WEEKLY RACING SERIES
RACE WRAP & RESULTS

Mopar Express Lane Night

DARTMOUTH DODGE SPORTSMAN - TWO TIME CHAMP DILLMAN TAKES CHECKERS
After dodging spinning cars and a spirited battle for the lead, last season’s Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series champion Jeff Dillman (Middle Musquodoboit) claimed his first Speedworld victory of the season on MOPAR Express Lane Night. The early portion of the feature saw sophomore Brently Pirri (Three Fathom Harbour) lead the way before a spin took him out of contention for the win and moved Dillman’s #0 Absolute Traffic Services Impala up to the third spot for the restart. Aaron Boutilier (Porter’s Lake) looked like he had a good hold on second before he and Darren Wallage (Oakfield) continued a battle they left off two weeks prior, only this time it was Wallage getting the best of Boutilier for second. Harry Ross White (Noel Road) was fourth while Carmen Comeau made his first long haul of the season from Meteghan pay off by way of a fifth place finish in a highly competitive field of Sportsman cars.

Heat races were won by HOSS and Dillman. The Dartmouth Dodge Sportsman Series is back in action for another 38-lap feature this Friday as a part of Hydraulics Plus Night.

STRICTLY HYDRAULICS LEGENDS - MACCALLUM BACK IN VICTORY LANE
Derek MacCallum (Lower Sackville) claimed his first Strictly Hydraulics Legends victory since Super Sunday (September 2010) by taking the win in the 25-lap feature race on Friday night. MacCallum, in the #46 Hella’s Diner Legend, held off a strong pack of cars which included point leader Cole Butcher (Porter’s Lake), “The Legend” Cy Harvey (Elmsdale) and Dylan Blenkhorn (Truro), who was subbing for his father Paul Blenkhorn (Truro), for the triumph. Completing the top five on MOPAR Express Lane Night was Jeff Cruickshank (Hantsport), who returned one week after tumbling end over end on the front straight.

Qualifying heat wins in the Legend cars went to Danny Harvey (Lantz) and Dan Michaud Jr (Cole Harbour). Next up for the Strictly Hydraulics Legends is Hydraulics Plus Night on Friday the 13th.

JACK DANIEL’s TRUCKS - THE CHAMP BECOMES FIRST REPEAT WINNER
After a rough start to the 2012 season, the defending champion of the Jack Daniel’s Truck division seems to have his feet back under him. JP Arsenault (Church Point) scored his second feature win of the season on Friday, becoming the first driver to win two main features on the season. Kyle Gammon (Middle Sackville) placed in second in the feature, followed by point leader Dan Smith (Lower Sackville), Derek Sutherland (Dartmouth) and Truck sophomore Ryan Goldsmith (Italy Cross).

Arsenault completed the double down by winning the qualifying heat race. The race also saw the debut of Jim and Cale MacMillan (Halifax) in their Dodge Dakotas, which brings the Truck class field up to nine for the 2012 season. The points are expected to tighten up even more as the series heads into a week off before ACE Lumbermart Night on July 20th.

ACE LUMBERMART LIGHTNING - BACK-TO-BACK FOR MOORE
Richie Moore (Shubenacadie) is batting 1.000 in the ACE Lumbermart Lightning division in 2012.

The former Hobby Stock driver won his second consecutive feature on Friday Night as he held off a hard charging Jorden Smith (Lakeside) for the victory. Smith, who leads the point standings in his quest for a repeat as the division champion, stormed to the front of the field but ran out of time in the 25-lap feature to make the pass on Moore’s #157 Scotia Auto Salvage Neon. Third  on the evening belonged to Glenholme’s Marc MacMillan, who scored his second podium finish in as many races. “Crazy” Craig Cordeau (Windsor) was fourth in the feature while it was Mike Brown (Urbania) continuing his impressive season with a fifth place run in the main event.

Moore and MacMillan took honors in two of the three races while Marshall Bezanson took the win in the opening heat race for the class. The ACE Lumbermart Lightning drivers are back at it Friday for Hydraulics Plus Night.

ACE LUMBERMART THUNDER - CLUETT CLOSES THE DEAL ON THUNDER FEATURE WIN
Kennetcook’s Andrew Cluett has been waiting a long time to get back to where he was Friday - victory lane in an ACE Lumbermart Thunder car! Cluett scored the win, his first in over five years in the class, after battling tooth and nail with Kyle MacMillan (Hammonds Plains) in the closing laps. The two swapped paint over the late circuits with Cluett winning by less than a Civic length over the former Thunder on the Hill winner. Tylor Hawes (Sheet Harbour) led early in the feature before running into an accident that was triggered by cars battling in front of the leader for position. Third place belonged to Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth) with Tim Webster (Beaverbank) and 2011 champion Dave Matthews (Kennetcook) completing the top five. The top five for Webster was historic, as he becomes the first driver to capture a top five finish with a 1992-95 Generation Civic in the class since being phased in at the beginning of this season.

Cluett won the high handicap heat race to kick off the evening while Jordan Pirri (West Chezzetcook) took the victory in the first heat race. The heat win is the first for Pirri in 2012, who is driving a car painted like the late Terry Roma’s #38 Sportsman ride. The Thunder class continues their championship chase this Friday during Hydraulics Plus Night!