Jeff Roth, Erin Staley, and Dan Cryderman take home wins in Grand Bend drag racing event

GRAND BEND, ON – The track, weather, and racing was in top form during the 18th annual Stratford Spectacular Hot August Nationals presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts held over the weekend at the Grand Bend Motorplex.

When the final rounds were completed, Jeff Roth took the win in the Pro Modified Racing Association, Erin Staley won the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, and Dan Cryderman took the Pro Bike & Sled win.

Driving his Roth Racing 1941 Willys Pro Modified, Jeff Roth qualified number two in the field and worked his way to the final to run against three-time PMRA champion and number one qualifier Bruce Boland of Stoney Creek. But Boland uncharacteristically cut a red light, giving Roth the automatic win.

Today was a good day, said Roth, of New Dundee Ontario, after his third PMRA victory. The car is responding a lot better thanks to the work from the crew Dave Bankes, Larry Summerfield, Kyle McNeil, Ron Muir, Willy Kerr and Ashley Roth, and the track was stellar.

I want to thank all my sponsors, Oak Grove Cheese, Shellbourne Fuels and Bright Water Service, he continued. I’m happy we could win for them. I also want to thank my parents, Jim and Kim Roth for supporting me.

Boland set the pace with a 6.041, 238.03 in a tight field with a 6.545 bump spot. Semi-finalists were number three qualifier Rob Atchison of London, Ontario, and Sam Andreacchi of Toronto, who qualified fourth.

Boland continues to lead the PMRA Championship Point Award Series with 1072 points, while Roth is close in second with 1056. Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario is third with 995 points, while Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan and Jack Grainy of Basom, New York are next, tied with 975 points.

A broken blower belt, broken fuel pump, and flat tire did not slow down Erin Staley, as the Kalamazoo, Michigan Top Dragster driver won her first Quick 32 Sportsman Series event. Qualifying eighth, Staley defeated Dan Aitken Jr of Grand Pointe, Ontario with his Top Sportsman 1995 Mustang to win the event.

Driving her Bowen-chassised Top Dragster with a 540 Brodix powerplant, Staley posted a 6.575, 197.15 winning run over Aiken’s 7.136, 192.34.

We were consistent all weekend, said the grade-three school teacher after her win. And the track was excellent, adding she has been driving a Top Dragster for four years.

Staley took out number 13 qualifier Lyle Williams of Strathroy, Ontario in the Top Dragster final while Aitken shut down Bob Bauer Jr of Elma, New York in the Top Sportsman final.

Qualifying number in Top Dragster was Scott Wildgust of Wartburg, Ontario with a 6.025, 224.49, while leading the Top Sportsman ladder was Darryl MacMillan of Goderich, Ontario who posted a 6.752 201.11 with his 1963 Corvette.

Leading in Quick 32 Sportsman Series Championship Point Award Series, presented by NAPA Auto Parts, is Jon Schmid of Orchard Park, New York, with 711 points. Schmid was a semi-finalist in Top Sportsman. Top Dragster driver Tony Positano of Toronto, was taken out in round two, and is second in points with 696, followed by Glen Vardy of Burlington, Ontario with 659, Wildgust with 620, and the Top Sportsman team of Wilson & Gray from Ingersoll, Ontario with 597.

Last year’s PBSS champion, Dan Cryderman, returned to the winner’s circle at Grand Bend with a final-round victory over Ted Glinny. Cryderman, of Thamesville, Ontario, qualified his Pro Bike Suzuki second behind John Orfanidis of Toronto who lead the field with a 7.991, 160.42.

Glinny, from Milton, Ontario, qualified fifth with his Pro Bike Kawasaki, and in a close final, was taken out by Cryderman, who ran an 8.227, 158.20 to Glinny’s 8.373, 153.84.

I love coming here, said Cryderman after his win. We used the same tune-up all weekend, he continued. The track was awesome and the bike was consistent.

Semi-finalists in the series race, presented by Wiseco Performance Products, were Pro Sled rider Bill Anderson of Seaforth, Ontario, and Pro Biker Sperios Lazarou of Mississauga, Ontario.

Cryderman leads the PBSS Championship Point Award Series with 740, followed by Glinny with 656, Mark Catanzaro of Kimball, Michigan with 633, Curtis Beck of Milton, Ontario with 617, and Orfanidis with 600.

The Stratford Spectacular Hot August Nationals was the fourth round of 2014 for all three drag racing series. The next event is the Thunder by the Beach Weekend August 29-31 at Grand Bend.

For information about the “Thunder by the Beach” Weekend at the Grand Bend Motorplex, call (519) 238-7223, visit www.grandbendmotorplex.com

Photo Credit: Bryan Epps ~ BME Photography