Author: Grandbend

Ford 4.6 Beach Cruisers

We are pleased to announce that the Ford 4.6 Beach Cruisers have become a reality on Thursday Nights at Grand Bend Speedway and Festival Center for 2023.

The wildly popular division idea was asked about on our Speedway Director’s Facebook page with great response, since then we have adopted the rules package from a bunch of speedways South of the Border plus utilizing our Thursday night platform as an opportunity to build the uniquely economical class for drivers both new and established.

The idea to bring the Ford 4.6 Beach Cruisers not only was a good opportunity to showcase the full-size Crown Vics, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car class on Thursdays but another equally appealing chance to add a chained car to the back and race against the Crazy Trains which come once a month during 2023 on Saturday Nights.

Grand Bend Speedway & Festival Centre Set for 2023

Fierce on-track competition, driving experiences, special events, touring classes, and an all-new party bar highlight Grand Bend Speedway & Festival Centre’s 2023 schedule. In total, the schedule features 32 racing events with competition taking place on Saturday nights starting at the end of May and, new in 2023, an extra night of racing on Thursday evenings starting in mid June.

Weekly competition in 2023 is spread across two different nights of racing with each night of racing having its own points championship. Thursday evenings are driver-development focused with $10 admission for spectators entering through the competitor entrance. Saturday’s races are a full program featuring the full-size cars and development classes, track announcers, special events and touring classes, and the new Outside Groove Party Bar. The Outside Groove will be open until 2am with live bands playing on the New LandShark Stage once competition concludes for the evening. On both Thursdays and Saturdays the Around the Bend Driving Experience will be offering two-seater rides after the races.

On-track competition this season includes a mix of full-size vehicles and 1/2-scale competition. For the full-size vehicles the Late Models, V8 Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Bone Stocks will be in competition. A new Kid Stock class runs on Thursday nights. 9HP Sprints, Junior Sprints, Junior Late Models, and Mini Trucks make up the lineup for half-scale competition. Fans will also catch the new Pro Midget Class which includes 440 Midgets, Outlaw Midgets, and Pro Sprints.

The all-new Grand Bend Ribfest (July 13-16) is the featured event this season with two big races, Thursday, July 13 for the Brad Clarke Memorial & GBS Reunion and Saturday, July 15 featuring a packed racing lineup, half-price spectator admission on Saturday, and, of course, awesome ribs.

Novelty events on the year include Crazy Trains (May 27, June 10, July 8, Aug 5), Power Wheels races (July 1), the return of King of the Hill Spectator races (May 20, June 3, Aug 12).

For visiting classes the Great Lakes Legends Series will thrill three times: June 24, July 15, and August 19. The Southern Ontario Modified Association will hit the track with their open-wheel racing on June 17, July 15, and Aug 26. The Outlaw Midgets visit on July 15 and the Can Am Midgets one-night only event headlines the schedule on July 22.

The Around the Bend Driving Experience continues to give fans the chance to ride or drive a real 400+ horsepower Late Model race car with bookings available during the week or on weekends throughout the year.

The 2023 Season Opener is set for Saturday, May 20 at 7:00 PM for the Victoria Day Weekend. Racing features Junior Sprints, Junior Late Models, Bone Stocks, Mini Stocks, V8 Stocks, and a King of the Hill Spectators Race. The Outside Groove Party Bar will continue to stay open after the races with the Creekie Beaver Boys taking the Landshark stage.

Around the Bend Driving Experience Gift Certificates Available!

Looking for a unique Christmas Gift? Then think outside the box!
2023 Gift Certificates for Grand Bend Speedway’s AROUND THE BEND DRIVING EXPERIENCE are Available!
Give your friends and loved ones the thrill of a life time. They can experience oval track racing from either side, as a driver or as a passenger in one of our 2-seater race cars.
Contact us to purchase a gift certificate just in time for Christmas!

2023 RULES AND REGISTRATION MEETING

Just a reminder that this Sunday, October 16th is our annual rules and registration meetings for the 2023 racing season at Grand Bend Speedway.

These are some key points to ponder and voice your opinion on in the class meetings:

1- The Late Model rules are very simple and will hopefully bring more cars out with a 2700 pound weight rule and basic safety rules for racing bi-weekly. Rules are posted.

2- There is a V8 Stock rules package at 3100 pounds, a 2BBL carb among other easy rules that will be racing bi-weekly. Rules and schedule are posted.

3- Bone Stock and Mini Stock classes on Saturday nights are separately scored and ruled but will race together with 2 separate feature winners in victory lane with separate points and payouts at the end of a race night.

