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.

Click here to read Part 1 /// Click here to read Part 2

17. Dylan Sharpe
2021 Ranking: 12th

Despite a limited schedule at Flamboro Speedway, Dylan Sharpe made his impact on the field this past season with four wins and seven top-10’s in eight appearances. If it wasn’t for a mid-year wreck, who knows the amount of wins he could piled together.

`16. Doug Butler
2021 Ranking: 6th

A lack of consistent appearances on the track is the only cause for Doug Butler’s drop in the ranking, as he still continues to show the reason why he’s a multi-time Mini Stock Champion at both Barrie Speedway and Sunset Speedway. A multi-crown jewel winner, Butler scored a victory, a pair of runner-ups, and a third in his four appearances at Sunset in 2022.

15. Kevin Strutt
2021 Ranking: N/A

2022 Plans: I’m not even sure what I’m doing this year. The rough plan is about half the Peterborough nights and a few specials.
2022 Goals: None. We just put our best foot forward and take what it gives us.
Drivers to Watch: With COVID and all, I’m a bit out of touch as to who’s who anymore. At Peterborough, there’s about eight cars that are good every week.
Most Memorable Moment: Racing at Jukasa Motor Speedway. To be able to race at the place where I saw so many greats race when I was a kid is something i will never forget.

A regular at Peterborough Speedway last season, Kevin Strutt showed speed on a weekly basis with four top-five’s and a pair of heat victories, including a feature win on August 21.

14. Brian Wilson
2021 Ranking: 10th

2022 Plans: To have Brian Wilson Jr run as many laps as we can and hope to travel to most local speedways to gain experience. Sr will run August 20th at Varney for the father of our racing team’s memorial race. The year may be sparse with costs rising and our new endeavors!
2022 Goals: Enjoy what we are doing and be as competitive as possible
Drivers to Watch: Always tough to say but the usual’s in the class plus our cars whoever is holding the wheel
Most Memorable Moment: All the drivers come support the Dave Wilson Memorial Race. We have great bunch of people in our pit and garage; that’s the best part ever – the team being together

Brian Wilson was fast on a weekly basis at Full Throttle Motor Speedway with multiple trips to victory lane, though also showed speed in invitationals across the province including at Flamboro Speedway’s Frostoberfest.

13. Issac Dippel
2021 Ranking: 13th

2022 Plans: Race for the championship at Full Throttle Motor Speedway and to travel around to other tracks to gain some other track experience
2022 Goals: To hopefully get the Mini Stock championship and to have nice clean side by side racing
Drivers to Watch: Scott Schlueter #73, Thomas Wunsch #47, Mitch Wilkin #3, Bob Stewart #83, Scott Mast #75.
Most Memorable Moment: When I qualified first at Autumn Colours 2019

A regular at Full Throttle Motor Speedway, Issac Dippel has continued to show speed with more experince under his belt. He has also impressed at other tracks across the province as well, showcasing his diversity as a competitor.

12. Mitch Wilkin
2021 Ranking: N/A

Another strong face from Full Throttle Motor Speedway, you cannot deny the speed that Mitch Wilkin has been shown recently. He visited feature victory lane last season, and came up just 12 points of winning the Mini Stock Championship.

11. Shawn Taylor
2021 Ranking: 15th

2022 Plans: Plan is to continue to have fun while racing. Perhaps make a full playoff run in the fall. Flamboro will always be our home track, and I want to do them proud when we travel.
2022 Goals: To capitalize on the speed we have found. In 2021 we ran up front at several races at different tracks but didn’t always walk away with the hardware. Some circumstances we can’t control, but the ones we can I would like to seal the deal.
Drivers to Watch: Karl Sault, Will Gibbons, Cole Quinton, Josh Bullen, Dylan Sharpe (if he ever stops collecting cars he will have time and space to fix the race car)
Most Memorable Moment: 2018 Flamboro Championship. An extremely competitive field, over 18 cars every night all year. Full season points battle with Jake Gilbert came down to the last night. We both ended up having issues out of our control that made for a chaotic night both on track and scrambling in the pits. There were several points where I thought I had lost it, but in the end we ended up with the title. Still nerve-wracking thinking about how close we came to losing it. It’s neat to see so many of those guys competing in Late Models now. Maybe one day.

A past Flamboro Speedway Champion, Shawn Taylor showed the same speed that carried him to the crown virtue of four feature wins, 12 top-five’s, and 17 top-10’s in 2021.

Stay tuned to meet the top-10 drivers