Draper debuts brand new car, wins a thriller over Dingwall at Brockville
By: Tim Baltz
It was a hot night both on and off the race track at the Brockville Ontario
Speedway this past Saturday night. Temperatures reached near 40 degrees
Celsius, but drivers in all six divisions were up to the task to beat their competitors
and the heat as well.
The Street Stocks saw an exciting finish in their 12-lap feature event on
Greenshield Pest Control night. Francis Gauthier led early on and was looking for
his first ever win, with Brett Horner, Todd Raabe, Peter Raabe and Kraig Handley
right there to challenge. Gauthier had a strong car and was holding off some of
the best drivers in this division. As the laps clicked off Gauthier looked in great
shape as the field was coming to the white flag. However heading into turn three
Gauthier slipped up the track, allowing Horner to get by for the lead. Horner
would lead the lap that counted as he scored his 2nd win of the season, over Todd
Raabe, Peter Raabe, Kraig Handley and Steve Brady. Gauthier wound up 6th at the
finish.
Michael Dillon led the early laps of the 25 lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature, over
Ricky Thompson, Shane Stearns, Domonick Merkley and Brennan Moore. Dillon,
the 2018 Street Stock champion, was running well, using the inside lane to hold
on to the lead. As the race neared the halfway point, Shane Stearns started to
charge forward as he took second from Thompson, then ran down Michael Dillon
for the lead. On lap 13 Stearns used the bottom lane to take over the top spot and
looked to be on his way to victory. As the laps clicked off, defending track
champion Bobby Herrington was making a late race charge as he moved to
second with four laps left, but still had some ground to make up on Stearns.
Herrington would get to within two car lengths, but that was as close as he would
get. Shane Stearns would end a winless drought that dated back to September
3rd of 2016, his only career win, as he scored his first of this season. Bobby
Herrington, Ricky Thompson, Domonick Merkley and Xavier Andrews completed
the top 5.
Madison Mulder has been fast all season an on this night, he took the lead in the
early laps of the DIRTcar 358 Modified feature over Tristan Draper, Jeff Sykes,
Ryan Arbuthnot and Kyle Dingwall. The yellow would come out early in the race
on lap 7, as Lee Ladouceur would slide off the track in turn 4. On the restart
Tristan Draper, who was debuting a brand new Bicknell chassis along with brother
Kalen, would take over the lead, while behind him, some of the top drivers in the
points were also moving forward. Ryan Arbuthnot, Chris Raabe and Kyle Dingwall
would make their way into the top 5 by lap 12. Draper would use his favorite line,
the top side of the speedway, to hold on to the lead, but Chris Raabe would start
to charge forward. Raabe would take the second spot from Ryan Arbuthnot, using
the bottom and quickly ran down Draper for the lead. On lap 24 Raabe took it
away and appeared like he was on his way to another win. However heading into
turn 1 Raabe jumped over the cushion, allowing Draper to get back by, but it was
far from over. Kyle Dingwall started to charge forward and challenged Draper for
the lead. Lapped cars came into play as the leaders raced three wide on the final
lap, with traffic in the mix. Coming off turn 4 Draper had just enough to stay in
front of Kyle Dingwall, to record a hard fought first win of the season. Dingwall,
Arbuthnot, Johnathon Ferguson and Chris Raabe, who rebounded from the
mistake in turn 1 with 6 to go, completed the top 5.
In the 20 lap Vintage Modified feature for the cars of the 70s and 80s, Wayne
Riddell led the first part of the race, with Grandson Gavin Riddell and Steve
Billings putting the pressure on. As the top three battled for the lead, Chad Lackie
and veteran Randy Gaudet were on the move as they joined the battle, making it
a 5-car fight for the lead. On lap 13 Gavin Riddell would make his way to the lead
with Steve Billings taking second. One lap later Steve Billings took control of the
race and appeared he would be the car to beat. But on lap 17 the great run ended
as he broke in turn 2. On the final restart Gavin Riddell would drive away to his
second Vintage Modified win of the year. Chad Lackie, Randy Gaudet, Wayne
Riddell and Paul Billings completed the top 5.
