Justin Sharp Soars Into Summer Stretch With Second Win Of ’25 At Merrittville Speedway

Story By: JONATHON HOWE / MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY – THOROLD, ONT – Merrittville Speedway launched into the summer swing with the Schools Out For Summer Canada Day Celebration presented by Bobcat of Hamilton.

St. Catharines, ON driver Justin Sharp scored his second win of 2025 in the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds, while fellow St. Catharines, ON Native Cody McPherson remains unbeaten in the Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman. Brent Begolo of Thorold, ON broke through for a win in the Rona Doidge Modified Lites. Dave Bailey of Hagersville, ON continued his winning ways in the Hoosier Stocks and in All Star Concrete 4 Cylinder action, it was Jeremy Cooper of Chippawa, ON winning his second feature of the season.

Todd Gordon and Ken Winfield led the field to green in the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modified feature, with Gordon getting the lead early. Darrell Farraway was able to run down Gordon but could not complete the pass before a caution came out at lap 10 when Brad Rouse stalled in turn 3. Farraway’s night went for a complete 180 degree turn on the restart when contact from Fred Carleton sent the Farraway spinning into the pack, damaging multiple cars, with most everyone able to continue on. On lap 14, Justin Sharp, who was shot out of cannon on the restart, completed his charge to the front of the field by passing Gordon. On lap 20, Martin Polhill went for a wild ride in turns three and four that landed him upside down, leading to a red flag. Polhill would be okay, and the race would resume with Shayne Pierce taking the fight to Sharp for the top spot. Pierce took the lead for a brief moment, exchanging passes with Justin Sharp for the top spot like heavy weight fighters trading haymakers in the ring. The drivers kept it clean, and when the dust settled Sharp was victorious with Pierce second, Gary Lindberg, James Friesen and Gordon rounding out the top five.

An overeager move on the initial start of the Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman by Doug Walsh Jr. caused some hard hits to the outside wall on the front stretch for Matthew Jessome and Dan McKay before the field even hit turn one. Once the race did get going, Tyler Puchalski took control of the top spot, even building a nearly two and a half second advantage on Noah Mamo by lap 10. On lap 13, Taylor Vanderzanden started a wreck that spun Mitch Dumont and Nigel Pendykoski around, leading to a restart just past the races halfway point. Puchalski was tasked with holding off Jeff Panunte and Cody McPherson on the restart. It took only two laps for McPherson, who used the essentially empty top lane to rim ride around Puchalski and get the top spot. McPherson survived one final restart with eight laps to go and won his seventh straight race to start 2025 at Merrittville. Puchalski came home second, while Ryan Barrett, Jacob Chevalier and Billy Bleich Jr. completed the top five finishers.

In Rona Doidge Modified Lites, Dave Cornish took the lead from the outside of the front row when the green flag dropped, leading the opening five laps of the feature. On lap six, Sean Iftody moved past Cornish for the top spot with Brent Begolo quickly following suit to the second. A lap later, it was Begolo going around Iftody for the top spot. The race’s first caution came at lap 13 when Bella General spun in turns one and two. On the restart, Begolo was tasked with holding off the division’s top contenders in Josh Sliter, and Tyler Winger who moved into second and third place. However, the two battled each other for second for a number of laps and allowed Begolo to get away and make his return to victory lane in the Mod Lites. Sliter won the battle over Winger for second, with Iftody settling for fourth and Evan Leonard finishing fifth.

In Hoosier stock action, Mark Fawcett jumped out to the lead on the opening lap of the race from fourth starting spot. Fawcett led comfortably for the first half of the race, until Dave Bailey ran him down. After patiently working the outside line, Bailey was able to pull alongside and complete the pass on Fawcett with six laps to go. Fawcett regrouped and mounted one final charge with three laps to go. However, it would fall short, and Dave Bailey would win his sixth race of the season and his third win in a row, his second time in 2025 putting together a three race win streak. GoFast Teeple came home third, with Kyle Pelrine fourth and Jason Fontaine finishing fifth in the caution free event.

