Ranking the Greatest Mini Stock Drivers of the Past 10 Years Part 2

By ladybug388 on April 26, 2020 • ( 3 Comments )

Over the past 10 years in Ontario, we have witnessed some absolute amazing racing across the province, with a variety of stars young and old securing championships and checkered flags. But who has stood out the most?

A panel of nine people – varying in experience, age, and home track – got together and discussed the accomplishments of several drivers through the years. Although over 40 names came up in the discussions, they managed to narrow it down to just 28 competitors, followed by ranking them in order from one through 28.

In a three-part series, we will reveal the full list, starting from 28th to pole on the grid. In the process, we encourage race fans to comment on the article, or via the Ontario Mini Stock Facebook Page, about your thoughts in the order, whom you believe should be number one, and whom you believe we missed.

Read part 1 by clicking here /// 10 Drivers Outside the List

18. Brian Wilson – #14

Tracks Run: Sunset Speedway, Sauble Speedway, Flamboro Speedway, Jukasa Motor Speedway, Peterborough Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway, Barrie Speedway

Championships: 2011 and 2019 at Full Throttle Speedway

Other Notables: Have won a heat or feature at Sauble and Flamboro – scored many wins at Full Throttle

Started in mini stock in 2011 to present

Biggest win: Winning races that you didn’t start on pole is a big anytime you win, first time at Barrie ever – started middle to back of the field and finished second

Best Mini Stock Racer: Andy Kamrath – he wins them all, but Cory Young is a guy that puts in the time and effort. Scott Mast is always a guy that you can run as hard as can ever think and not crash or bang.

Future Plans – I don;t really know what to expect after the covid is over. I’ll be ready, but we will see how and if we can go racing, I’ve got a new racer to groom; that’s the biggest plan.

17. James Townsend – #14/#42/#45

Tracks Run: Ran every track except Varney and Delaware with Peterborough as his home track

Championship: Peterborough 2016, and in 2017 split with Noel Snow

Crown Jewels: Have had bad luck, a few podium finishes

Specials: Qualified pole for Chase for Colours 2017

Years Active: 10

Best Mini Stock Driver: Andy Kamrath is number one for sure put him anything he finished at the top

Other Notables: 2nd in points in 2014, Peterborough Speedway Rookie of the Year

Plans moving forward: Racing super stock full time or whatever else the team has planned

16. Shawn Murray

Tracks Run: Barrie full time, Sunset, Flamboro, Full Throttle, Peterborough invitationals and specials

Championship: 2006 and 2011 mini stock champion at Barrie, 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division 3 Champion (first ever Canadian to win a NASCAR home tracks championship)

Specials: Won the Barrie Speedway invitational spring race twice

Years in Mini Stock: 2003-2006, 2011 then went to llm

Biggest win: The Dog Pack 50 lapper. I had the sponsor of the race protest how my car looked. I passed and bought rounds in the beer gardens with his money. Also, another big win was a regular night at Sunset after we were rained out when everyone said we couldn’t keep up at Sunset.

Best Mini Stock Driver: Mmm I’d say Samantha Shaw. She does a lot with her mustang considering how the rules are now

Other Notables: Always finished in the top 7 in points when I raced full time, best appearing car 2 years, best marketed team 06-11, NASCAR division 3 champion, winning 9 out of 13 features in 2011 and finishing in the top 3 every night

Plans moving forward: I will be racing in the hot rod series this year and maybe a few modified races

15. Brandon Crumbie – #63

Tracks run in a Mini: Barrie,Sunset,Peterborough, Jukasa, Kawartha, Varney, Delaware, Flamboro, Sauble, Brighton, Ohsweken, Humberstone.

Championships: 2. Barrie Speedway 2008. Varney Speedway 2015

Crown Jewel wins: Sauble Battle at the Beach 2015

Specials: 2008 Barrie Speedway dash for cash, Delaware 80 lapper 2017, Flamboro Nationals 2018

Years active: 17

Biggest Wins: They’re all big. The above are the Big Money, my 2 last feature wins at Barrie in 2014 meant a lot.

