By Tommy Goudge with files from Jonathon Howe
THOROLD, Ont. (July 16, 2022) – Mike Bowman took his second Action Sprint Tour fueled by Pinty’s A-Main win of the season on Saturday night at Merrittville Speedway.
Austin Roes and Mathieu Bardier led the field to the green flag for the 25 lap A-Main, and Bardier took the early lead. Every time Bardier was able to build a lead however, caution flags brought the field back to him. Eventually Mike Bowman, the 2021 Merrittville Modified champion, worked his way to the front from row four. Bowman surprised Bardier by making the winning pass on the outside with Bardier firmly committed to the bottom. Row five starter Jacob Dykstra also got by Bardier for second after a late restart, but ran out of time to catch Bowman.
The win was Bowman’s first in a Crate Sprint Car at Merrittville, and his second AST victory. Dykstra and Bardier took podium finishes, followed by Steven Beckett and row seven starter Allan Downey. The top five finish was a reward for Downey and his crew who spent the day building a car following a grinding crash in weekly competition at Ohsweken on Friday night. Heat race wins went to Bardier, Bowman, and Seth Roy, another driver who had to thrash due to crash damage the previous night.
The Action Sprint Tour will next be in competition on Monday, August 15 at Ohsweken Speedway. Visit www.actionsprinttour.com for more information.
Pinty’s Action Sprint Tour Crate Sprint Car Series
Statistical Report – Saturday, July 16, 2022
Merrittville Speedway –Thorold, Ontario, Canada
A-Main [Started] 25 laps – NT
1. 71-Mike Bowman[8]; 2. 5D-Jacob Dykstra[9]; 3. 19-Mathieu Bardier[2]; 4. 08-Steven Beckett[7]; 5. 19D-Allan Downey[14]; 6. 3S-Austin Roes[1]; 7. 12DD-Darren Dryden[5]; 8. 20-Johnny Miller[13]; 9. 4B-Darrell Pelletier[16]; 10. 88-Lance Erskine[10]; 11. 77E-Ashton VanEvery[17]; 12. 77T-Tyeller Powless[15]; 13. 9C-Brian Nanticoke[12]; 14. 28-Jordan Hill[6]; 15. 99-Joshua Hill[11]; 16. 16R-Seth Roy[4]; 17. (DNF) 39-Jonah Mutton[18]; 18. (DNF) BS39-Brett Stratford[3]; 19. (DNF) 69K-Ken Hamilton[19]
A-Main Lap Leaders – Mathieu Bardier 1-15; Mike Bowman 16-25
Margin of Victory – 1.928 seconds
Hard Charger – Allan Downey +9
Heat Race 1 [Started] 8 laps – 2:02.818
1. 19-Mathieu Bardier, Pierreville, Quebec [1]; 2. BS39-Brett Stratford, Wainfleet [4]; 3. 28-Jordan Hill, Ohsweken [2]; 4. 5D-Jacob Dykstra, Port Colborne [5]; 5. 20-Johnny Miller, Six Nations [3]; 6. 4B-Darrell Pelletier, Port Perry [6]; 7. (DNS) 69K-Ken Hamilton, Brantford
Heat Race 2 [Started] 8 laps – 2:05.357
1. 71-Mike Bowman, St. Catharines [2]; 2. 12DD-Darren Dryden, Freelton [5]; 3. 88-Lance Erskine, Brantford [1]; 4. 08-Steven Beckett, Fonthill [6]; 5. 19D-Allan Downey, Waterloo [3]; 6. 39-Jonah Mutton, Brighton [4]
Heat Race 3 [Started] 8 laps – 2:08.790
1. 16R-Seth Roy, Port Colborne [2]; 2. 3S-Austin Roes, Mossley [5]; 3. 99-Joshua Hill, Ohsweken [1]; 4. 9C-Brian Nanticoke, Ohsweken [4]; 5. 77T-Tyeller Powless, Ohsweken [3]; 6. 77E-Ashton VanEvery, Ohsweken [6]
Up Next:
Monday, August 15, 2022 – Ohsweken Speedway – Ohsweken, Ontario