The All Star Concrete Four Cylinders began with Steven Boverhof and John Trivieri on the front row, with Boverhof leading early. Josh Dmytrow took control of the race after Hana Rothwell stopped on the front stretch, bringing out a yellow. Dmytrow found himself in a four car battle for the win with Mason Anderson, Ray Cerenzia and Jeremy Cooper all hounding Dmytrow for the top spot with five laps to go. As the white flag waved on the field, Anderson took a run at the top spot into turn one, but his car snapped to the right and cut across the nose of Dmytrow, sending Anderson flipping. Anderson would be alright, and the field was set for a Green White Checkered finish. On the restart, Cooper, who took the lead by dodging the wreck at the front, briefly lost the lead to Dmytrow but was able to get it back coming to the white flag. Cooper took the win ahead of Ray Cerenzia, while Dmytrow finished in third. Austyn Werstroh and Cierra Keus rounded out the top five.

Next week, RCR Performance Golf Carts welcome the return of School Bus Racing to Merrittville Speedway. All five Bobcat of Hamilton Weekly Racing Series will be in action including the Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds, Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman, Rona Doidge Modified Lites, Hoosier Stocks and All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders. Pit Gates will open at 5pm, with grandstands opening at 5:30pm, and racing will get underway at 7pm.

RACE RESULTS –- June 28th, 2025.

Commercial Auto Electric 358 Modifieds – JUSTIN SHARP (2), Shayne Pierce, Gary Lindberg, James Friesen, Todd Gordon, Jay Mallory, Pete Bicknell, Nelson Mason, Dylan Davidson, Dave Flannigan Jr., Darrell Farraway, Paul Gaboury, Scott Wood, Ken Winfield, Derek VanMil, (DNF) Luke Carleton, (DNF) Martin Polhill, (DNF) Brad Rouse, (DNF) Bill Gill, (DNF) Fred Carelton, (DNF) Brian Page

Qualifying Heats – Todd Gordon, Fred Carleton, Scott Wood

Semenuk’s ESSO/Baron Roofing DIRTcar Sportsman– CODY MCPHERSON (7), Tyler Puchalski, Ryan Barrett, Jacob Chevalier, Billy Bleich Jr., Nigel Pendykoski, Noah Mamo, Jeff Panunte, Matt Sharpe, Matteo Panunte, Mitch Dumont, Curtis Friesen, Tyler Lafantaise, Elijah Knutt, Austin Seburn, Madyson Rouse, Trevor Pitt, (DNF) Taylor Vanderzanden, (DNF) Brad Overbeeke, (DNF) Matthew Jessome, (DNF) Daniel McKay, (DNF) Doug Walsh Jr., (DNS) John Babion

Qualifying Heats – Tyler Puchalski, Noah Mamo, Cody McPherson

Rona Doidge Modified Lites – BRENT BEGOLO, Josh Sliter, Tyler Winger, Sean Iftody, Evan Leonard, Leroy Buscumb, Anthony Kelly, Dave Cornish, Cohen Corbett, Dillan Sliter, R.J. Pietz, Dan Kviring, Cole Hardy, Chance Kotar, Ryleigh Sliter, Bella General, (DNF) Shawn Sliter, (DNS) Chris Watson

Qualifying Heats – Brent Begolo, Sean Iftody, Josh Sliter

Hoosier Stocks – DAVE BAILEY (6), Mark Fawcett, GoFast Teeple, Kyle Pelrine, Jason Fontaine, Zack Bleich, George Grosul, Chris Crowe, Dustin Duga, Adam Plazek, Pete Reid, Kevin Kocarik, Mitch Petta, (DNF) John Overholt, (DNF) Jackson Maytum, (DNS) Jeff Bean

Qualifying Heats – GoFast Teeple, Kyle Pelrine

All Star Concrete 4 Cylinders – JEREMY COOPER (2), Ray Cerenzia, Joshua Dmytrow, Austyn Werstroh, Cierra Keus, Randy Alway, Sierra Robison, Dave Wininger, Steve Robison, John Lubeck, Steven Boverhof, Alex Riley, Connor Chambers, Cameron Olm, Braden Keus, Jay Moulton, John Trivieri, Richard Hadler, Jonathan Devries, James Marshall, (DNF) Hana Rothwell, (DNF) Mason Anderson, (DNF) Clinton Barrick, (DNF) Olivier Larocque, (DNF) Ken Hair, (DNF) Jack Reid, (DNF) Savannah Fontaine

Qualifying Heats – Steven Boverhof, Hana Rothwell, John Lubeck