Mother Nature has been a threat this season and this past weekend was no different, as several light rain showers touched down at Brockville Ontario Speedway on Draper Doors night. Track crews and officials remained committed to the fans and beat the weather once again.
First up was the third race of the season for the Action Sprint Tour East Series presented by Surprenant Truck Shop, where Lee Ladouceur was the dominant force once again in the 20-lap contest. Ladouceur led early over Andrew Hennessy, Adam Turner, Mathieu Bardier and Brian Nanticoke. Not only was this an important race in the series, but track points in the chase for the Trailer Pro Canada Crate Sprint Car track title were up for grabs.
Ladouceur was dominant in the early laps, while two drivers who know each other well from their Street Stock battles were going at it for the runner-up spot. Turner and Hennessy had a great battle for position, with Hennessy in control and Mathieu Bardier closing from fourth. On lap 12, April Wilson lost the handle and spun off the top of turn four and the caution flew. When racing resumed, Ladouceur again jumped into the lead and started to run away over the final laps. In the meantime, Turner made his way to second and tried his best to run down the leader. On this night, Ladouceur was clearly dominant as he claimed his second straight series win and became the first driver to win three straight features in the short history of the Crate Sprint Car class at Brockville. Turner claimed another runner-up finish over Hennessy, Bardier and defending track champion Ryan Poole.
The DIRTCar 358 Modifieds went topless for the only time in 2023 and it was Kalen Draper showing the way early, looking for his first win since August of last season. Draper led the 30-lap feature over Ladouceur, Jarrett Herbison, Kyle Dingwall and Johnathon Ferguson. Draper had a great car on this night but the driver on the move was Dingwall. The 2012 track champion moved to the runner-up spot, passing Ladouceur, and quickly ran down Draper using the top side of the speedway.
On lap 17, three-time winner this year, Ryan Arbuthnot, lost the handle on his car and spun off turns three and four. On the restart, Draper once again remained in front but Dingwall was about to show how good of a car he had. On lap 20, Dingwall got by Draper off turn four and started to open up nearly a straightaway on the field. Dingwall appeared to be running to his first win of the season, but the caution flew with three laps to go, setting up one more chance for the others to grab the lead. On the final restart, Dingwall timed it perfectly and drove away from Draper and the rest of the field to score his first win of the year and 19th in the DIRTcar 358 Modified division at “The BOS.” Ferguson was able to get by Draper for the runner-up spot at the finish; Herbison was fourth and Arbuthnot rebounded from his spin to finish fifth.
The 25-lap DIRTCar Sportsman feature was next up and they also took the roofs off the cars. Michael Dillon led early, over Jessica Power and Jonah Lewis. Dillon was in search of his first career DIRTCar Sportsman win but Power was putting on the pressure as the race went on. On lap 8, Power made the move to take the top spot away, but behind her, Bobby Herrington was on the move to the front. The two-time and defending track champion made his way to second, around Dillon, and closed in on the leader. Power was using the outside lane and keeping Herrington at bay, but on lap 15, that all changed. Herrington used the inside lane to grab the top spot and began to pull away, while Power, Dillon, Dylan Kirkland and Greg Brinklow all battled in the top-5. On lap 20, the yellow flew as Kraig Handley and Tristan Ladouceur tangled on the backstretch. Under the same caution, Dillon slowed off turn two, while running third, and would retire to the pits. On the final restart, Herrington was able to drive away and march to his second win of the season and 22nd of his Brockville DIRTCar Sportsman career. Power claimed second, while William Racine, who was invading on this night, moved from the back of the pack to finish third. Kirkland and Brennan Moore completed the top-5.
The Street Stock division was making their second appearance of the season and Maxime Prevost, who was looking for his first ever win, led the way at the start of the 15-lap event, over Christian Beauchemin. Dakota Sharp was on the move early but, on lap three, would suffer a flat tire after contact from another driver in turn one, bringing out the yellow. On the restart, Prevost led the way but veteran Stephane Phillippe was on the move. The long-time campaigner grabbed the lead on lap seven and showed his muscle, as he drove away from the rest of the field. Behind the leader, Sam Reckzin charged to the runner-up spot but was getting some pressure from opening day winner and defending track champion Brett Horner. In the end, nobody was catching Phillippe, as he scored his first ever Brockville win after many years of trying. Reckzin scored a career-best second over Horner, Prevost and Francis Gauthier.
Madie Wallace led 11 and a half laps last week, but mechanical problems saw her first win slip away. This week, in the 12-lap event, she led the way over Dylan Moore and Melcolm Banks. Wallace had a great car and was looking to drive away but the yellow flew on lap three for a three-car tangle in turn four, involving Matt Pruner, Skylar Ladouceur and Banks. All three continued on. On the restart, Wallace remained up front but Moore was closing quickly. On lap seven, off of turn two, Moore dipped low and clipped an infield tire, ending his shot at victory with a broken front end. On the restart, Wallace continued her great run with Nicolas Mainville completing the top-3. After heartbreak one week ago, Wallace would drive on to her first career Novice Sportsman win. Paul Donnelly crossed in second, ahead of Mainville, Nathan Lambert and Cory Lambert.