The cars of the 50s and 60s took to the speedway next for a 15-lap feature and it
did not lack in excitement, as 4 cars were in a battle for the lead. Pat Charland led
the early laps over Joey Hilts, Pete Stapper and Greg Hale, who landed in victory
lane in this division the previous Friday night at Can Am. These 4 drivers put on a
great side by side battle for the lead and thrilled the crowd on a hot night.
Charland held a slight lead but Hilts was putting in a solid effort on the bottom, as
the laps clicked off. On the final lap Charland and Hilts continued their side-by-
side battle for the win. Off turn 4 Hilts got a slight edge and at the line by inches,
it was Joey Hilts collecting his third win of the season. Pat Charland, Pete Stapper,
Greg Hale and Dexter Billings finished out the top 5.
The night concluded with a 12 lap Novice Sportsman event and it was an
emotional night for Stephane Fournier. After a season of struggles, he got some
advice from his father, who recently passed away, to keep racing. That’s exactly
what he did as Fournier held the lead over Mario Dupuis and Shawn Hodge.
Fournier would hold a comfortable 4 car length lead in throughout the race as
Dupuis and Hodge did all they could to catch him. On this night Stephane Fournier
finally got things to go his way, as he would take the advice from his dad, to score
his first ever win with Mario Dupuis, Shawn Hodge, Paul Donnelly and Marco
McCarthy rounding out the top 5 finishers.
Next week It’s round number two for the Oglvie’s Auto and Fleet Triple Crown
Series for the DIRTcar 358 Modified and DIRTcar Sportsman plus Novice
Sportsman and the return of the Supernant Truck Shop Mini Stocks and 1000
Islands RV Crate Sprints. Racing begins at 7pm.
DIRTcar 358 Modified (30 laps)
TRISTAN DRAPER, Kyle Dingwall, Ryan Arbuthnot, Johnathon Ferguson, Chris
Raabe, Jeff Sykes, Madison Mulder, Joe Banks, Jarrett Herbison, Lee Ladouceur,
Terry McClelland, Kalen Draper, Corbin Millar, Steve Bilow, Kevin Hamel, Chris
Herbison
Heat Winners- Jeff Sykes and Kyle Dingwall
DIRTCar Sportsman (25 laps)
SHANE STEARNS, Bobby Herrington, Ricky Thompson, Domonick Merkley, Xavier
Andrews, Brennan Moore, Michael Dillon, Jessica Power, Dylan Kirkland, Greg
Brinklow, Evan Reynolds, Tyler Stewart, Josh Powers, Trent Wallace, Xavier Perrin,
Tammy Jalbert, Chris Ferguson, Dan Ferguson
Heat Winners- Ricky Thompson, Domonick Merkley and Michael Dillon
Novice Sportsman (12 laps)
STEPHANE FOURNIER, Mario Dupuis, Shawn Hodge, Paul Donnelly, Marco
McCarthy, Matt Pruner, Holly Denard, Jordan Wood, Cory Lambert, Gavin
MacFarlane
Heat Winners- Mario Dupuis and Shawn Hodge
Street Stock (12 laps)
BRETT HORNER, Todd Raabe, Peter Raabe, Kraig Handley, Steve Brady, Francis
Gauthier, Sylvain Gauthier (DNS) Sam Reckzin
Heat winner- Brett Horner
Vintage 50/60 (15 laps)
JOEY HILTS, Pat Charland, Pete Stapper, Greg Hale, Dexter Billings, Darrell Wilson,
Tim Charland, Mason Barkley, Audy Bedard, Randy Simkins, Chris Wilson
Heat Winners- Pat Charland and Greg Hale
Vintage 70/80 (20 laps)
GAVIN RIDDELL, Chad Lackie, Randy Gaudet, Wayne Riddell, Paul Billings, Sheldon
Hoogwerf, Steve Billings, Jason Riddell, Ian Gordon, Jeff Bode
Heat Winners- Wayne Riddell and Chad Lackie