2025 Delaware Speedway - Mini Stock Invitational

The popular Mini Stock category provides new drivers with an opportunity to participate in an entry-level stock car class. Rules are written to keep costs to a minimum.

The Mini Stock division is open to any 2010 and older approved 4-cylinder automobile having an engine no larger than 2500cc. The cars may be front or rear-wheel drive. Rules prohibit convertibles, 4-wheel drives, trucks, BMW, Audi, Saab turbo, V-Tec, supercharged or rotary engines. Also, excluded are mid or rear-engine vehicles. The weight of the cars is determined by the engine displacement and cylinder head design.

The body must retain its stock appearance - no chopping, channeling or sectioning is allowed.

Safety is a major concern in this division. Mini Stocks are fitted with a roll cage, fuel cell, five-point quick-release belts (shoulder and lap), aluminum racing seat and a window net.

Some of the makes and models typically raced by competitors include the Ford Mustang, Nissan 240SX, Acura Integra, Honda Civic and Pontiac Sunfire.

In early August, three consecutive days were set aside for Mini Stock competitors to race at three different tracks. Delaware Speedway hosted the Mini Stock Invitational on Friday evening; the next stop was Saturday at Peterborough Speedway and Sunset Speedway hosted the final event.

On August 1, Delaware Speedway hosted the Mini Stock Invitational. Drivers competed in a thirty-five-lap contest around the half-mile semi-banked asphalt oval.

The event attracted twenty-one competitors.

The leaders exit corner one for the first lap of the Mini Stock Invitational at Delaware Speedway. The second fastest qualifier, Shawn Taylor, in the No. 76X GM Electric Nissan 240SX, moved to the front. Beside Taylor is the No. 10 R.S.A. Autoparts sponsored Nissan 240SX of the pole-sitter, Doug Butler. Behind the two Nissans is the third-place starter, Ryan Babin, driving the No. 89 Babin's Auto Repair Acura Integra.

Doug Butler used to be a regular at Sunset Speedway, but now he competes in selected events. Probably his most significant victory came in 2019 at Jukasa Motor Speedway when he beat a field of thirty-four Mini Stock competitors to claim the $2,200 payday. In practice at Delaware Speedway, Butler traded fastest laps with Shawn Taylor but qualified on the pole. In the race, he and Taylor swapped the lead several times before coming out on top.

In similar circumstances to Doug Butler, Shawn Taylor competed in Flamboro Speedway's Mini Stock track championship. Like Butler, he chooses to participate in certain races. The No. 76X GM Electric Nissan 240SX was quick at Delaware Speedway and gridded in the second position. During the race, he and Butler traded first place throughout the contest. Taylor would finish in the runner-up position by a margin of 0.352 seconds.

The battle for first place took the focus off Karl Sault's charge through the field. Like Shawn Taylor, Sault could often be found racing at Flamboro Speedway on a Saturday evening. Currently, he makes appearances at special events. He qualified fourth fastest at Delaware Speedway. However, all cars were teched after qualifying, and Sault's camber wasn't within specs. The No. 81 A & A Discount Auto Parts Acura Integra started nineteenth and finished third.

This season, Sunset Speedway's Mini Stock points leader is Jacob Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe pilots the No. 27 MacMillan Motorsports Ford Mustang. In the first practice session at Delaware Speedway, he was third fastest. During the qualifying session, Sutcliffe recorded the fifth time and was gridded fourth after Karl Sault's penalty. During the race, he remained in contention and led three laps before finishing in the fourth position.

Mike Thomson is a regular in the Mini Stock class at Flamboro Speedway. Thomson drives the No. 16 Bucks by Tatra Ford Mustang. In the qualifying session at Delaware Speedway, he recorded the sixth fastest time. Thomson benefited from Karl Sault's penalty and started in the fifth spot. He was running fourth when there was contact with Ryan Babin. After the spin, Thomson moved from eighth place to finish fifth.

Another driver from Flamboro Speedway was Matt Young. Young competes in the track's Pure Stock and Mini Stock divisions. He is the current points leader in Mini Stock. At the Delaware Speedway's Mini Stock Invitational, Young was entered in the No. 7 Blue Streak Contracting Acura Integra. He was gridded eighth for the race. Young made steady progress during the contest and ran as high as third before finishing in sixth place.

A human interest story at the Delaware Speedway's Mini Stock Invitational was Lucas Chapman. Chapman recently celebrated his twelfth birthday. He is the son of Delaware Late Model competitor Jayden Chapman. Lucas is a regular in the Bone Stock division at Grand Bend Speedway and leads the point standings. At Delaware, he drove the No. 228 Quarrie's Tire & Auto Pontiac Sunfire and started last but had a trouble-free run to nineteenth place.

FINISH	START	DRIVER	SPONSOR / CAR	LAPS
1	2	Doug Butler	R.S.A. Autoparts / Nissan 240SX	35
2	1	Shawn Taylor	GM Electric / Nissan 240SX	35
3	19	Karl Sault	A & A Discount Auto Parts / Acura Integra	35
4	4	Jacob Sutcliffe	MacMillan Motorsports / Ford Mustang	35
5	5	Mike Thomson	Bucks by Tatra / Ford Mustang	35
6	8	Matt Young	McGinty Toman Electric / Acura Integra	35
7	6	Bobby Mercer	Claybar Contracting / Honda Accord Wagon	35
8	3	Ryan Babin	Babin's Auto Repair / Acura Integra	35
9	7	Chris Allard	Wolf Plumbing / Honda Civic	35
10	20	Dan Pettit	Blue Streak Contracting / Acura Integra	34
11	11	Kent Missions	Taunton Tire / Honda Prelude	33
12	14	Rob Crick	Babin's Auto Repair / Acura Integra	33
13	18	Joe Kicks	Wonder / Pontiac G5	32
14	12	Alex Stewart	Artic Clear / Pontiac G5	32
15	13	Peyton Lewis	Kalinowski Power / Ford Mustang	32
16	9	Jason D'Antimo	ARM Technologies / Dodge Neon	31
17	16	Bradley Marchand	H & M Auto / Saturn ION	31
18	17	Chad Proulx	BTS Collision / Pontiac G5	30
19	21	Lucas Chapman	Quarrie's Tire & Auto / Pontiac Sunfire	29
20	10	Sterling Roberts	Tubby's Tirecraft / Chevrolet Cobalt	26
21	15	Kris Lawrence	BT Racing / Pontiac Sunfire	16