Race Wrap

Weekly Racing Series - June 17

HYDRAULICS PLUS BANDOLEROS - BUTCHER COMES FROM BEHIND TO WIN FEATURE

The night started out uncharacteristically for Hydraulics Plus Bandolero champion Cole Butcher (Porters Lake). The #5 Atlantic Tiltload/Hope for Wildlife Bandolero experienced mechanical problems during the heat race and was forced to the pit area before the checkers. The crew feverishly worked on the championship car from one season ago and the driver did his job in the main feature by getting up on the wheel and making some spectacular passes. Butcher made his move on the leaders late and successfully came from the last starting position on the field to win his second main feature in as many races!

Chasing the #5 to the line in round two of the season was rookie Cole Tanner (Shubenacadie), who looked poised to make a run at the finish but had to settle for the runner-up spot. Completing the top five in the fifteen lap affair included Kennetcook’s Luke Ettinger, heat winner Adam Meehan (Rawdon) and Porters Lake’s Jarrett Butcher.

TRUCKS – FENTON BREAKS THROUGH FOR DOUBLE DOWN

Albeit with a shorter field than most of our divisions, the Truck class has put on some of the best racing in all our Weekly Racing Series classes thus far in 2011. While it took point leader Dan Smith (Sackville) a few laps to get untangled from lapped traffic in the feature, Jason Fenton (Eastern Passage) and JP Arsenault (Church Point) capitalized by putting some distance on Smith and the rest of the field early in the race. As the #3 and #4 battled for that top spot during the twenty lap feature, Smith would begin to close and placed himself on the tailgate of Arsenault in the closing laps. The #4 Pico et Bebitte Truck tried many times to get around Fenton’s Cutting Edge Construction S-10 but it was to no avail. Fenton, who won the heat race for the division would pick up the feature win and complete the “double down” on the second night of the season.

Arsenault was second followed by the hard charging Smith. Fourth was Bridgewater’s Ryan Goldsmith while Antrim’s Vernon Brown rebounded from a heat race altercation to finish fifth in the feature. Two time Speedworld champ Gordon Ritchie had problems with his Ritchie’s Renovations Chevrolet just past the halfway mark in the feature and had to retreat to the pits before the end of the race.

COCO BEACH LEGENDS – BLENKHORN FINALLY BREAKS THROUGH

After going his full championship season without winning a race, Truro’s Paul Blenkhorn wasted little time grabbing that elusive checkered flag in 2011. The veteran got to the front early in the Coco Beach Legends feature and dueled with youngster Shelby Baker (Fall River) for most of the feature for the victory. Baker led most of the first half of the twenty-five lap race but it was the experience of Blenkhorn who nipped the former Hydraulics Plus Bandolero champ at the end. Baker had to settle for second while Steve Pye (Lantz) came home in third. Pye had to come from the rear of the field after spinning to bring out an early caution. Fourth belonged to Falmouth’s Matt Moore while “The Legend” Cy Harvey (Elmsdale) brought his No Bull Auto ride home in fifth.

Centre Burlington’s Richard Salter brought his Brycon Construction Legend home in first in the opening heat race while Jerry Austin crossed the stripe first in his ten lap heat race. The race finished with a bang after contact between Austin, Pye and Derek MacCallum triggered a wreck at the checkers. MacCallum’s #46 Hella’s Diner rocket and Austin’s #98 Jerry Austin Auto Sales Legend sustained heavy damage to their cars, damage which sidelined Austin from competing in the feature.

LUMBERMART LIGHTNING – HURSHMAN LAYS IT TO ‘EM

In a feature which saw a record car count of Lumbermart Lightning cars and was ran without a caution flag it was the #145 Bernie’s Drywall Services Neon of Nick Hurshman taking the win. Due to his bad luck in the first week he was handicapped near the front of the field for the heat race (which he won) and the feature. Hurshman of Lakeside opened up a big lead over “Crazy” Craig Cordeau (Windsor) and began lapping cars at the end of the massive field like it was going out of style. Cordeau held second place until the closing lap when point leader Jorden Smith (Lakeside) got under the #199 and edged him out for the position at the checkers. Kennetcook’s Cody Singer and Carroll’s Corner’s Jamie Dillman completed the top five in the quick twenty lap feature.

Hurshman completed the “double down” by winning the first heat race. He would share heat race glory with the #150 of Mark Campbell and the #144 of Smith, who also won their respective qualifiers.

LUMBERMART THUNDER – WARREN WINS ON WEEK TWO

After having to scramble to repair the #31 Markland Associates Honda Civic after mechanical issues in practice on Opening Day, Matthew Warren proved that they had paid off. Warren (White’s Lake) lasted a mid-race green flag run and then held off his brother Andrew (White’s Lake) and point leader Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) on a pair of late race restarts to take his first win of 2011! Andrew Warren and Matthews had a spirited battle for the runner-up spot and in the end it was Matthews edging out Warren for second. “I just had a teeny bit more than him on the restarts at the end,” commented Matthews after the checkers flew. Dwayne Flemming of Truro had a career night posting a fourth place finish with Joey Lawson (Porter’s Lake) coming home in fifth.

Matthew Warren credited his crew for all the hard work they put into the car week in and week out. “I need to thank them for all the effort and hours they put into this race car,” Warren said in victory lane. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here right now. This is great!”

The #31 also recorded the double down by winning his heat race. Glen Haven’s Jon Bonin held off Drew MacEachern in the first heat race of the evening. The regular Thunder car drivers are off this week while some will be at the track this coming Friday as the popular Media Race goes green on June 24th.

Also apart of Media Race festivities will be the other five Weekly Racing Series divisions, including the Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman who return after an off-week.

Until then, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!