4- Kid Stock will see a return and compete at GBS. Kids up to 15 years old will compete in Bone Stock ruled cars as part of our Thursdays racing events.

5- Thursday Nights racing will be utilized to develop classes and drivers along with our usual Saturday Night racing. All posted on our website. Schedule is posted.

6- Our regularly scheduled GBS classes will see minimal to no rules changes in an effort to keep those classes as economical as possible. Anything safety related or need attention will be discussed and voted on.

7- We are tentatively having a 2 cars chained together class, called “Chain Warriors” that will be bases upon Enduro rules for the cars being used. If you are interested come to the meeting Sunday.

8- We are asking you to attend these meetings to assist with your input into GBS. Further please register your team so we can get a commitment level to further grow GBS and attract sponsorship for your division.
Registration is very affordable and structured for every level of commitment to GBS. Everything is posted for you to pre-fill out paperwork prior to meetings.

Please share this post so we reach as many people as possible.

Hope we see you Sunday the 16th of October.

THE LIGHTS FEST at Grand Bend Speedway October 15, 2022

We please to announce that we will be hosting THE LIGHTS FEST here at Grand Bend Speedway on Saturday October 15th, 2022!

This is a family oriented event that creates moments and memories shared with friends and families that last a lifetime. The Lights Fest uses non-standard, customized and patented lanterns that stay in the air for a short period of time.  The lanterns have been specially engineered using state of the art safety protocols to produce a limited flight time (on average, reaching a hight of 250-300 yards and travelling a distance on 300-500 yards from their original launching point). They are made from non-flammable and biodegradable materials – no metal wiring is used. All lanterns are cleaned up within 24 hours of them being lauched by The Lights Festival crew.

The Lights Fest in co-ordiation with Grand Bend Speedway have been granted permission by the Township and have the proper permits to hold this event. The South Huron Fire Department has also given approval for the event and will be present on site during the event as is standard safely protocol for all Light Fest Events.

This will be the first Annual Lights Fest here at Grand Bend Speedway. We are excited to continue to bring  wholesome family friendly entertainment to the Grand Bend area!

For more information: www.thelightsfest.com

Champions Crowned at Season Finale

The drivers of Grand Bend Speedway wrapped up their 2022 campaign Saturday evening.

Craig Cole (#55) of Beachville won in the Bone Stocks holding off a charging Dan Storey (#34) of Beachville after taking the lead early in the event.  His win was a back-to-back victory after having won last week.  Kyle Neumeister (#92) of Mitchell came home with the championship in the division having won eight events over the course of the season.

In the Mini Trucks Austen Arnell (#29) of Thedford took home the win and the championship.  Mason Collver (#20) of Strathroy finished second in the race and was also the runner up in the championship chase.  Arnell racked up an impressive seven victories.  Arnell was the winner of all but two of the events in the Mini Trucks this season.  The other two events were won by Collver.

Quinn Goertz (#18) of Ilderton got the race win as well as the championship in the Rookie Trucks.  The victory was his eleventh of the season that saw him hold off Austen Arnell (#77) of Vanastra for both the victory and the championship.  The Rookie Truck event was a challenging one with a pair of hard crashes at the beginning of the event involving Brayden Martin (#51) of Mt. Brydges and Bailey Batty (#9) of Wyoming.

Kara Martin (#53) of Mt. Brydges finished her Junior Late Model career with a victory in the race and the overall points championship.  She was also the winner of the Future Stars championship earlier in the season and finished with nine victories overall.  Martin has already begun racing in the Bone Stock series as she graduates from the Junior Late Model class.

Dylan Graham (#4) of Glencoe capped off a successful season with yet another victory in addition to claiming the championship.  All told, the driver earned eleven feature race wins over the course of the season.  Maxwell Lloyd (#6x) of London impressed leading the early part of the race where he ultimately finished third.  Hannah Hamilton (#7) of Thedford finished second.

Shean Carey (#87) of Hagersville took home the win in the Southern Ontario Modified Association (SOMA) 15-lap race holding off an exceptionally hard charging Tate O’Leary (#28K) of Port Lambton who was running the event in a dirt modified that saw him power-sliding around the turns at the 1/4-mile track.

In the Pro Stocks, Jeremy Curtis (#77) won the event in his exhibition vehicle.  Darryn Wright (#62) of Watford came home with the 2022 championship with a victory to his credit from earlier in the season.

Saturday’s event was the final race of the 2022 season.  The Around the Bend Driving Experience continues to run at the track during the off-season.  Fans and drivers can keep an eye to Grand Bend Speedway.ca for updates during the off season.

