All the talk came to an end as Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval roared to life for a new year of action. The 2015 Country 105 Season Opener – with free spectator grandstand admission – played to a strong crowd Saturday, May 16^th at Peterborough Speedway.

Jeremy Kelly and Cody Fenton paced the field of 16 starters to the line for the 20 lap Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun main event. Kelly and Fenton pulled away from the field, with Sean Kennedy on their tail. Former track champion Ryan Oosterholt – who was putting a new piece through its paces – moved to 4^th, just as Colin Parkes spun with 7 laps complete. With 10 down, Oosterholt took over the runner-up spot and set his sights on Kelly. At the checkers, Oosterholt earned a trip to Dart Heating and Cooling Victory Lane, over Kennedy, Kelly, Fenton and Matthew Vanderbelt.

Brandon Hannah and Dwight Lavoie led the pack of 15 Mini Stocks to the stripe for their first ‘A’ main of the season. With just a few circuits complete, Donovan Price – wheeling the machine Ryan Babin raced to the 2014 track championship – took control of the field, with Danny Benedict, Tyler Junkin, Myles Tyson and Kevin Strutt making up the fast 5. The front 2 worked through lapped traffic and that cost Price the win, as Benedict slipped by. The #54 held on for the win, with Tyler Junkin, Miles Tyson, Strutt and Brandon Hannah next across the line.

The Renegade Truck feature was a 15 lap affair, with Tim Burke doing everything he could to hold-off a hard-charging Jack Dallin. Although he’s a newcomer to the truck field, Burke has experience in a number of different divisions and scored his first victory of the season. Dallin was second, with Bill O’Hara 3^rd.

With 20 laps to settle the score, Fedele DiBello and Rob Richards wheeled to Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval for the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car feature. As pack rolled through the first and second turns, Tom Podd made contact with the retaining wall, bending the rear bumper on his machine. Just short of halfway, defending track champion Anthony DiBello took control of the headline dance, with Richards about half a straightaway behind. DiBello held on for the win, with Richards, Steve Mayhew, Fedele DiBello and rookie Bailey Jacobs rounding out the fast 5.

Tyler Betts and Dave Morgan brought the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model drivers to the green flag for a 25 lapper. Betts broke from the pack and into a commanding lead and conditions stayed green until an incident between Bryan Sudsbury and Mark Gordon brought out the yellow flag, with 13 laps complete. Craig Perry took the #37 pit-side on the same caution period, but once the green flag waved again, Betts continued to dominate the field for his first win of the year. Morgan, Jack Horner, Gordon and Sudsbury grabbed the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th spots.

To close out the night’s action, the INEX Ontario Legends Series came from the staging area for a 25 lapper with Bill Mason and Cole Ledson in charge of the field. Before a single lap had been completed, the pace was slowed for a 3 car incident in the 4^th turn. All involved cars were able to continue. After a few attempts at restarting the show were aborted, things settled down nicely with Brian Saunders in control of the pace, with teammate Kevin Foisy on his tail. Nicholas Ledson climbed his way to 3^rd, with his brother Cole running a position behind with less than 10 circuits remaining. The scoreboard showed 17 complete, when Bailey Brown and Willy Howells came together on the front stretch. Saunders kept Foisy at bay for the victory. Nicholas Ledson, Cole Ledson and Brandon Thurlby completed the top 5.

Qualifying heats for the night went to Ryan Oosterholt with a pair, Sean Kennedy and James Townsend in the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun. Miles Tyson with a pair, Tyler Junkin and Donovan Price took the Mini Stock preliminary rounds. Tim Burke and Jack Dallin shared the Renegade Truck openers, with Howie Crowe and Fidelle DiBello splitting the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car wins. Tyler Betts, Steve Foster, Dave Morgan and Bryan Sudsbury each claimed an Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model checkered flag. Kevin Foisy, Nicholas Ledson, Cole Ledson and Brian Saunders won the INEX Ontario Legends Series heats.

Bullring bullet points: James Townsend took a turn behind the wheel of Tiffany Vanderbelt’s #88 4Fun machine…After crashing and being cradled off the track in his INEX Ontario Legends Series heat, Cole McFadden watched his father Andrew do a soft rollover on the backstretch. Neither member of the racing family from Woodville, Ontario was injured in their incident.

Action gets back on track Saturday, May 23^rd as the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series and OSCAAR Legends make their first appearance of the year, joining a night of racing with the Mini Stocks and Paul Davis Systems Thunder Cars. Pit gates open at 3:00, with the spectator areas unlocked at 5:00 and racing at 6:00.

Fans can always find the latest news at www.peterboroughspeedway.com or by liking the track on Facebook or following it on Twitter.  You can also download the free Peterborough Speedway app on your Smartphone.