Photo Credit Ken Schrader Racing
OHSWEKEN, Ont. (June 7, 2022) – The 25th season of Friday Night Excitement at Ohsweken Speedway continues this Friday, June 10 when APC Auto Parts Centres presents the UMP/CDN Modified Challenge, plus 358 Modifieds, Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks, and HRW Automotive Mini Stocks. NASCAR legend Ken Schrader will do double duty on Friday driving his own car in the UMP Modified division and a Glenn Styres Racing car in the 358 Modified division.
UMP/CDN MODIFIED CHALLENGE Ohsweken Speedway is located approximately halfway between the two Ontario tracks – Southern Ontario Motor Speedway and Brighton Speedway – with weekly UMP/IMCA-type Modified divisions; this makes it an ideal meeting point for the UMP teams from the west and Canadian Modified teams from the east to square off in a UMP/CDN Modified Challenge. Along with provincial bragging rights, the teams will be trying to keep NASCAR legend Ken Schrader out of the winner’s circle. The Missouri-based driver has claimed victory twice at Ohsweken in the past, while Joel Dick also has two Ohsweken wins on his resume. Tim Richardson and Eugene Hoekstra have one win each, while Dennis Lunger won the most recent UMP/CDN Modified Challenge at Ohsweken in July 2019.
“SMALL BLOCK” 358 MODIFIEDS The bulk of the area’s 358 Modified teams are based in Niagara Region and Western New York, but many have roots at Ohsweken dating back to the track’s formative days when Sportsman Modifieds competed weekly. St. Catharines driver Mat Williamson first competed at Ohsweken as a teenager and headlines the list of contenders looking to take the Small Block win on Friday; now 32 years of age, the former Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modified champion and two-time Super DIRT Week winner has already racked up six wins in the region this season. The most recent 358 Modified events at Ohsweken were held in the years 2013 through 2016; Williamson claimed two of those wins, while Western New York drivers Chad Brachmann and Erick Rudolph won one each. The ageless Pete Bicknell’s “Mr. Small Block” nickname holds true at Ohsweken, where he has claimed seven 358 Modified wins to lead the all-time list. Other contenders expected to compete on Friday include 2021 Merrittville champ Mike Bowman, current Merrittville points leader Gary Lindberg, and two-time Ohsweken Sportsman champ Fred Carleton.
MIDDLEPORT MECHANICAL THUNDER STOCKS Dave Bailey has won the last five consecutive Thunder Stock championships at Ohsweken and began his pursuit of six strongly with a feature win on opening night. Ryan Beagle gave Bailey a good challenge, however, and holds second in the championship points standings heading into week two. Mike Klazinga, Mark Fawcett, and Christopher Hale hold down the remainder of the top five points positions.
HRW AUTOMOTIVE STREET STOCKS Tyler Lafantaisie’s seventh career Ohsweken A-Main win has the 2014 champ atop the Mini Stock standings after opening night, followed by Jeremy Hughes, defending champ Dusty DeBoer, Nick Erskine, and Rodney Rutherford. Hughes’ return to Mini Stock competition makes him the active win leader at Ohsweken with nine A-Main wins all-time.
NOTE: NEW ELECTRONIC PIT WAIVER Please click this link to sign the Annual Pit Waiver if you plan on attending in the Pit Area in 2022: https://ohsspeed.speedwaiver.com/kinxf
OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY ON GFORCETV Can’t make it to the track or don’t live within driving distance? No problem! Check out all of Ohsweken’s weekly Friday Night Excitement action live online for FREE on GForceTV. Just search for GForceTV on YouTube, OHSWEKENSPEEDWAY on Facebook, or visit www.ohswekenspeedway.com to watch.
#OHS2022 SEASON The 25th season of weekly Friday Night Excitement at Ohsweken Speedway features four regular racing divisions, including the Kool Kidz-Corr/Pak 360 Sprint Cars, Strickland’s GMC Crate Sprint Cars, Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks, and HRW Automotive Mini Stocks. Several special events also highlight the 2022 schedule including the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, and the dirt track debut of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Visit www.ohswekenspeedway.com for more information.
About Ohsweken Speedway: Opened in 1996, Ohsweken Speedway is a motorsports complex and event centre featuring a 3/8 mile clay oval auto racing track and 1/6 mile clay oval Micro Sprint and Karting track. The facility is owned by the Styres family, and located in the village of Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada. Ohsweken’s weekly Friday Night Excitement racing program runs from May to September each year, featuring 360 Sprint Cars, Crate Sprint Cars, Thunder Stocks, and Mini Stocks, while the facility also hosts weekly Micro Sprint and Kart racing on Thursday nights. Several major events highlight the annual schedule including the track’s signature event – the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.
Ohsweken Speedway Media Website: www.ohswekenspeedway.com Facebook: OHSWEKENSPEEDWAY Twitter: @OhswekenSpdway Instagram: @ohswekenspeedway YouTube: GForceTV
Racing at Ohsweken Speedway is made possible with support from the following partners: Ackland Insurance, Arrow Express, Nitro 54 Variety, Auto Parts Centres, Bradshaw Brothers Fuels, Burger Barn, Case IH & O’Neil’s Farm Equipment, Core-Mark International, Corr/Pak Merchandising Inc., Creative Edge Signs & Graphics, EPIC Racewear, Gale’s Auto Aftermarket, Ohsweken Speedway Racesource, Halifax Thunderbirds, Hoosier Tire Canada, HRW Automotive, Insta-Insulation/Insta-Panels, Jibs Action Sports, Kool Kidz Ice & Water, Middleport Mechanical, Miska Trailer Factory, Pinty’s Delicious Foods, Renway Energy, Strickland’s GMC, Club 54 Racing, Oakwood Transport, and Safety-Kleen.