Results:

BONE STOCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 55 Craig Cole Beachville
2. 34 Dan Storey Beachville
3. 52R Randy Martin Mount Brydges
4. 53 Kara Martin Mount Brydges
5. 28 Cierra Graves Ingersoll
6. 52 Carter Nicol Ailsa Craig
7. 14 Hana Lamont London

Heat Race #1

1. 53 Kara Martin Mount Brydges
2. 55 Craig Cole Beachville
3. 14 Hana Lamont London
4. 28 Cierra Graves Ingersoll

Heat Race #2

1. 34 Dan Storey Beachville
2. 52R Randy Martin Mount Brydges
3. 52 Carter Nicol Ailsa Craig

SOUTHERN ONTARIO MODIFIED SERIES (SOMA)
Feature Race
1. 87 Shean Carey Hagersville
2. 28K Tate O’Leary Port Lambton
3. 84 Vic Devries
4. 93 Dan Pettit Jerseyville

Heat #1
1. 93 Dan Pettit Jerseyville
2. 28K Tate O’Leary Port Lambton
3. 84 Vic Devries
4. 87 Shean Carey Hagersville

MINI TRUCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 29 Austin Arnel Thedford
2. 20 Mason Collver Strathroy
3. 11 Rob Broadhurst London
4. 7 James Relou Ilderton
5. 19 Caleb Goertz Ilderton
6. 67 Rick Baskett Clinton
7. 15 Kaisha Zimoch Melbourne
8. 25 Mckenna Robson St. Marys

Heat Race #1

1. 29 Austin Arnel Thedford
2. 11 Rob Broadhurst London
3. 7 James Relou Ilderton
4. 25 Mckenna Robson St. Marys

Heat Race #2

1. 20 Mason Collver Strathroy
2. 19 Caleb Goertz Ilderton
3. 67 Rick Baskett Clinton
4. 15 Kaisha Zimoch Melbourne

ROOKIE TRUCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 18 Quinn Goertz Ilderton
2. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
3. 55 Eden Robson St Marys
4. 9 Bailey Batty Wyoming
(DQ) 51 Bryden Martin Mt. Brydges

Heat Race #1

1. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
2. 18 Quinn Goertz Ilderton
3. 9 Bailey Batty Wyoming
4. 51 Brayden Martin Mt. Brydges
5. 55 Eden Robson St Marys

JUNIOR LATE MODEL RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 53 Kara Martin Mt. Brydges
2. 9 Grayson Masson Ingersoll
3. 2 Malachi Busink Strathroy
4. 17 Callum Lawton Woodstock
5. 77 Eric Lawton Woodstock
6. 22 Judah Busink Strathroy

Heat Race #1

1. 53 Kara Martin Mt. Brydges
2. 22 Judah Busink Strathroy
3. 9 Grayson Masson Ingersoll

Heat Race #2

1. 17 Callum Lawton Woodstock
2. 2 Malachi Busink Strathroy

JUNIOR SPRINT RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 4 Dylan Graham Glencoe
2. 7 Hannah Hamilton Thedford
3. 6x Maxwell Lloyd London
4. 99 Tyson Fucile London
5. 2 Blake Watson West Lorne
6. 8 Emma Graham Glencoe
7. 45 Anthony Pauli London
8. 6 Alexis Eaton London
9. 85 Ryan Clark Strathroy
10. 73 Chase Morris London

Heat Race #1

1. 4 Dylan Graham Glencoe
2. 2 Blake Watson West Lorne
3. 7 Hannah Hamilton Thedford
4. 8 Emma Graham Glencoe
5. 45 Anthony Pauli London

Heat Race #2

1. 6x Maxwell Lloyd London
2. 99 Tyson Fucile London
3. 6 Alexis Eaton London
4. 85 Ryan Clark Strathroy

Pro Stock Results
Feature Race
1. 77 Jeremy Curtis Durham
2. 62 Darryn Wright Watford
3. 22K Tate O’Leary Port Lambton

Heat Race #1

1. 77 Jeremy Curtis Durham
2. 62 Darryn Wright Watford
3. 22K Tate O’Leary Port Lambton

Championship Saturday Has Arrived

The final race event of the year has arrived!  Saturday at 7:00 PM fans can catch the championship events for the Mini Trucks, Junior Sprints, Rookie Trucks, Junior Late Models, Bone Stocks, and Pro Stocks.  The evening will also feature a special appearance by the Southern Ontario Modified Association.

General admission seating includes access to the lawn chair area as well as the grandstand.  Pits are open free of charge after the event to get an up close look at the racing vehicles.

