RACE RESULTS AND WRAP

Race Wrap: Season Opener

Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros - Butcher Breaks Boudreau’s Streak

The 2011 Hydraulics Plus Bandolero champion Jarrett Butcher (Porter’s Lake) returned to victory lane Friday night after a last lap pass on point leader Cole Boudreau (Chipman, NB) put the #3 Top Construction/UAP Traction Bandolero in the lead as he passed under the checkers. Boudreau, who took the lead just prior to the halfway mark in the 15-lap feature, was a close second to Butcher while Cole Tanner (Shubenacadie) rebounded from an early spin in the first third of the race to complete the podium in the feature. Dylan Sutherland (Beaverbank) brought home a top five finish in the fourth place with rookie Craig MacDonald (Waverley) completing the top five in the 13-car field.

Heat races kicked off the evening for the Bandoleros, which were paced by Butcher and Sutherland. The field featured Waylon Farrell, who hails from Saint John’s, Newfoundland. Farrell was impressive in his first Bandolero start, keeping his #48 Farrells Excavating Limited/Hooters car in one piece, on the lead lap and in the top ten for the duration of the evening. The next race for the Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros is Friday, June 22nd during Media Night.

ACE Lumbermart Thunder - MacEachern Captures First Feature Victory

Drew MacEachern (Dartmouth) has been waiting eight long years to punch his coveted ticket to victory lane at Scotia Speedworld in an ACE Lumbermart Thunder car main feature. All the hard work and thousands of laps around the 3/10-mile oval finally paid off on Friday night when he roared his #13 Wee Dump Honda Civic to the checkered flag first on Strictly Hydraulics Night! MacEachern made the winning pass with just three laps remaining on Andrew Cluett (Kennetcook), who led the most laps in the 25-lap feature. Dwayne Flemming (Truro) quickly jumped at the chance to battle for second place and dueled with Cluett and the #94 for the runner-up spot in the closing two laps, edging him out for the spot. Cluett hung on for third with point leader Stevie Lively (Shubenacadie) and Kyle MacMillan (Hammonds Plains) completing the top five.

While Cluett and Flemming battled for second in the feature, they already had a taste of victory on the evening as they took the win in their respective heat races. With MacMillan blowing a tire in his heat race, combined with the performances of MacEachern and Flemming, the #5 Scotia Tire Wyse Road Civic team falls to fourth in points, behind Flemming, MacEachern and the #32 Hubley Auto Sales Honda of Lively. The Thunder cars are back on track Friday during Media Night.

ACE Lumbermart Lightning - Smith Extends Point Lead With Third Consecutive Win

The lights going out on the pace lap, an extended caution with less than five to go and early race traffic could not stop Jorden Smith (Lakeside) from taking home his third feature win in as many races in 2012. Smith, the 2011 champion in the ACE Lumbermart Lightning class, took the lead just past the halfway point in the event from “The Pit Lizard” Jamie Creamer (Spryfield) and would hold on for the win. Mike “The Outlaw” Umlah (Stewiacke) rebounded from a practice accident to finish second for the third consecutive week while Creamer, who rolled his Neon one week ago, came back to finish third on Friday night. BJ Nicholson (Beaverbank) and Mike Brown (Urbania) rounded out the top five.

Smith, driving the #144 Rent A Center Dodge Neon, and Creamer won their respective heat races. Smith now has a nine point lead over Umlah as the division enters an off week prior to seeing action again June 29th.

Jack Daniel’s Trucks - Gammon Scores First Career Truck Series Win

For the third consecutive week, there is a different face in victory lane in the Jack Daniel’s Truck Series. Kyle Gammon (Middle Sackville) took the checkered flag on Strictly Hydraulics Night, taking down his first Truck division feature in only his third start in the class in his #98 Diamond Water Treatment/Williams Racing Products ride. Vernon Brown (Antrim) shadowed Gammon all race and would wind up finishing in second, ahead of point leader Dan Smith (Lower Sackville), Derek Sutherland (Dartmouth) and Jason Fenton (Eastern Passage).

Ryan Goldsmith (Italy Cross) took the win in the 10-lap heat race. While the field was close on Friday night, the points will show Smith tacking on a few points on his lead as the drivers of the popular tailgating division head into Media Night on Friday evening.

Strictly Hydraulics Legends - Third Feature, Third Win for MacNeill

With over a month between Maritime League of Legends Tour features, Bedford’s Justin MacNeill came out to play with the Strictly Hydraulics Legend division on Friday night and brought the heat to the division by taking the win on a late pass on Wooden Door Bistro Rookie of the Year contender Cole Butcher (Porter’s Lake). MacNeill moved into position late in the race and made his move on Butcher in the final stages to take the win. Butcher wound up in second, followed by Dylan and Paul Blenkhorn of Truro. “The Legend” Cy Harvey (Elmsdale) started off the night strong and was in the top three for a majority of the feature before fading to the fifth spot in the 25-lap main feature.

Strictly Hydraulics heat races on the evening for the 19-car field were won by Richard Salter (Lower Burlington) and Dan Michaud Jr (Lawrencetown). With his second place run, Butcher should find himself in the point lead when the drivers strap into their cars for Media Night.