The event has been one of the most talked about since it was announced. Mini Stock drivers across the province immediately stated that they’d be in attendance. It seemed like the conversation kept coming back to this event. With the first of two events in the books, it certainly lived up to the hype.
On Sunday, 31 mini stocks took to Kawartha Speedway for the first round of the Mini Stock Nationals, hosted by OSCAAR. In the end, it was Andy Kamrath picking up the victory to solidify his name in Mini Stock record books. It marks Kamrath’s second big invitational win this season after winning the Spring Derby in May at Sunset Speedway.
Two-time Sunset Speedway Champion and current Barrie Speedway competitor Doug Butler won the first heat ahead of Capital City Speedway racer Kyle Baker, Peterborough Speedway’s Kevin Strutt, Barrie Speedway’s Mike Gettliffe and the 57x. Willy Howells finished sixth, followed by Brad Lavelle, Dan Demers, Terry Woodley, the 13 and Ryan Hardy.
The second heat didn’t go smoothly as Neil Hannah ran into problems while running in the top three, falling back a couple spots down the backstretch; though he got it back going and back up to speed. There’d also be a quick caution when Ryan Oosterholt got sideways, with Dave Crumbie spinning behind him. Brandon McFerran grabbed the heat win, which followed his Saturday night feature win. Sauble Speedway competitor Cory Young finished second, followed by Sunset’s Warren Paxton, Hannah and Oosterholt. Donovan Price finished sixth, followed by Rob Gosse, Ken Townsend, Jerry Noble and Crumbie.
Kamrath won the third heat ahead of a three-some of Peterborough drivers – Rob Flindall, Tyler Junkin and Ryan Babin. The Master of Touring Billy Schwartzenburg finished fifth, followed by Chad Corcoran, Chris Mulders, Casey Cavannah, Lance Foster, Brandt Graham and Jake Watson.
The fourth heat started out with a bang as Butler, the 57x, Gettliffe and Woodley got four-wide on the fronstretch with contact being made, resulting into Gettliffe almost getting into the wall and the 57x sustaining some front-end damage. Kyle Baker grabbed the heat win ahead of Butler, Gettliffe, the 13, Strutt, the 57x, Howells, Woodley, Lavelle and Dan Demers.
The fifth heat started the same way as Townsend slid up the track off of turn two, making contact with Gosse, resulting in Gosse making heavy contact with the outside wall. When Townsend pulled into the pits, he did have a flat right front tire so that may have been the cause. Hannah picked up the win ahead of McFerran, Young, Paxton, Brandon Crumbie, Oosterholt, Price and Dave Crumbie.
It seemed that the beginning of second round qualifying heats was troublesome as the sixth heat started off with Graham getting into Mulders, resulting in Mulders making heavy contact with the outside turn two wall. Kamrath picked up the heat win for the sweep ahead of Schwartzenburg, Cavannah, Babin, Flindall, Foster, Corcoran and Watson.
Virtue of qualifying, 2013 Barrie Speedway Champion Mike Gettliffe had pole in his No. 77 TMX Mechanical and Bromley Automotive Dodge Neon ahead of Cory Young, Neil Hannah, Doug Butler, Kyle Baker, Andy Kamrath, Brandon McFerran, Warren Paxton and Billy Schwartzenburg.
When the green flag waved, 2013 Varney Motor Speedway Champion Cory Young would put his No. 36 Killannan Brewing, Pizza Hut and Intelligent Wellness ride out front ahead of Hannah. Hannah would then look to Young’s inside on lap two for the lead, though was unable to complete the pass. Instead, Kamrath slipped into second, leaving Hannah to battle with Butler for third.
2013 Spring Derby winner Andy Kamrath completed his charge to the front on lap four as he put his No. 35 ImageWraps.ca, Jason Witty Re/Max Realty, AM Roofing, Blue Mountain Honda and CB Services of Bolton Civic in the lead with a pass on Young while Hannah kept Butler at bay. Hannah then moved into second on lap five, with Butler and Baker also making their way by Young to move up in the running order. The first caution would fly at lap 12 for Brad Lavelle going around in turn four. With 18 laps to go, Kamrath led Hannah, Butler, Baker, McFerran, Babin, Young, Schwartzenburg, the 57x, Paxton, Gettliffe, Junkin, Cavannah, Brandon Crumbie, Oosterholt, Rob Flindall, Corcoran, Strutt, Foster, Graham, Price, Howells, Watson, Dave Crumbie, Woodley, the 13, Lavelle, Hardy and Noble. Gosse would pull behind the wall under caution and be done for the afternoon as the speed wasn’t there following his heat crash.
The first attempt at a restart didn’t go smoothly as the 57x would fall off the pace, with Strutt catching a piece of him. At the same time, Flindall would catch the grass in turn three as the caution flew. The 57x would be done for the day with a flat tire.
The second attempt went smoothly with Kamrath leading Hannah, Butler, McFerran and Baker as Young and Babin battled side-by-side for sixth. They’d battle till the caution for Corcoran going around in turn four.
The restart would go smoothly with Young falling back to eighth as Junkin moved into seventh before the caution flew for Noble making contact with the backstretch wall.
Andy Kamrath would get a good restart with 10 laps to go and cruised to victory for his second victory of the season. Neil Hannah finished second, followed by Doug Butler, Ryan Babin, Kyle Baker, Brandon McFerran, Tyler Junkin, Casey Cavannah, Billy Schwartzenburg, Cory Young, Warren Paxton, Ryan Oosterholt, Mike Gettliffe, Lance Foster, Brandon Crumbie, Brandt Graham, Chad Corcoran, Donovan Price, Jake Watson, the 13, Dave Crumbie, Terry Woodley, Brad Lavelle and Dan Demers.