About the Track: Grand Bend Speedway is a 1/4 mile paved Tri-Oval race track. Originally built in 1996 for small-scale vehicles it was later expanded into the track of today which can accommodate both half-size development series as well as full-size race cars. The track is located just outside the town of Grand Bend beside the Grand Bend Motorplex facility.

Beneteau Claims Hard-Fought Win

Mike Beneteau (#33) of Grand Bend won the 9HP Mini Sprint event Saturday evening at Grand Bend Speedway over his rival in the division: Austen MacLennan (#77) of Vanastra.  MacLennan, for his part, walked away with the 2022 championship in the division in which he scored four feature race wins over the course of the season.  The on-track battle between Beneteau and MacLennan on Saturday evening featured intense competition as the two swapped the lead back and fourth staying in lock step with each other around the track.

Craig Cole (#55) of Beachville won in the Bone Stocks.  Cole had opened up a strong lead over Dan Storey (#34) of Beachville which closed up significantly in the final five laps of the race.  Although Storey, who had a win to his credit from earlier in the season, closed to within striking distance in those final laps, he would run out of laps as Cole claimed his first GBS win of the season.

Pro Stock competition was won by Jeremy Curtis (#77) of Durham.  Gord Bennett (#67) of Grand Bend chased hard throughout the race but was unable to mount a challenge as the race wrapped up.

In the development classes, Kara Martin (#53) of Mt. Brydges returned to victory lane for the eighth time this season, Quinn Goertz (#18) of Ilderton again showed his control over the Rookie Truck division with his tenth victory, and Dylan Graham (#4) of Glencoe also took his tenth win of the season.

The next competition at Grand Bend Speedway is the season finale event on Saturday, September 3.  The racing card will feature the Pro Stocks, Bone Stocks, Mini Trucks, Junior Late Models, Rookie Trucks, and Junior Sprints all in their championship events.  The evening also features a special showing by the Southern Ontario Modified Series.  Racing starts at 7:00 pm.

BONE STOCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 55 Craig Cole Beachville
2. 34 Dan Storey Beachville
3. 53 Kara Martin Mount Brydges
4. 52R Randy Martin Mount Brydges
5. 15 Sterling Roberts Ingersoll
6. 28 Cierra Graves Ingersoll
7. 14 Hana Lamont London

Heat Race #1

1. 53 Kara Martin Mount Brydges
2. 55 Craig Cole Beachville
3. 15 Sterling Roberts Ingersoll

Heat Race #2

1. 28 Cierra Graves Ingersoll
2. 34 Dan Storey Beachville
3. 52R Randy Martin Mount Brydges
4. 14 Hana Lamont London

9HP MINI SPRINT RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 33 Mike Beneteau Grand Bend
2. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
3. 72 Mike Neumeister Mitchell
4. 45 Trevor Pauli London

Heat Race #1

1. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
2. 33 Mike Beneteau Grand Bend
3. 72 Mike Neumeister Mitchell
4. 45 Trevor Pauli London

JUNIOR LATE MODEL RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 53 Kara Martin Mt. Brydges
2. 9 Grayson Masson Ingersoll
3. 2 Malachi Busink Strathroy
4. 73 Alyssa Brunette St. Thomas
5. 77 Eric Lawton Woodstock
6. 22 Judah Busink Strathroy
7. 17 Callum Lawton Woodstock

Heat Race #1

1. 53 Kara Martin Mt. Brydges
2. 2 Malachi Busink Strathroy
3. 9 Grayson Masson Ingersoll
4. 22 Judah Busink Strathroy

Heat Race #2

1. 17 Callum Lawton Woodstock
2. 73 Alyssa Brunette St. Thomas
3. 77 Eric Lawton Woodstock

ROOKIE TRUCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 18 Quinn Goertz Ilderton
2. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
3. 9 Bailey Batty Wyoming
4. 51 Brayden Martin Mt. Brydges

Heat Race #1

1. 18 Quinn Goertz Ilderton
2. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
3. 9 Bailey Batty Wyoming
4. 51 Brayden Martin Mt. Brydges

JUNIOR SPRINT RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 4 Dylan Graham Glencoe
2. 11 Collin Klumper Mitchell
3. 7 Hannah Hamilton Thedford
4. 2 Blake Watson West Lorne
5. 99 Tyson Fucile London
6. 6 Alexis Eaton London
7. 8 Emma Graham Glencoe
8. 85 Ryan Clark Strathroy
9. 45 Anthony Pauli London

Heat Race #1

1. 4 Dylan Graham Glencoe
2. 2 Blake Watson West Lorne
3. 6 Alexis Eaton London
4. 99 Tyson Fucile London

