VARNEY, ON - The heat wave of the previous week finally let go on Saturday as Southwestern Ontario was pounded with rain. With the speedway soaking wet, a full pit area of race cars and drivers anxiously awaited the decision to 'go' or 'go home'. The touring Pro Challenge Series was on hand this night for their second scheduled event of the 2010 season. After the first date was cancelled due to rain back on June 12th, the ruling finally came down that speedway officials would wait out the rain and dry the track.
The rain would ease and, with blue skies on the horizon, the Varney Motor Speedway track crew proceeded to dry the track. Brimming with confidence that this night would yeild some very competitive racing, the Pro Challenge drivers began to unload their cars as speedway regular series cars took to the track to assist with the drying. The hard work paid off and, the green flag dropped on the night's first race just before 8:00pm.
The 3/4 scale late model Pro Challenge cars ran the highbanks in 2009 as an exhibition race but, based on the success of that experiment, Varney Motor Speedway secured two points races for the touring series. All things considered with the weather and all, the grandstands were still half full as #10 Bob Hopton of Kitchener and #77 Patrick Freel of London brought the field to green for Saturday night's feature race.
Hopton would take the early lead from his pole position and Freel would stay close before making a challenge for the top spot in turns three and four. Protecting the lead, Hopton would slip up the track in turn four making contact with Freel's car sending the London driver up into the unforgiving turn four wall, bringing out the first caution flag of the race. Freel would end up in the pits while Hopton found himself at the back for the restart.
Coming back for the restart, #40 Owen Smith of Holland Landing led the way with #60 Scott Fletcher and # 66Josh Nicholson of Brantford; last year's feature race winner; in pursuit. Smith would lead briefly before Fletcher dove to the inside in turn four. Fletcher would take over the top spot as #99 Ken Nicholson of Brantford and Pro Challenge points leader #02 Dennis Thompson of Dundas fllowed through into second and third respectively.
The second caution would come out for a spin in turn two involving #37 Larry Majuery of Niagara Falls. The pack bunched up quickly as Fletcher hoped to protect his lead. Moving up through the field quickly were #88 Tim Norris of Dundas and #71 Dario Valente of Stoufville who both started near the back and now found themselves flirting with the top five.
Green again as Fletcher led the way but, heading into turn four, K. Nicholson would move to the bottom of the track and make the pass for the lead. Then, battling for third, Thompson and Smith would run out of real estate as Smith; unassissted; would spin in turn four to bring out the third caution. K. Nicholson, Fletcher and Thompson led the pack back to green and, over the next several laps, K. Nicholson would build up half a straightaway lead as Fletcher and Thompson raced for second. Fletcher would eventually relinquish the position just as Norris would spin in turn two bringing out the fourth caution of the race.
After another caution flag as #00 Ken Lilycrop finds the turn four wall, Fletcher's night would also come to an early end. After taking the green on the restart following Lilycrop's incident, Fletcher's car would start to lose power from the thrid position and the winner of one of the early heat races would quickly drop back in the pack before parking it for the night.
Meanwhile, K. Nicholson would maintain the top spot and, after one more caution for a second spin involving #40 Owen Smith, Nicholson and Thompson would engage in a fierce battle for the lead as the two drivers would pull away from the rest of the pack. Positions two on back were certainly up for grabs as J. Nicholson, #04 Tim Forbes of Barrie, Norris, Valente and #7 Jason Podewils of Barrie all remained in contention.
With five laps to go, Thompson would close in on K. Nicholson as he was looking for his fifth win of the year but, Nicholson would not be denied and after watching his son take the checkers one year ago, Nicholson would indeed hang on for his first win of the year keeping the Nicholson streak at Varney intact. After winning the first five of the year, Thompson watched the second in a row slip away as he settled for the second spot. J. Nicholson, Norris and Forbes rounded out the top five with Valente, Podewils, #8 Dale Watson of Kitchener, Majuery and #16 Rick Seeley completing the top ten.
While the Pro Challenge series highlighted the night, they weren't the only show in town. Varney regular racing divisions also ran on this night. In the Stock 4's, #51 Clark Hartman of Waterloo was able to break through and into the lead early to speed on to his second feature race win of the year. Street Stock #93 Bill Cole got his season back on track by shutting down last week's winner, #19 Brian Wilson, enroute to another feature race win. In the Late Models, #12 Justin McLellan took advantge of the caution flags to work his way to the front holding off #76 Tyler Williams for the win and, #85 Matt Clarke of Mt. Forest clinched the Super Street feature.
This coming weekend will be another action-packed long weekend double header as all regular divisions will see time on the track inlcuding the Annual All Pro Modified Rick Woolner memorial on Sunday night. Green flag drops both nights at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit www.varneymotorspeedway.com.
By Jody Buschlen for VMS // Photos courtesy of T.W. Robarts Photos
Race Results For Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ontario Pro Challenge- FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Ken Nicholson 99
2 Dennis Thompson 02
3 John Nicholson 66
4 Tim Norris 88
5 Tim Forbes 04
6 Dario Valente 71
7 Jason Podewils 7
8 Dave Wilson 8
9 Larrry Majerie 37
10 Rick Sealy 16
11 Owen Smith 40
12 Scott Fletcher 60
13 Bob Hopton 10
14 Ken Lillycrop 00
15 Patrick Freel 77
16 Kyle Batty 38
Heat races won by: Hopton, Fletcher
STOCK 4 - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Clark Hartman 51
2 Tim Tolton 35
3 Britton Lundy 09
4 Luke Freeman 28
5 Nick Clarke 86
Heat races won by: Lundy, Clarke, Freeman, Tolton
STREET STOCK - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Bill Cole 93
2 Brian Wilson 19
3 James Hunt 99
4 Bill Keill 06
5 Tanya McDougall 26
Heat races won by: Wilson X2
Varney Late Model - FEATURE
Pos Driver Car #
1 Justin McLellan 12
2 Christopher VanDusen 81
3 Tyler Williams 76
4 Jeff Lotspeich 85
5 Tommy Robb 89
Heat races won by: Lotspeich and Van Dusen
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