BROCKVILLE, ON – Night two of the 16th annual DIRT Outlaw Apparel Fall Nationals saw over 150 cars packing the pit area, including the overflow section, on Saturday night. Championships were on the line for the DIRTcar 358 Modified and DIRTcar Sportsman Series, plus Eastern Ontario Vintage was back, along with a Mini Stock 25-lap event.
Tim Fuller drew the pole for the 100-lap DIRTcar 358 Modfied Series event, but it was local star Tristan Draper taking the lead from the outside lane. The man dubbed as the “Highside Hustler” was working the inside lane of the speedway and pulled away to a comfortable lead in the early laps. Several early cautions slowed the event, allowing Fuller and Ryan Arbuthnot to close in and make a race out of it.
Fuller tried several times to get by on the high lane, but the inside was the place that everyone wanted to be, which played perfect for Draper, who had no plans of leaving that bottom lane. Series points leader Felix Roy had an adventurous night, falling off the track early but steadily working his way through the field, while title rival Lance Willix picked off positions and ran in the top-ten throughout the back half of the race.
As the laps clicked off, Draper looked to be on the way to his first series win, but on Lap 85, William Racine launched a motor and the yellow flew. On the final restart, Draper pulled away from Fuller and Mat Williamson by a full straightaway and scored the biggest win of his career, a DIRTcar 358 Modified Series victory. Fuller crossed in second, ahead of Williamson, Chris Raabe and Arbuthnot. Roy finished 13th, which was enough to score the DIRTcar 358 Modfied Series championship over Willix, who finished a solid seventh.
The title battle in the DIRTcar Sportsman Series was in favour of Cody McPherson, who held a 41-point lead over track regular Gavin Eisele. Jessica Power showed the way in the early laps over Shane Stearns and Bobby Herrington. Power led the opening 13 laps, but Herrington was on the charge, taking the lead away in turns one and two. On the same lap, the night came to an end for Power as she slowed to a stop on the outside of turn four.
The Sportsman drivers had the same conditions as the Modifieds, as everyone wanted the inside lane, which made it tough for passing; but Herrington was enjoying it as he had clear race track and no pressure from behind, while Stearns, Eisele, Shane Pecore and McPherson were all searching for a way to catch the leader.
As the laps wound down, it appeared that Herrington was going to walk away with another big win, but the caution flew, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. On the final restart, Herrington played it perfect, as he pulled away from Stearns and Eisele to sweep the Fall Nationals weekend and grab his third career DIRTcar Sportsman Series win. Stearns finished a Fall Nationals best of second, with Eisele, Pecore and McPherson completing the top-five. McPherson claimed a record third DIRTcar Sportsman Series title.
The Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Car Club featured a pair of 20-lap events, for the 50/60 and 70/80 classes. In the 70/80 division, Gavin Riddell jumped in front early and was looking for a Fall Nationals sweep after a win on Friday night. Matt Barbour was right there again as he tried to deny that repeat. Barbour took the lead on Lap 10 and put a big gap between himself and 2024 series champion Randy Gaudet, scoring his second Fall Nationals win in the class. Ian Gordon finished third, with Riddell and Steve Billings rounding out the top-five.
In the 50/60 division, Chris Wilson was looking for the weekend sweep, as he took the lead from early pace setter Dexter Billings. Wilson was able to pull away from a stout field of cars, leaving Billings to fend off 2024 series champion Greg Hale for the runner-up spot. In the end, it was Wilson going on for his third win at Brockville this year and second of the weekend. Hale got by Billings for second, with Jeff Cledgett and Jens Mortensen rounding out the top-five.
The Mini Stock division saw 33 drivers come to The BOS on Saturday night, but only 26 made the show. Jeremie Goyette led the way early over Brandon MacMillan and Antoine Dumouchel. The caution-free race saw a great battle among the top-three drivers, as Dumouchel, who has had a great season, moved through the field to challenge Goyette for the lead. On Lap 12, Dumouchel was able to take control of the race, as MacMillan got by for second. On this night, Dumouchel went unchallenged and dominated the final 13 laps for his second Brockville win, in his second start of the year and first at the Fall Nationals. Last year’s track champion MacMillan crossed the line in second, with Hayden Brown, Goyette and Christopher Proulx completing the top-five.
- By Tim Baltz