Heat Race #2

1. 11 Collin Klumper Mitchell
2. 7 Hannah Hamilton Thedford
3. 45 Anthony Pauli London
4. 8 Emma Graham Glencoe
5. 85 Ryan Clark Strathroy

Pro Stock Results
Feature Race
1. 77 Jeremy Curtis Durham
2. 67 Gord Bennett Grand Bend
3. 62 Darryn Wright Watford

Heat Race #1

1. 77 Jeremy Curtis Durham
2. 62 Darryn Wright WatfordAu

Two Race Nights Left in 2022 Season

Saturday’s racing a Grand Bend Speedway is the home track special featuring all of GBS’s local classes: 9hp Mini Sprints, Jr Sprints, Rookie Trucks, Jr Late Models, Bone Stocks, and Pro Stocks are all on the racing card.  The races are the second-last event of the season at the track.  Competition gets underway at 7:00 pm.

General admission seating includes access to the lawn chair area as well as the grandstand.  Pits are open free of charge after the event to get an up close look at the racing vehicles.

About the Track: Grand Bend Speedway is a 1/4 mile paved Tri-Oval race track. Originally built in 1996 for small-scale vehicles it was later expanded into the track of today which can accommodate both half-size development series as well as full-size race cars. The track is located just outside the town of Grand Bend beside the Grand Bend Motorplex facility.

Collver Claws Way to Victory, Buesink Wins First-Ever Feature

Saturday’s competition at Grand Bend Speedway ran as a features only format as drivers raced each other as well as against the potential for inclement weather.  The event was a memorial race for Jerry Thompson sponsored by Earl S. Ross Inc.

Michael Neumeister won in the Bone Stock feature.  Starting from last place he marched his way through the field to come home with the win.

In the Mini Trucks, Mason Collver (#20) of Strathroy clawed his way from the back of the field to the front following involvement in a lap one crash that left him with a flat tire.  After managing to return to the track before the green flag dropped, he cut his way to the front of the pack racing hard with Austin Arnell (#29) of Thedford along the way.  His win was his second of the season.

Judah Buesink (#22) of Strathroy won his first-ever feature winning over points leader Kara Martin (#53) of Mt. Brydges.  Grayson Masson (#9) of Ingersoll also led laps in the event before being passed for Buesink for the eventual win.

The 9HP Mini Sprint race was won by Austen MacLennan (#77) of Vanastra and Dylan Graham (#4) of Glencoe took home his ninth victory of the season in the Junior Sprints.

The next race at Grand Bend Speedway is next Saturday at 7:00 pm with the home track special featuring all of GBS’s local classes: 9hp Mini Sprints, Jr Sprints, Rookie Trucks, Jr Late Models, Bone Stocks, and Pro Stocks are all on the racing card.  The races are the second-last event of the season at the track.

BONE STOCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 92 Michael Neumeister Mitchell
2. 34 Dan Storey Beachville
3. 55 Tyler Ward Beachville
4. 28 Cierra Graves Ingersoll
5. 53 Kara Martin Mount Brydges
6. 52R Randy Martin Mount Brydges
7. 14 Hana Lamont London
8. 52 Carter Nicol Ailsa Craig

MINI TRUCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 20 Mason Collver Strathroy
2. 11 Rob Broadhurst London
3. 29 Austin Arnel Thedford
4. 15 Carson Sim Komoka
5. 7 James Relou Ilderton
6. 25 Mckenna Robson St. Marys
7. 19 Caleb Goertz Ilderton

9HP MINI SPRINT RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
2. 33 Mike Beneteau Grand Bend
3. 72 Trevor Pauli London
4. 2x Kaden Patrick Delaware

ROOKIE TRUCK RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 18 Quinn Goertz Ilderton
2. 77 Austen MacLennan Vanastra
3. 9 Bailey Batty Wyoming
4. 51 Brayden Martin Mt. Brydges
5. 55 Eden Robson St Marys

JUNIOR LATE MODEL RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 22 Judah Buesink Strathroy
2. 53 Kara Martin Mt. Brydges
3. 9 Grayson Masson Ingersoll
4. 2 Malachi Buesink Strathroy
5. 17 Callum Lawton Woodstock
6. 77 Eric Lawton Woodstock

JUNIOR SPRINT RESULTS
Feature Race
1. 4 Dylan Graham Glencoe
2. 6x Maxwell Lloyd London
3. 11 Collin Klumper Mitchell
4. 7 Hannah Hamilton Thedford
5. 6 Alexis Eaton London
6. 99 Tyson Fucile London
7. 45 Anthony Pauli London
8. 8 Emma Graham Glencoe
9. 2 Blake Watson West Lorne
10. 85 Ryan Clark Strathroy

 

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