Story By: JIM CLARKE / 81 MERCER MOTORSPORTS – PETERBOROUGH, ONT – His birth certificate lists his age as 15, while the strip of yellow tape across the rear bumper of his No. 81 Late Model stock car is indicative of his status as a rookie in the sport. Despite those tell-tale signs, to a casual observer, Jacob Mercer is performing at a level far greater than his age or experience would suggest.
The Mercer Motorsports team returned to action Saturday, July 9th at Peterborough Speedway for their 3rd show in a stretch of 4 straight weekends. Jacob and his crew used the night’s pre-race practice sessions to find a baseline set-up and the car was strong right off the trailer, logging some solid, consecutive laps during the runs. The young racer says he likes the effort the team puts in to give him a solid piece every time the green flag waves.
“Whether it is in the shop or at the racetrack I know the car will be ready to roll,” said Jacob Mercer. “Scott Robinson, Phil Winter, Glen Pearce, Dave Elziuk, Andrew Hargreaves, Dayton Crombie and Sue Dennis give-up a lot of their spare time so we can do what we love. That, combined with the support and encouragement I receive from my Dad, my Mom and Grammie makes this a lot of fun for everyone.”
As he had done a week earlier, Jacob Mercer added another qualifying event win to his resume. In the 25 lap Late Model headliner, the Port Hope High School student approached the race distance with the patience, skill and experience of a seasoned veteran, waiting to make the pass into his 3rd place finishing position until 2 laps before the main event’s checkered flag.
