With each season that comes up in the Ontario short tracks, there is always a list of drivers that everyone is keeping an eye on with each other division, wondering how they’re going to perform.

When the fans and fellow competitors were asked about the Mini Stock class, there were ultimately 34 names that came up throughout the discussions – bringing us to this point. Each of those drivers have been ranked, with their final position on the list being determined based on a combination of 40% fan vote, fellow competitor vote, and success last season.

As always, be sure to comment with your thoughts – whether positive or negative, and enjoy getting to know these competitors a little more.

32. Scott Schlueter
2021 Placing: N/A

2022 Plans: The full schedule at Full Throttle.
2022 Goals: We are working on bringing a competitive car every week and want to get some wins. Our intent is to stay in the championship hunt.
Drivers to Watch: After taking the year off last year and getting the chance to watch, I think Mitch Wilkin really has become a top car. At Varney, you know Brian Wilson and Issac Dipple will always be top cars, and the young guys of Brian Wilson jr and Thomas Wunsch have been a couple to watch as well.
Most Memorable Moment: Our first feature win. After years of mechanical issues and many second place finishes getting the first win was pretty big.

As Scott Schueleter mentioned, he spent last season away from the driver’s seat, but has proven to be a threat in the past at Full Throttle Motor Speedway. He scored 14 top-five’s and 28 top-10’s in competition in 2019.

31. Bobby Mercer
2021 Placing: N/A

The past Flamboro Speedway Pure Stock Champion is supposed to be moving up in class to Mini Stocks, and that could prove to be interesting for the field. With a vast variety of experience, he should adapt quickly and be someone to watch.

30. Michael Kenny
2021 Placing: N/A

2022 Plans: Run at Flamboro speedway, but also head to Grand Bend Speedway for their North Coast Compact Challenge, along with going to Sunset Speedway for Velocity, Flamboro Speedway for Frostoberfest and the Autumn Colours Classic
2022 Goals: To be in the top 5 ever night and get as many wins as we can get. My expectations are to have better year then my past years. And finish every night as good as we can.
Drivers to Watch: Kyle Neumeister , Roland Goodfellow, Dustin Goodfellow , Shawn Taylor, Michael Hooper.
Most Memorable Moment: My first ever win in the mini stock class in 2016 winning memorial night and Another memorable moments would be in 2021 teaching my good friend Roland learn the Ropes and teaching him in the pure stock class and watching him place in the top 5 on a regular basis.

Although his most recent experience comes in the Canadian Vintage Modifieds, Michael Kenny put in a lot of time with the mini stocks before then. He made a trio of starts last year at Flamboro Speedway, scoring two top-10’s.

29. Michael Hooper
2021 Placing: N/A

2022 Plans: A full Flamboro season and hopefully run somewhere on a off weekend
2022 Goals: To try to win and to run upfront
Drivers to Watch: Cole Quinton,Shawn Taylor, Bobby Mercer, Mike Kenny,and Karl Sault
Memorable Moment: Winning my first feature a few years ago

A consistent face at Flamboro Speedway, Michael Hooper scored 18 top-10 finishes last season.

28. Brad Lavalle
2021 Placing: N/A

Brad Lavalle answered the questions, though was more so for the Pure / Bone Stock list as he will appear there, too.

2022 Plans: Peterborough Speedway full time and possibly traveling to other tracks, depending on how my season is going at Peterborough.
2022 Goals: At least 1 feature win and contend for the 2022 championship.
Drivers to Watch: I’m keeping an eye on Kyle Novis, Steve Finnegan, Jake Kelly, Sean Kennedy and Ang Novis who has come along way since he started racing just a few years ago.
Most Memorable Moment: Winning the renagade truck championship in 2019 with teammate Nick Ledson, as well as winning a few endurance races in 2011.

Brad Lavalle was consistent in Mini Stock competition at Peterborough Speedway, scoring four feature top-five’s and four heat wins. He also ran in the top-five late in the Autumn Colours Classic until a late-race incident in turn two.

27. Jeff Laflamme
2021 Placing: 31st

2022 Plans: To race Sauble Speedway full time! We will also travel to other tracks any chance we get!
2022 Goals: My goals is to have fun and learn my car even more.
Drivers to Watch: I don’t have 5 drivers that I’ll be keeping an eye on. I’m fully focused on myself and my sponsors and my crew this season; what everyone else is doing don’t matter to me!
Most Memorable Moment: When Dylan Holmes got me my first win as car owner in 2019!

Jeff Laflamme proved to show speed last year, as evident by four heat wins and two feature top-five’s at Sunset Speedway, while consistently running up front at Sauble Speedway.

26. Brian Wilson Jr.
2021 Placing: N/A

The second generation racer has continued to get stronger with each lap behind the wheel, building his experience in the learner division at Full Throttle Motor Speedway and against the veterans. With a crop of knowledgeable drivers helping him, he should only continue to improve.

25. Ryan Edwards-Kiss
2021 Placing: N/A

2022 Plans & Goals: This year is very up in the air as it heavily depends on my career plans this year. However, if we do race, we will be travelling around Ontario as we did last year. It was a ton of fun last year and we had pretty good success at every track we went to, including several heat wins, a feature win, and a top-five at Frostoberfest (our best finish). It was very satisfying finishing top-three in four or five races out of the seven we ran at Peterborough, and we expect to meet or exceed these results again this year.
Drivers to Watch: We’re here to race our own race and have a clean and respectful race with everyone on the track. We’re trying to be even better than we were last year, so we’re looking forward to competing with Ontario’s best mini stocks again once again.
Memorable Moment: To date, I would absolutely say winning our second street stock at Full Throttle in 2017. However last year, we hit many of our goals by being fast off the trailer at every track we went to, that was also HUGE for us and meant a lot.

Just as Ryan Edwards-Kiss mentioned, he traveled around the province last year and proved to be one of the quickest cars each time, with heat victories and top-five feature finishes in each appearance. As he continues to build the program more, expect more checkered flags to follow your way.

Stay tuned to learn who made the top-24 this time around