2024 Peterborough Speedway

The popular Mini Stock category provides new drivers with an opportunity to participate in an entry-level stock car class. Rules are written to keep costs to a minimum.

The Mini Stock division is open to any 2010 and older approved 4-cylinder automobile having an engine no larger than 2500cc. The cars may be front or rear-wheel drive. Rules prohibit convertibles, 4-wheel drives, trucks, BMW, Audi, Saab turbo, V-Tec, supercharged or rotary engines. Also, excluded are mid or rear-engine vehicles. The weight of the cars is determined by the engine displacement and cylinder head design.

The body must retain its stock appearance - no chopping, channeling or sectioning is allowed.

Safety is a major concern in this division. Mini Stocks are fitted with a roll cage, fuel cell, five-point quick-release belts (shoulder and lap), aluminum racing seat and a window net.

Some of the makes and models typically raced by competitors include the Ford Mustang, Nissan 240SX, Acura Integra, Honda Civic and Pontiac Sunfire.

Mini Stocks were one of eleven divisions competing at Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic. In memory of Mini Stock racer Melissa Bullen, drivers contested a sixty-seven-lap feature around ‘Canada’s Toughest 1/3 Mile Oval.’

Twenty-seven Mini Stock competitors take the green flag at Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic event. On the pole is the No. 76T GM Electric Nissan 240SX driven by Shawn Taylor. Sharing the front row with Taylor is Nolan Gould in the No. 28 R & M Truck & Trailer Repairs Acura Integra. Behind the leaders are Ryan Babin in the No. 89B Babin's Automotive Repair Acura Integra and Charlie Smith driving the No. 95 Cintas Honda Civic.

This season, Peterborough Speedway regular Charlie Smith grabbed a couple of feature victories in the No. 95 KJ Bin Rentals / Cintas Honda Civic. Smith finished second in the first heat race and lined up fourth for the main event. He moved into third early and was in second place when he lost the position to Doug Butler. Smith chased Butler and Shawn Taylor until contact in turn one. With one lap to go, he inherited the lead and won.

Finishing in the runner-up position was Will Gibbons. Gibbons, who drives the No. 10G Norm's Fast Lube Honda CRX, won the second heat race. He started the feature in the sixth position and, with very little drama, moved up the lap chart. By the end of the race, he was fourth. He benefitted from the contact between Doug Butler and Shawn Taylor and moved to second. Gibbons attempted an unsuccessful pass on the leader, Charlie Smith, and finished second.

Peterborough Speedway regular James Townsend has participated in only a limited number of events this season; however, he was ready for the Autumn Colours Classic. Townsend raced his way to the sixth spot for the feature. Mid-race, the driver of the No. 14 Norwood Auto Wreckers Acura Integra battled with the eventual winner Charlie Smith. After the Doug Butler and Shawn Taylor incident, Townsend grabbed a third-place finish.

Going unnoticed amid the battle up front was Mike Nelson's performance. Nelson finished third in the first heat race but failed the technical inspection. As a result, he had to participate in the last chance race. Nelson qualified for the feature and started twenty-fourth. Despite an on-track incident that forced him to make a pit stop, Nelson moved to the front in the No. 70 MacKenzie Pub & Restaurant Dodge Neon and finished fourth.

Shawn Taylor was fresh off a victory at Flamboro Speedway’s Frostoberfest and started the Peterborough event on the pole in the No. 76 GM Electric Nissan 240SX. Taylor had a comfortable lead until lap 49, when he was passed by the No. 10 HWY 10 Signs Nissan 240SX of Doug Butler. The two ran nose-to-tail until the final lap, when Taylor attempted a pass that resulted in contact. Butler finished ninth and Taylor finished twenty-first.

The top three Mini Stock finishers stand in DART Heating & Cooling Victory Lane at Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic. In the center is winner Charlie Smith, who collected a surprise victory after the leaders crashed on the final lap. On the left is runner-up Will Gibbons, who has won many Mini Stock special events in Ontario. Finishing third is James Townsend, who completed the podium.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS
1	4	Charlie Smith	KJ Bin Rentals/Cintas / Honda Civic	67
2	6	Will Gibbons	Norm's Fast Lube / Honda CRX	67
3	5	James Townsend	Norwood Auto Wreckers / Acura Integra	67
4	24	Mike Nelson	MacKenzie Pub & Restaurant / Dodge Neon	67
5	9	Bobby Mercer	Claybar Contracting / Honda Accord Wagon	67
6	20	Chris Tubman	Lakeside Mobile Tire / Honda Civic	67
7	12	Jacob Sutcliffe	MacMillan Motorsports / Ford Mustang	67
8	15	Matt Young	Blue Streak Contracting / Acura Integra	67
9	7	Doug Butler	HWY 10 Signs / Nissan 240SX	67
10	10	Blaise Shaw	Spira Fire Protection / Ford Mustang	67
11	13	Bob Stewart	Dippel's Family Garage / Mazda 3	66
12	19	Wyatt Sutcliffe	MacMillan Motorsports / Ford Mustang	66
13	8	Mike Thomson	Bucks by Tatra / Ford Mustang	66
14	28	Brad Lavalle	Dan's Appliance Center / Pontiac Sunfire	65
15	11	David Dippel	Dippel's Family Garage / Mazda 3	65
16	18	Tyler McMurter	Dusk to Dawn Brewing Company / Ford Mustang	64
17	21	Dave Bragg	Switch Tire / Dodge Neon	63
18	3	Ryan Babin	Babin's Automotive Repair / Acura Integra	41
19	17	Rob Crick	Babin Automotive / Acura Integra	39
20	23	Peter Wakeling	Queensville Sod / Ford Mustang	34
21	25	Johnny Paradzinski	APC Auto Parts Centres / Honda Civic	28
22	1	Shawn Taylor	GM Electric / Nissan 240SX	23
23	16	Karl Sault	Blue Streak Contracting / Acura Integra	8
24	22	Curtis Burnett	KC Automotive / Ford Mustang	7
25	2	Nolan Gould	R & M Truck & Trailer Repairs / Acura Integra	4
26	14	Dustin Goodfellow	- / Nissan 240SX	4
27	26	Ryder White	Jack &Jill's Surf Shop / Honda Civic	4