By Randy Spencer for OntarioOval.com – The final regular night of racing was on tap at Flamboro Speedway and the hype didn’t fail to disappoint all those in attendance. Four divisions and four very happy racers at the end of the night made for an exciting end to another exciting race season.

The Ponderosa Nature Resort Mini Stocks got qualifying underway with two heats and Scott Simmons and Mike Holmes taking checkered flags. The Pro 4 Modifieds had two heats as well with Rob Divenanzo and Dave Asbury Jr. getting victories. The Lucas Oil Can Am Midget heat wins went to Chris Holman and Rob Neely. The Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modified’s also ran two heats with Corey Jones winning heat one with Daryl Henwood winning the second one. The Can AM Midgets ran a B feature and that checkered flag went to Arik McGruder of Mexico, NY. Intermission followed with Gord Bennett thrilling some lucky fans in his two seater Late Model, always great to see the smiles of the fans as they exit the car.

Feature racing got underway and with 22 Mini Stocks taking the green flag. Scott Simmons led the first four laps until another rookie got by and led the next six laps. Russ Aicken had a mishap as the right rear brakes started to spark and eventually seemed to catch fire. He went to the infield, the caution came out as the fire crew made sure everything was ok. By this time the points leader, Billy Schwartzenburg had assumed the lead and maneuvered his way through lots of lapped traffic and took the checkered flag putting an exclamation mark on his season, and winning the 2012 Ponderosa Nature Resort points title. The Pro 4 Modifieds had 14 cars on hand for their 2012 finale. Great to see this club grow this year and get their car counts up. Rob Divenanzo started near the back of the pack and after a few tense laps of the #36 Hodgkinson racing car trying to get through lapped traffic, Rob found his way to the front and battled veteran John Verney till the end but it was Divenanzo taking the checkered flag and like Schwartzenburg in the Mini Stock feature, Rob put and exclamation mark on it as the Hodgkinson team won the Pro 4 Modified points title.

The final two races of the night were tense affairs. Defending Lucas Oil Can Am Midget champion Darren McLennan started the night just 7 points ahead of the second place car of Rob Neely. Neely won his heat but McLennan had some trouble and had to qualify through the B feature so that put the pressure on the defending champion heading to the feature. Chris Holman started up front and stayed there for the entire race. On lap 3, Todd Creswell lost a front right wheel and that brought out the caution. The red flag came out just past half way as several cars got into an altercation as Tom Kyle spun in turn three/four and collected a few cars. When the green flew again, Holman took off and ran the rest of the race out front winning his first feature race to end the season on a high note. Rob Neely finished second and was crowned Can Am Midget champion for the second time in his career.

Rick Jones and John Karley were on the pole for the Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modified feature. Seventeen cars attempted to take the green but it took three tries until the race got underway. The second caution actually led to a red as nearly half the field was eliminated in a mixup going into turn two. Unfortunately for Corey Jones he got mixed up in the mess and his night was done. Corey won the heat and it put him in a tie with Trendell atop the CVM points chase going into the feature. The long delay forced a change and after some discussion the feature was changed to 15 laps from 25 after half the field were unable to continue. Daryl Henwood was out in front  for most of the race followed closely by Shane Stickel. Henwood managed to hold him off and won the Season End Championship race with Stickel, who finished second, narrowly edging out Steve Trendell and crowning Stickel as Canadian Vintage Modified champion for 2012.

That brought to the end of the night’s racing and the 2012 racing season. Thanks to all those who made it a great year and for all your support during the year. Next week it’s the annual Oktoberfest weekend, September 29th and 30th, the largest grass roots racing festival in Southern Ontario. Check website for all the details, http://www.flamborospeedway.itgo.com/schedule.htm. Don’t forget, although not announced officially yet, the annual Frost Fest invitational race will  likely take place for Thunder Cars and Mini Stocks, a week or two after Peterborough Speedway’s annual Autumn Colors which takes place in two weeks time.

