By Paul Harkenrider (Thorold, ONT) | Jason Barney proved his dominance at Merrittville by starting in the 12th position and picking up his third consecutive Patriot Sprint Tour A-Main win over Chris Steele and Cory Turner.
Teenage driver Jake Brown and Matt Tanner would bring the competitive 24 car field to the green flag. Brown would take the lead using the inside lane but a caution caused by a spinning Dylan Westbrook would slow the field.
On the ensuing restart, Tanner this time would get the better run and take the lead from Brown, and Chris Steele who was running third, followed by Ryan Turner, and Glenn Styres. Steele would eventually get by Jake Brown and Cory Turner would follow Steele with the two Canadian driver’s would set their sights on the American leader in Tanner.
Then on lap eight, Steele would take advantage of the lap traffic and get by Tanner to take over the race lead. Meanwhile, Jason Barney began to make some noise as he would crack into the top five, after starting 12th.
Lap 11 would bring out the red flag for Tanner who was running second as he collided with a lap car’s right rear causing him to flip several times into the turn one catch fence. Except for Turner and Steele, every driver would advance one spot which left Jason Barney in spot three.
On the restart, Steele would build an advantage as Turner and Barney would battle for second. Lap 15 would officially score Barney as the runner up and would begin to reel in Steele.
An outside lane developed and Barney would grab the lead on lap 18 where he would hang on from a perseverant Steele. Cory Turner would settle for third followed by Jake Brown, and Bobby Breen.
Jared Zimbardi would finish sixth finish holding off Jim Huppunen. Dylan Westbrook’s early caution troubles would prevail and he would come home in eighth, followed by Glenn Styres, and Jordan Thomas.
Heat wins went to Jamie Turner, Chris Steele and Glenn Styres. Jordan Thomas scored the Evingham Site Excavation win over Zimbardi, and Westbrook.
The next Patriot Sprint Tour Canadian event will be June 9 when the series heads to Ohsweken Speedway, and the following day they will head north to the Brockville-Ontario Speedway on Saturday, June 10. The next American event will be Saturday, May 13, at the Woodhull Raceway.
Fans are encouraged to check out the new patriotsprinttour.com, along with all of our social media sites including facebook, Instagram, and twitter for more information.
The 2017 Patriot Sprint Tour season is brought to you by; A-Verdi Storage Containers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Prestige Pool & Spa, Einstein Construction Group, Bonnell’s Auto Group, Evingham Site Excavation Mike Emhof Motorsports Inc, Super Gen Products with Champion Power Equipment, Patriot Tank Lines, Danny Willmes Enterprises, Casey’s Truck Salvage, Just Signs & Designs, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, ASI Racewear, Curtis Berleue Photography, Fine Touch Collison.
Merrittville Speedway Canadian Spring Sizzler Quick Results
April 22, 2017
A Main: 1) 87*-JASON BARNEY (1) 2) 80- Chris Steele 3) 97-Cory Turner 4) 1-10-Jake Brown 5) 9-Bobby Breen 6) 35-Jared Zimbardi 7) 14H-Jim Huppenen 8) 47x-Dylan Westbrook 9) 0-Glenn Styres 10) 79 Jordan Thomas 11) 10-Mitch Brown 12) 22P- Jim Porter 13) 20F- Jordan Poirier 14) 49-Todd Hoddick 15) 2w- Lee Winger 16) 27z- Stan Zanchin 17) 22-Shaun Sliter 18) 71s-Josh Sliter DNF: 11-Jamie Turner, 90-Matt Tanner, 91- Ryan Turner, 28fm- Steve Poirier, 01k- Mikey Kruchka, 90TC- Travis Cunningham
Heat 1: 1) 11- Jamie Turner 2) 91- Ryan Turner 3) 20F- Jordan Poirier 4) 79- Jordan Thomas 5) 35- Jared Zimbardi 6) 49- Todd Hoddick 7) 14H- Jim Huppunen 8) 27z- Stan Zanchin
Heat 2: 1) 80- Chris Steele 2) 97- Cory Turner 3) 47x- Dylan Westbrook 4) 87- Jason Barney 5) 9-Bobby Breen 6) 28FM- Steve Poirier 7) 01k- Mikey Kruchka 8) 90TC- Travis Cunningham
Heat 3: 1) 0-Glenn Styres 2) 2w-Lee Winger 3) 1-10- Jake Brown 4) 90-Matt Tanner 5) 22P-Jim Porter 6) 71s- Josh Sliter 7) Shawn Sliter 8) 10-Mitch Brown (DNF)
Evingham Site Excavation Dash: 1) 79-Jordan Thomas 2) 35- Jared Zimbardi 3) 47x-Dylan Westbrook 4) 87*-Jason Barney 5) 9-Bobby Breen 6) 20fm- Jordan Poirier (DNF)