Event 17 - STOMPIN’ TOM DOMINATES LATE MODEL EVENT
August 3 Report by Brian Watt

Last Saturday evening August 3rd at Sunset Speedway under less than ideal conditions not quite rain but mist and drizzle. Although it was not enough to cancel the show it did delay the show. After the track was dried the show does go on. The show promised to be excellent as we had the Canadian Vintage Modifieds on hand as well as an invitational for late models, our thunder cars, spectator races and a giant demolition derby. The Night’s sponsor was Bayfield Appliance Superstore – Anne Street they handed out trophies to all the evening’s winners. The big winners on the night were #3 Brian Watson in the vintage modifieds, #47 Stompin’ Tom Walters in the late model 50 lap event, #16 Amanda Connelly in the thunder car feature, Kyle Donaldson won the spectator race and the hooligans won the demolition derby.
THE CANADIAN VINTAGE MODIFIEDS TOUR
The vintage modifieds are a blast from the past as they feature old coupes and coaches from the 20’s, 30’s & 40’s and this club has been around since the 50 when they raced at the CNE Stadium in Toronto. As the green flag flew to begin their 25 lap feature event #74 Mike Bennett grabs the early lead while #34 Mike Foster, #47, #3 Brian Watson and #7 AJ Roper were jostling in behind. On lap 5 Watson grabs the point with Foster, Roper, #24 Ray Hughes and #71 Dan Fraser as cars were trading positions lap after lap very exciting open wheel racing. At the half way point Watson was still up front with Foster in behind while #6 Derrick Mehlenbacher, Roper and Hughes tucked in behind looking for any chance to move up. As the laps were winding down Watson led from the get go but the 60 car of Scott Fletcher appeared out of nowhere and applied pressure to the rear of Watson looking for any opening while Mehlenbacher, Fraser and #36 Gary Elliot rounded out the top 5. Fletcher was welded to Watson’s rear the last 5 laps looking high, looking low but Watson would not succumb to the pressure and went on to victory lane with fast 5 Watson, Fletcher, Fraser, Elliot and #2 TJ Wooley. Considering the weather conditions the vintage modifieds put on a great show and they had a great car count as well. They will be back on August 31st as part of the labour day week-end summer ending special.
THE LATE MODEL 50 LAPS INVITATIONAL
It was great to see there were 24 late models in the pits for this 50 lap invitational and was a great show all night long and the favourite was the 47 car of Stompin’ Tom Walters as he was a rocket all night long. On the drop of the green flag #8 Brendan Adams grabbed the early lead with #22 Chris Morrow, #48 Tom Wilson, #65 Dan Robb and #97 Simon Lloyd rounding out the top 5. By lap 3 Walters was on the move as he moved to 4th and a lap latter was around Lloyd and Morrow with his sight’s set on the 8 car of Adams. With Adams up front Morrow fought back but stuck on the outside but was runner up with Walters, Lloyd and #3 Ken Bemrose in a dog fight for the fast 5. It was a tremendous battle lap after lap with Adams on the point Walters second while Lloyd was on the inside with Morrow continuing on the outside playing with danger as the right side tires are taking a beating. The fast 5 were Adams, Walters, Lloyd, Morrow and Bemrose and you could a blanket over them all trading paint lap after lap looking to move up. At the half way point Adams held the lead while in behind Walters and Lloyd were door handle to door handle as well as Morrow and Bemrose while the 1 car of Vic Parsons joined the fray. With Morrow continuing his outside venture disaster finally happened as he went for the wild ride down the front chute collecting the 19 machine of Jason Witty as both slid to the inside wall without making contact. We lost 3 cars to the pits with Witty, Morrow and unlucky Simon Lloyd who had a flat tire while running a great race. On the restart Adams was still leading but was under great pressure from Stompin’ Tom as he roared around him to take the point and took off into the sunset so to speak, while Bemrose, Parsons, #2 Dan Robinson and #12 Lambert Yake in behind battling for position. With Tom home and cooled out in behind there was a battle for position as Parsons and Bemrose got by Adams with Yake and Robinson rounding out the top 5. As they sped down the front chute to take the checkered flag Walters was the easy winner with Parsons, Bemrose, Adams and Yake round out the top 5. The heat winners were Simon Lloyd, Bemrose, Parsons and #87 Grant Lloyd. Congratulations to Stompin’ Tom and the crew on this win as he has finally got the bugs out of his car as he was off the pace earlier in the year. It was to see a pit full of great looking late models and a great show was put on especially considering the weather.
THE THUNDER CAR DIVISION
On the drop of the green flag to start the 25 lap feature #45x Jeff Bell takes the early lead with #19 Greg Long, #60 Mike Norris, #00 Andrew Cole and #06 Gord Matt in hot pursuit. By lap 5 Bell still held the lead with Long second and the 16 car of Amanda Connelly was already in 3rd while Norris and Cole rounded out the top 5. On lap 6 disaster stuck as Norris got sideways exiting turn 4 and collected #74 Mark Zacchigna who got air bourn, Matt, #26 John Haines and #51 Mark Adams. Zacchigna and Norris were the worst for wear both done for the night and maybe for the season. On the restart Connelly zipped past Bell to take the lead and would be tough to beat while Harvey, Long and #3 Ernie Fummerton were the fast 5. At the half way point Connelly held the point with Harvey in pursuit while #49 Frank Davey moved into third, Fummerton 4th and Adams rounding out the top 5. Connelly was out front while Davey and Harvey battle for second side by side lap after lap playing into Connelly’s hand as she widened her lead. As they motored done the front chute to accept the checkered flag Connelly was the winner with Davey, Harvey, Fummerton and Adams rounding out the top 5. The heat winners were Jeff Bell, Harvey, Zacchigna and Fummerton. Congratulations to Amanda and the crew on a great feature win and with this win tightened up the point’s race further as Davey still leads but only by about 10 points.

We also had spectator races and former Sunset regular Kyle Donaldson took home trophy in a powerful 69 Chevelle. He also won a drudge match with former 4 cylinder track champion Herb Walters in his low rider Thunderbird.

There was also a great demolition derby that went on and on and was extremely entertaining and we at Sunset Speedway are great to see the derby’s back as they are a crowd favourite.

Once again we would like to thank the fine folks at Bayfield Appliances Superstore on Anne Street for the night’s sponsorship. Glenn Lloyd deserves a lot of credit for persevering and waiting out the rain as it was not really raining just a fine mist and we got the show in and a great show it was.