Port Perry’s Pelletier takes on Northern Sprint Car Nationals at Ohsweken Speedway

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

SCUGOG: This weekend, Ohsweken Speedway in Six Nations, will roar to life, as the highly anticipated Northern Sprint Car Nationals take center stage. The event will feature top talent from across the region, including, local favorite, Darrell Pelletier of Port Perry, piloting the 4B car.

Fans can expect heart-pounding action, as drivers navigate the dirt oval at high speeds, vying for supremacy, in one of Canada’s premier sprint car events.

Pelletier and the other competitors will be competing, on Friday, September 13th, in the third running of the Northern Crate Sprint Car Nationals, paying $5,000 to win. On Saturday night, the class is back on the track, supporting the Northern Sprint Car Nationals, one of the most prestigious races for 360 Sprint Cars in North America.

For those unfamiliar, sprint cars are high-powered, open-wheel race cars, known for their light weight and extreme speed. Equipped with powerful engines which can exceed 700 horsepower, these machines can reach speeds of over 120 mph on short tracks. Sprint cars are easily identifiable by their massive wings, which provide downforce, helping drivers maintain control around sharp, dirt track turns. The crate sprint car uses a GM 602 crate engine, roaring to life with around 400 horsepower.

Racing since the summer of 2020, the driver known as ‘4 Barrel’ Darrell has become a track favourite, at Ohsweken. Faced with a steep learning curve, among some very accomplished competitors, he has continually risen in the rankings, posting several Top 5 finishes, at Ohsweken and other tracks, including Brighton, Merrittville, and Humberstone Speedway.

While he grew up at the track, attending races as a fan before he could walk, Pelletier has taken an unconventional path to the crate sprint car class. He jumped right into the fray, instead of climbing up the ranks through go-karts or a mini-stock class, which use four cylinder cars, such as Honda Civics or Pontiac Sunfires.

“I didn’t grow up in racing. I did the soap box derby in Greenbank, where I grew up, and some demolition derbies. I was already 30-years-old before I could buy my first racecar,” explained Pelletier. “So, I didn’t have time to mess around in other classes. I always wanted to race sprint cars, and jumped in head first.”

Like many short track racers, the efforts of the 4B team is focused on family, with Darrell’s wife and infant son, as well as his parents and a dedicated crew joining him on race days. Pelletier. “One of his favourite sayings was, “you can’t put a price on a good time.” He lent me the first $10,000 towards the car, since we bought it over Christmas holidays, in 2019, and got cash out of the bank. So, that saying is on the dash, so he can always be riding with me.”

The Northern Sprint Car Nationals is a must-see event, for racing enthusiasts and newcomers alike, offering an electrifying atmosphere and a glimpse into the intense world of sprint car racing. Local fans, not making the trip to the track, can follow all of the action on YouTube, through the GForceTV channel.

With competitors from far and wide, the battle for the top spot will be fierce, making it a weekend full of thrills, at Ohsweken Speedway.