DIRTCAR 358 MODIFIEDS
A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 66-Kyle Dingwall[6]; 2. 44-Johnathon Ferguson[8]; 3. 18-Kalen Draper[1]; 4. R70-Ryan Arbuthnot[9]; 5. 38J-Jarrett Herbison[4]; 6. 17D-Danny O’Brien[14]; 7. 88-Lee Ladouceur[3]; 8. 17-Tristan Draper[7]; 9. 75J-Joe Banks[5]; 10. 64-Terry McClelland[11]; 11. SS3-Sandy MacFarlane[12]; 12. 17M-Gavin MacFarlane[13]; 13. 08-Chris Ferguson[2]; 14. 23-Joey Ladouceur[10]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Kalen Draper[2]; 2. 44-Johnathon Ferguson[6]; 3. 38J-Jarrett Herbison[4]; 4. R70-Ryan Arbuthnot[7]; 5. 66-Kyle Dingwall[5]; 6. 64-Terry McClelland[3]; 7. 17M-Gavin MacFarlane[1]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 17-Tristan Draper[5]; 2. 75J-Joe Banks[4]; 3. 88-Lee Ladouceur[3]; 4. 23-Joey Ladouceur[7]; 5. 08-Chris Ferguson[2]; 6. SS3-Sandy MacFarlane[1]; 7. 17D-Danny O’Brien[6]
19 entries
DIRTCAR SPORTSMANS
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 88Z-Bobby Herrington[8]; 2. 52-Jessica Power[4]; 3. 35R-William Racine[10]; 4. 88K-Dylan Kirkland[6]; 5. 35B-Brennan Moore[5]; 6. 22S-Shane Stearns[7]; 7. 707-Greg Brinklow[3]; 8. 88S-Fire Swamp[13]; 9. 73J-Jonah Lewis[1]; 10. 11-Dan Ferguson[9]; 11. 32-Tyler Stewart[16]; 12. 29D-Justin Desrosiers[12]; 13. 11J-Justin Saunders[15]; 14. 18J-Jordan Wood[19]; 15. 23-Michael Dillon[2]; 16. 92T-Tristan Ladouceur[11]; 17. 27D-Mario Dupuis[18]; 18. 91-Kraig Handley[14]; 19. 98-Domonick Merkley[17]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 35R-William Racine[6]; 2. 35B-Brennan Moore[3]; 3. 11-Dan Ferguson[5]; 4. 23-Michael Dillon[2]; 5. 18J-Jordan Wood[7]; 6. 91-Kraig Handley[4]; 7. 11J-Justin Saunders[1]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 88K-Dylan Kirkland[3]; 2. 88Z-Bobby Herrington[4]; 3. 707-Greg Brinklow[2]; 4. 29D-Justin Desrosiers[5]; 5. 88S-Fire Swamp[6]; 6. (DQ) 32-Tyler Stewart[1]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 22S-Shane Stearns[3]; 2. 92T-Tristan Ladouceur[5]; 3. 52-Jessica Power[2]; 4. 73J-Jonah Lewis[4]; 5. 27D-Mario Dupuis[6]; 6. (DQ) 98-Domonick Merkley[1]
10 entries
WINGED CRATE SPRINTS
A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 51L-Lee Ladouceur[1]; 2. 9-Adam Turner[3]; 3. 87-Andrew Hennessy[2]; 4. 19-Mathieu Bardier[4]; 5. 00-Ryan Poole[6]; 6. 9C-Brian Nanticoke[5]; 7. 13-Evan Reynolds[8]; 8. 85C-Cam MacKinnon[7]; 9. 15AW-April Wilson[10]; 10. 4K-Jamie Kay Roslin[9]
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 9-Adam Turner[1]; 2. 19-Mathieu Bardier[2]; 3. 9C-Brian Nanticoke[3]; 4. 85C-Cam MacKinnon[5]; 5. 4K-Jamie Kay Roslin[4]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 51L-Lee Ladouceur[2]; 2. 87-Andrew Hennessy[4]; 3. 00-Ryan Poole[3]; 4. 13-Evan Reynolds[1]; 5. (DNS) 15AW-April Wilson
13 entries
STREET STOCKS
A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 125-Stephane Philippe[5]; 2. 27-Sam Reckzin[4]; 3. 52J-Brett Horner[8]; 4. 22-Maxime Prevost[1]; 5. 71-Francis Gauthier[11]; 6. 12S-Dakota Sharp[10]; 7. 04-Christian Beauchemin[2]; 8. 7-Matt Mcrury[13]; 9. 72-Kim Alex[6]; 10. 9-Sylvain Gauthier[7]; 11. 11-Steve Brady[3]; 12. (DNS) 59-Keith Riddell; 13. (DNS) 911-Nick Merkley
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 22-Maxime Prevost[2]; 2. 11-Steve Brady[3]; 3. 125-Stephane Philippe[5]; 4. 9-Sylvain Gauthier[1]; 5. 7-Matt Mcrury[7]; 6. 12S-Dakota Sharp[6]; 7. (DNS) 911-Nick Merkley
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 04-Christian Beauchemin[4]; 2. 27-Sam Reckzin[5]; 3. 72-Kim Alex[2]; 4. 52J-Brett Horner[1]; 5. 59-Keith Riddell[6]; 6. (DQ) 71-Francis Gauthier[3]
11 entries
NOVICE SPORTSMAN
A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 17M-Madie Wallace[1]; 2. 98-Paul Donnelly[7]; 3. 82-Nicolas Mainville[6]; 4. 20-Nathan Lambert[10]; 5. 39-Cory Lambert[9]; 6. M75-Melcolm Banks[2]; 7. 21L-Skylar Ladouceur[5]; 8. 80D-Damien King[11]; 9. 16-Matt Prunner[4]; 10. 86-Richard Bartholomew[8]; 11. 35D-Dylan Moore[3]
Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 16-Matt Prunner[4]; 2. M75-Melcolm Banks[3]; 3. 82-Nicolas Mainville[5]; 4. 86-Richard Bartholomew[6]; 5. (DNS) 39-Cory Lambert; 6. (DQ) 20-Nathan Lambert[1]
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 35D-Dylan Moore[3]; 2. 17M-Madie Wallace[1]; 3. 98-Paul Donnelly[5]; 4. 21L-Skylar Ladouceur[4]; 5. 80D-Damien King[2]
- By Tim Baltz
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