top spot until another caution on lap 8. Mallory was out front on the restart with Brad Rouse quickly checking into the runner up spot ahead of Justin Sharp.

Caution on lap 11 had Rouse as the new leader on the restart only to be slowed the next lap. Rouse would quickly open up a 10 car lead on the restart with the driver on the move Cody McPherson who quickly landed in third spot behind Gaboury.

One final caution on lap 23 erased Rouse’s lead with Rouse in control of top spot once again. McPherson challenged around the outside but at the finish, Rouse was able to maintain the lead ahead of McPherson with Gaboury in third. Sharp and Mallory closed out the top 5.

“I thought the track was going to be a lot drier … before the feature we tightened the car up,” said Josh Sliter in Victory Lane for the third time of 2016, “it sure was a handful!”

Former Karter and 2016 Rookie Tyler Winger was first to lead the 15 lap Feature for the Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lites - quickly ran away to a comfortable lead. Catching him was Josh Sliter on lap 6.

Once out front, Sliter would run away to about a straightaway lead by lap 10 which was eliminated by caution after Winger lost control of his car in Turn 2. A few laps before Winger’s misfortune – Chris Watson took over second.

With Sliter out front on the restart, Rob Misener took over the runner up spot with caution slowing the field the next lap.

The field was slowed for a red flag and when Watson couldn’t refire he steered his car to the pits.

Sliter resumed control of top spot on the restart and drove to a quarter lap lead over Misener, Jeffrey May, Shawn Sliter and Marty deMoel.

“There’s a so many good drivers … it’s definitely a challenge,” said Tyler Lafantaisie after his 4th win of the season, “tonight was the first time I had to use the brakes so mucn this season.”

Second generation driver and former kart racer Kyle Miller was first to lead the 15 lap Feature for the Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinder and before one lap was complete – Jason Coutu was the new leader.

Coutu’s lead was short-lived as quickly Tyler Lafantaisie was the new leader and by lap 10 had opened up a lead of about a ¼ lap.

Caution on lap 12 brought the field back to the leader with Mike Sadusek and Kyle Rothwell rounding out the top 3.

Lafantaisie set the pace on the restart with the race to watch – the one for second between Sadusek and Rothwell.

Down the backstretch the final time the two were side by side with Sadusek holding off Rothwell by a few feet. Tony Kelly and Coutu rounded out the top 5.

PIT NOTES

On behalf of Merrittville Speedway – the Reunion Committee would like to thank all of the Alumni, Vintage Race Car Drivers and L. St. Amand Enterprises Wall of Fame Partners CAA Niagara and Auto FX Graphics and Signs for a tremendous 65th Anniversary Celebration.

A huge part of the evening couldn’t have been possible with Geronimo Sky Diving and Eataly Foods and Downtown Dolce in Port Colborne and Blast Entertainment.

UPCOMING AT MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY

Hingston Metal Fabricators will present quite an event Saturday July 23rd as it’s Double Feature Night for all 5 Lucas Oil Weekly Racing Series Divisions after rain made for an early end to July 9th’s D&L Small Engines Night.

One of the Features for the Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Division will be the rain-delayed David Chevrolet King of the Crates Series Event.

Here’s where it gets even better … Anyone 18 years of age or younger that plays any kind of Minor Sport … wear your Team Jersey and your Grandstand Admission is FREE.

Grandstands will open at 5:30 with Show Time at 7:00 PM.

To reach Merrittville Speedway call 905-892-8266 or via e mail – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Merrittville Speedway is located at 2371 Merrittville Highway in Thorold Ontario. Merrittville Speedway’s Office is open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and is located in the Grandstand Area on the ground floor of the Lucas Oil Tower.

For all the news on Merrittville Speedway’s 65th Consecutive Season in 2016 – visit www.merrittvillespeedway.com. Race fans and Race teams alike can follow Merrittville on Face Book (Facebook.com/Merrittville Speedway) and Twitter (Twitter.com/Merrittville

Pinty’s Delicious Foods 358 Modified Jerry Winger Memorial (65 laps) Chad Brachman, Ryan Susice, Gary Lindberg, Fred Carleton, Pete Bicknell, Chris Steele, Mike Bowman, Todd Gordon, Tommy Flannigan, Tim Jones, Wayne Conn, Scott Wood, Phil Vignieri, Tyler McPherson, Bill Bleich, Dave Flannigan Jr., Mark D’Ilario.

Yager Bros Trucking Sportsman Feature (25 laps) Brad Rouse, Cody McPherson, Paul Gaboury, Justin Sharp, Jay Mallory, Darrell Farraway, Rob Knapp, Charlie Lynch, Joey Mastroianni, Luke Carleton, Chris Bellamy, Chris Storm, Tom Richau, Brent Begolo, John Babion, Robbie Johnston, Sean Dominey, Jesse Penner.

Rev’s Full Throttle Powersports Modified Lite Feature (15 laps) Josh Sliter, Rob Misener, Jeffrey May, Shawn Sliter, Marty deMoel, RJ Pietz, Ryleigh Sliter, Steven Beckett, Chris Watson, Tyler Winger, Evan Leonard.

Van Raine Construction 4 Cylinder Feature (15 laps) Tyler Lafantaisie, Mike Sadusek, Kyle Rothwell, Tony Kelly, Jay Moulton, Kyle Miller, Jeremy Smith, Vincent Pagnotta, Alex Riley, Garnet Wilson, Clinton Nicholls, Kourtney Kocarik, Cole Hardy, Sam Iftody, Mike Giberson, Gary Hodasun, Austyn Werstoh, Trevor Want, Robert Goulding, Tom Neale, Greg Lounsbury, Brian Teeple.

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 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.

Lucas Oil Products, Inc., is the world leader in the production high performance oils, fuel treatments and problem solving additives with the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in North America. Lucas Oil’s premium formulas are marketed worldwide and retail at more than 40,000 auto parts stores across the continent and at virtually every truck stop across Canada.

Race fans can look for Lucas Oil Products at their favourite automotive retailer or maintenance center including Kala’s Home Hardware, St. Catharines Discount Auto Parts and RCM Racing Equipment.