Story By: JIM CLARKE / MERCER MOTORSPORTS – PORT HOPE, ONT – If a course in weekly auto racing was ever offered at the college or university level, Jacob Mercer would graduate at the top of the class.
The 15-year-old Peterborough Speedway Late Model racer from Port Hope, Ontario had never turned a lap in a stock car prior to the 2022 season and with only 4 events remaining in the regular season, his performance has the youngster in the thick of the hunt for the championship title.
Following a break of a couple of weeks in the schedule, the Late Model division returned to action – Saturday, August 6th – at the venue known as Canada’s Toughest 3rd Mile Oval. As the winner of the most recent feature event, Jacob Mercer’s No. 81 machine would take the green flag from near the tail-end of the field. From the early stages it was clear that everyone wanted to be the new month’s first main event winner. As he has often shown this year, Jacob Mercer isn’t only a fast racer. He’s also a smart one.
With a 4th place effort in his first qualifier and a win in the second, Mercer had a good feel for the track’s hot, slick conditions. Shortly after the race’s only caution flag the talented freshman had moved into the runner-up spot but because of an issue with the rear-end that made the car extremely loose, he wasn’t able to close on the leader. Racers won’t often settle for a spot other than a race win, but with a handful of events leading to the Saturday, September 3rd regular season finale Jacob Mercer kept his focus on the big picture, bringing his equipment to the house with a respectable 4th place showing.
Jacob Mercer’s rookie Late Model season at Peterborough Speedway is proudly supported by Sine’s Flooring, Durmach Precision Tooling, Facility Services, Courtice Septic, Kawartha Metals, Office Line, Cressman Tree Maintenance, Beyond Signs & Design, Mediavandals, Lynch, Rutherford, Tozer Certified Accountants, Richter Law, Press Any Key Computer Solutions, Quantrill Chev Buick GMC Cadillac, Ross Funeral Home, M&M Food Market – Port Hope, Doner Custom Carpentry, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Cliffshore Excavating, Epic Racewear and Clarke Motorsports Communications.
Up next for the Mercer Motorsports team, its driver and crew members Scott Robinson, Phil Winter, Glen Pearce, Dave Elziuk, Andrew Hargreaves, Dayton Crombie and Sue Dennis will be the Saturday, August 13th Double Toonie/Fan Appreciation Night at Peterborough Speedway. Fans can enjoy a full night of racing with a driver autograph session at intermission and spectator grandstand admission just $ 4.00.