Girl Power is Alive and Well at Peterborough Speedway’s Autumn Colours Classic
Short track stock car racing has traditionally been a male-dominated vocation. Over the years, a number of female drivers have made headlines in the various divisions at Peterborough Speedway. With the track’s spotlight event, the 23rd Annual Autumn Colours Classic – presented by Lucas Oil Products – less than a month away, the playground taunt ‘girls rule and boys drool’ could soon echo through the spectator grandstands and the pit area of the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road, west of the Liftlock City.
A quick check of the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun point standings – where 15 year old Willow Barberstock captured the championship in 2014 – shows drivers named Ryan, Sean and Jeremy occupying the top 3 positions, but also runners who go by Tiffany, Marilyn and Erin within the top 20 positions of the finishing order. At last year’s Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing, half a dozen female racers were part of the overall starting fields. With the 2015 edition of the event coming up quickly, that statistic looks as though it could be repeated.
Tiffany Vandebelt, Marilyn Junkin and Erin Kearns are slated to represent the 4Fun division, while Ember Junkin is expected to fly the Mini Stock colours. In the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model field, Brittany Gressel and fan favourite Amanda Connolly will take the green flag. For Connolly – the 2009 Peterborough Speedway Late Model track champion – Autumn Colours will be her final race with the last name ‘Connolly’ over the driver’s door of the #16 machine. Saturday, November 14th she’ll become Amanda Balson after exchanging vows with OSCAAR Super Late Model driver Kelly Balson.
The 23rd Annual Autumn Colours Classic – presented by Lucas Oil Products – takes the green flag Friday, October 9th practice and first round qualifying for the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Mini Stock, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car, Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model, Pro Late Model and OSCAAR Modified divisions. Pit gates will open at 10:00, with the spectator grandstands unlocked at 5:00 and racing at 6:00. Action will continue throughout the weekend with plenty of excitement scheduled for Saturday, October 10th and feature events on the agenda Sunday, October 11th.
Fans can always find the latest Autumn Colours Classic news and information at www.peterboroughspeedway.com by liking the track’s page at www.facebook.com or following it on Twitter. You can also download the free Peterborough Speedway app on your Smartphone.
