By Doug Townsend
VARNEY, ON - It was a night that short-track racing legend "The Ironman" #36 Gary Elliott from Waterdown, won't soon forget, nor will he want to. Elliot was able to capture his first feature checker flag in a car he owns since 2008 and he did so beating Open Wheel Modified racing champion #8 Gary McLean of Conn, on a track he has ruled over the last number of years.
In feature one this past Friday night Elliott took advantage of his pole starting position and build a good lead on the rest of the field before #8 Gary McLean managed to chase him down late in the race. With McLean on his back bumper Elliott was able to hold the lines and manage to keep him behind for the last two laps plus also securing second in overall points for the season. Third in this race would go to #34 Terry Pardy from Mount Forest, fourth was #79 John Harper from Cambridge, and fifth #19 John Karley from Kitchener. Video of this race can be seen on You Tube at Full Throttle Motor Speedway or by following this link: http://youtu.be/-tJotSbtcbk
In feature two it was Gary Mclean's turn to start from the pole as has been the case for many years when he starts on the pole he is hard to beat, and he proved it again going pole to pole in this feature, capturing the points championship. This race was wasn't without its excitement, as on lap eighteen the #34 Terry Pardy would clip the wall coming out of corner four. Coming back across the track he collected the #19 John Karley sending his car flying through the air. Luckily no one was hurt too bad and fans got treated to a green/white checker finish. On the restart #23 Paul Milligan from Innisfil Beach started on the outside but was not able to make the car stick coming out of corner two, allowing McLean to get away on his run to the checker. Third in this race would go to #36 Gary Elliott, fourth #79 John Harper and rounding out the top five #65 Bill Burrows from Acton. Overall season ending points for the Open Wheel Modified class would end up being #8 Gary McLean 590, #36 Gary Elliott 559, #23 Paul Milligan 555, #19 John Karley 525.
This past Friday night also saw the return of Street Stock racing, a class that had been canceled for the past couple of years by many tracks. But here at Full Throttle drivers and fans showed there is still a lot of interest in this class. In feature one saw young gun #26 Dalen Martin from Brussels bring the field to the green and never look back, as he would lead every lap in this caution free race. The closest anyone would come would be #47 Joe Adams from Owen Sound, followed in third by #277 Ray Flynn from Clinton, fourth #5 Dave Grey Jr. from Hanover and fifth #05 Steve Brook from Hillsburgh. Feature two would see a lap one caution for leader #5 Dave Grey Jr. as he broke an axle coming around corner four taking his car to the wall, #7 Paul Huskins from Kitchener caught the front corner of Grey's car as it came off the wall but was able to continue.
On the restart Huskins would get the lead for a couple of laps before his contact with Grey would get the better of his car allowing # 47 Joe Adams to take the lead with #277 Ray Flynn doing his best to make a race out of it. Then on lap fifteen Adams got his scare of the race, when #71 Zach Sprung from Owen Sound would spin out in corner two collecting #3 Mark King from Hillsborough and Adams would have to get on the brakes hard to avoid becoming involved. On the restart Adams would get the jump he needed on #277 Ray Flynn and be able to pick up the checker flag. Second was Flynn, third #05 Steve Brook, fourth #71 Zach Sprung and rounding out the top five #26 Dalen Martin. Video of this race can be seen on You Tube at Full Throttle Motor Speedway or by following this link:http://youtu.be/HokfRbBU17s
In Mini Stock action this week we saw one driver finally get the breaks he needed, and another continue to show he is someone to watch going into the fall specials in the province. In feature one right off the drop of the green, all drivers where making moves and getting shuffled around. By the time they got back around to the strip #14 Brian Wilson from Rockwood would be the leader moving up four spots. Right behind him would be #51 Clark Hartman from Waterloo who had moved up five spots, and these two would battle it out that way for the rest of the race. Third in this race would go to #7 Paul Boyd from Harriston, followed in fourth by #86 Bill Clarke from Mount Forest and fifth #36 Corry Young from Owen Sound. In feature two #35 Tim Tolton from Guelph showed why he will be someone to keep an eye on this fall across the province, as he led every lap in this feature race. Behind him #34 T.J Edwards from Fergus showed why he will be someone to keep and eye on next season, as he had his best run ever, holding onto second the entire race while being chased by #36 Corry Young. Fourth in this race would go to #51 Clark Hartman and fifth #14 Brian Wilson.
Pure Stock action this week saw a return to the car counts and the action fans have come to expect out of this class. In feature one it didn't take long for the excitement to start, an opening lap crash would send #34 Don Tremble from Durham and #01 Travis Farrow from Dromore to the pits. After the restart it was all Sandy Eccles as he would use track position to go from green to checker. Followed by #14 Luke Bos from Conn, third #73 Sheri McIntyre from Brucefield, fourth #51 Jason Tolton from Guelph and fifth #95 Jonathan Bates from Owen Sound. In feature two it would be #14 Luke Bos who would lead every lap in this one even with a lap five caution to bring the field back together, no one could catch him! Second in this one would go to #9 Sandy Eccles, third #95 Jonathan Bates, fourth #4 Jesse Lamont from Hanover and rounding out the top five #73 Sheri McIntyre.
Crazy Train action this week saw a newcomer to the field, "Confused Till We Die" out of Cambridge made their way into the action. In feature one it would be a battle between the Rockford Rednecks and Texas Traincar Massacre out of Mount Forest for the win it would be Rockford Rednecks taking it, followed by Texas Traincar Massacre and the newcomers Confused Till We Die in third. Feature two would have the same outcome as feature one, but not after a mad scramble at the finish. The Rockford Rednecks and Texas Traincar Massacre would get together coming out of turn four on the last lap, spinning both train sets out. Rockford Rednecks were the first to get their set turned around and got the lead car over the line for the win.
Next racing action at Full Throttle Motor Speedway will be this coming Friday night Sept 19th starting at7:30 for Pro Late Model, V8 Thunder Stock, Mini Stock, Pure Stock and Crazy Trains. For complete details check out the web site at www.fullthrottlemotorspeedway.com or follow us on Facebook at Full Throttle.