UNOFFICIAL Results (scored finish, not official)

Mini Stock Heat #1: #44 Scott Simmons, #1 Josh Shantz, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #61 Chad Ditner, #22 Wade Watson, #01 Mark DaSilva, #47 Bruce Wheller, #42 Rick Robinson, #10 Courtney Scott, #32 Glen Vandergeld, #05 Dave Goodacre

Mini Stock Heat #2: #13 Mike Holmes, #71 Russ Aicken, #86 Billy Schwartzenburg, #31 Dave Bailey, #81 Samantha Shaw, #75 Scott Mast, #64 Brandon McFerran, #94 Jake Gilbert, #69 Rob Twitchett, #51 Stephanie Dean,#30 Johnny Cote

Mini Stock Feature: #86 Billy Schwartzenburg, #64 Brandon McFerran, #31 Dave Bailey, #81 Samantha Shaw, #1 Josh Shantz, #13 Mike Holmes, #44 Scott Simmons, #75 Scott Mast, #01 Mark DaSilva, #22 Wade Watson, #47 Bruce Wheller, #61 Chad Ditner, #5 Ken Stenhouse, #42 Rick Robinson, #32 Glen Vandergeld, #10 Courtney Scott, #94 Jake Gilbert, #51 Stephanie Dean, #05 Dave Goodacre, #69 Rob Twitchett, #7 Russ Aicken (DNF), #30 Johnny Cote (DNF)

Pro 4 Modified Heat #1: #36 Rob Divenanzo, #43 John Verney, #6 Cliff Hodgkinson,#8 Craig Shaver, #46 Lisa Hodgkinson, #37 Dan Nanticoke, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #46 Mike Westwood (DNS)

Pro 4 Modified Heat #2: #31 Dave Asbury Jr., #93 Dan Petit, #08 Tim Tolton, #68 Aaron Turkey, #24 Blake Bomberry, #91 Robert Mercer (DNF), #3 Shannon Morris (DNF)

Pro 4 Modified Feature: #36 Rob Divenanzo, #43 John Verney, #6 Cliff Hodgkinson,#31 Dave Asbury Jr., #8 Craig Shaver, #08 Tim Tolton, #24 Blake Bomberry Jr., #3 Shannon Morris, #93 Dan Petit, #91 Robert Mercer, #46 Mike Westwood, #37 Dan Nanticoke, #9 Brian Nanticoke, #68 Aaron Turkey (DNF)

Can Am Midget Heat #1: #16 Chris Holman, #40 Mack Deman, #82 James Gray, #39 Corey Moesker, #31 Kent Turnbull, #43 Adrian Stahle, #9 Jonathan Reid, #64 Dave Hickson, #4 Andy Mackereth, #46 Mike Westwood

Can Am Midget Heat #2: #74 Rob Neely, #44 Tom Kyle, #7 Jeff Blackburn, #12 Daniel Bois, #3 Todd Creswell, #77 Erik Musto, #21 Arik McGruder, #48 Darren McLennan, #20 Rob Divenanzo, #69 Earl Caine

Can Am Midget B Feature: #21 Arik McGruder, #9 Jonathan Reid, #48 Darren McLennan, #20 Rob Divenanzo, #64 Dave Hickson, #4 Andy Mackereth, #46 Mike Westwood, #69 Earl Caine

Can AM Midget Feature: #16 Chris Holman, #74 Rob Neely, #40 Mack Deman, #12 Daniel Bois, #39 Corey Moesker, #82 James Gray, #48 Darren McLennan, #43 Adrian Stahle, #31 Kent Turnbull, #21 Arik McGruder, #77 Erik Musto, #7 Jeff Blackburn, #44 Tom Kyle, #64 Dave Hickson, #69 Earl Caine, #9 Jonathan Reid, #4 Andy Mackereth, #46 Mike Westwood, #3 Todd Cresswell (DNF), #20 Rob Divenanazo (DNF)

Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #1: #82 Corey Jones, #47 Patrick Reulens (J), #9 Steve Lyons, #57 Steve Trendell, #46 Mike Klotz, #00 Bob Gilbert, #99 Rick Jones, #50 Joe Atkinson, #27 Kevin Busher

Canadian Vintage Modified Heat #2: #29 Daryl Henwood, #6 Adrian Donkers, #19 John Karley, #39 Shane Stickel, #7 Mike Williams, #18 Jason Keen, #5 Mike Podd, #36 Rick Schurr (DNF), #81 Jeff Shaw (DQ)

Canadian Vintage Modified Feature: #29 Daryl Henwood, #39 Shane Stickel, #9 Steve Lyons, #6 Adrian Donkers, #57 Steve Trendell, #19 John Karley, #50 Joe Atkinson, #7 Mike Williams, #99 Rick Jones, #36 Rick Schurr, #46 Mike Klotz (DNF), #47 Patrick Reulens (DNF), #00 Bob Gilbert (DNF), #82 Corey Jones (DNF), #18 Jason Keen (DNF), #5 Mike Podd (DNF), #27 Kevin Busher (DNF)

Photos by Randy Spencer and Gord Nicholson