Best mini Stock Racer in your opinion pick 1: Doug Butler (will run you clean and best poker face in the game)

Other notables: 2008 Nascar Whelen Champion (Barrie). Hard charger 2006 and 2007 at Barrie. Hard Charger 2016 Ohsweken. Best appearing car 2003/2005 Barrie Speedway. Sportsman of the year 2004 Barrie Speedway.

2020 plans. Outlaw with some dirt and some asphalt.

14. Warren Paxton – #33

Tracks run: Sunset, Sauble, Peterborough, Jukasa, Kawartha, Flamboro

Championships: 2013 Sunset Mini Stock, 2018 Great Lakes Concrete Series

Crown Jewels: Many runner up, no wins.

Specials: Velocity (spring and fall), Frequent Flyer, Chase for the Colours, Jukasa Nationals, Sauble/Sunset Home and Home, Great Lakes Concrete Series, Battle at the Beach

Years Active: 12

Biggest Wins: 7 Feature wins en route to 2013 Sunset Championship

Best Mini Stock Racer: Past – Brandon McFerran – many races we spent dueling for spots, Current – Doug Butler – long resume of success, various speedways

Racing Plans moving forward – racing when I can, basically an outlaw schedule of special events. My days of racing weekly for championships are done, but I’m not done racing for wins.

13. Brandon McFerran – #64

Tracks run in a mini: Flamboro, Sunset, Peterborough, Barrie, Kawartha, Sauble

Championships: 1 championship at sunset, sunset & sauble home to some series winner

Crown Jewel wins: Octoberfest Classic Champion in 2012, Gary Reynolds winner, 1st young gun winner, Velocity 250 Champ, Don Biederman Memorial Winner

Years active: 4 years

Biggest Wins: Velocity 250, and Octoberfest classic

Best Mini Stock Racer in your opinion pick 1: no there all great answers it’d be a toss up between Dave Bailey and Andy Kamrath for sure, but I’d have to go with Andy, anywhere he unloads he can win or be top 3 without a doubt.

Other notables: 33 wins in mini stock, always top six in points when I ran for points, best appearing car award 3 years in a row, most checkers in 2014

12. Ryan Oosterholt – #79

Tracks Run: Kawartha and Peterborough

Championships: Two in a Mini Stock, seven all together with three seconds

Crown Jewel Wins: Autumn Colours Classic in 2019

Years Active: Active since 2011

Biggest wins: ACC ’18 in the Bone Stock, ’19 in the Mini Stock

Best Driver: For multiple tracks, Andy Kamrath

Other Notables: Won 3 championships in one year, also won 5 out of 6 features / dash for cash in one night, also have won all of the awards over the years – Rookie of the year 3 times, Most Improved, Most Sportsmanlike x2, Best looking car

Plans Moving Forward: To race mini and bone at Peterborough Speedway and don’t travel pretty much at all due to my work on the farm

11. Kevin Bridge – #17

Tracks ran – Sauble, Sunset, Barrie, Jukasa, Varney international, Delaware, Birch Run Speedway

Championships in 2016, 2017 at Sauble Speedway

Crown jewels – 2 Dash for Cash races, spring velocity 2017

Other specials – Spira Sauble Home to Home at Sunset Speedway

Active since 2010

Biggest win: Both dash races in 2012, I think they put us on the radar of a lot of people and the back to back championships

Best mini racer: Start of the decade – Doug Butler, currently – Andy

Other notable: 25 feature wins over the years, I was the bridesmaid a lot; 4 second-place championships at Sauble, and runner up in the GLC series, top 3 at Borderwars with the Midwest Compact Touring Series at Birch Run

Plans moving forward: Run the biggest races against the best competition in Ontario and the US