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By Dave Sully
( Thorold , Ontario ) It took until July, but Pete Bicknell finally won a race at his own track. Despite being the point leader, he hadn’t scored that elusive first victory until Saturday, July 7th, and when he did, he used an entirely un-Bicknell like groove to do it. Shunning the so-called “Bicknell Line,” hugging the rail, the eighteen time track champion from St. Catharines used the outside to ensure his win in the thirty-five lap modified feature, holding off a stiff challenge by Chad Brachmann in the process.
George Bosse set the early pace after seizing the lead from Todd Gordon on lap two. He held sway through a caution for debris on lap nine. The restart saw Bosse, Gordon, Derek Lemyre and Bicknell, who started eleventh, at the front. Bicknell immediately moved into second, running his customary low line, taking the lead on lap twelve as Bosse swung wide in turn four.
Bicknell quickly drove out to a good lead, but the caution flag flew again on lap sixteen
when Fred Carleton inexplicably tried to re-enter the race after taking a wild ride into the infield off of turn four and ended up stalling, scattering the pack as it roared down on him.
Following another caution on lap eighteen, two new cars appeared on the radar screen to challenge- veterans Brian Stevens, who went off twelfth and Brachmann, who started ninth. Bicknell re-established his advantage, while Brachmann engaged Stevens for second, claiming the spot on lap twenty-four. Another car on the move was defending champion Larry Lampman Jr., the previous week’s winner, who stormed into third on lap twenty-seven after starting fourteenth.
Brachmann closed the gap on Bicknell, who had switched to the outside lane, on lap thirty and the two engaged in a high/low dual the rest of the way, with Brachmann, able to apply some serious pressure, but never able to get the run that he needed to make the pass. At the line it was Bicknell in front, with Brachmann a close second, followed by Lampman, Rich Vinson, and Stevens to round out the top five.
On scoring his first win using the uncharacteristic line, Bicknell offered, “I knew it was good on the bottom, but I also knew the top was fast. I tried it a couple of times, and I knew there was a lot of good bite out there. I knew those guys are top runners so I figured I was going to have to stay up there and maybe block them, if nothing else. The car was good on the top and the bottom. I even tried it in the middle a couple of times.”
Of his dice with Brachmann at the end, he added, “I could hear him coming. I looked at the board and saw it was Chad , and then I saw Larry’s number and figured I was in big trouble. I just needed to keep my concentration and not goof up.”
For his part, Brachmann commented, “Racing with Pete is tough. We did what we could to try to get by him. We got into some lapped traffic that kind of held us up, but, all in all, we came home second. We’re pretty happy with that. We’ve been struggling a little bit here.”
The twenty-five lap sportsman feature produced a bitter sweet finish as Brad Rouse, from St Catharines , dominated the event after taking control from Brandon Easey on lap five and cruising from there. Tyler McPherson turned heads with a gallant run from sixteenth to cross the line second, followed by Justin Sharp, Easey, and his teammate, Mike Bowman.
Unfortunately, a carburetor infraction in tech cost Rouse all points and money, and he will also incur a fine as well, though, ala NASCAR, he retains the win on paper.
The Hoosier stocks staged another bruising affair in their twenty lapper, which, despite the rugged action, had produced three straight caution free races. That streak was broken early as Bill Hogue was punted by Kevin Knapp on the second lap. The race was highlighted by a tremendous three car dice between Jeff Dayman, Cody McPherson, and defending champion Rob Murray, who went three wide at times in the early going.
Dayman, from St. Catharines , ultimately prevailed, taking the lead for good on lap six and then holding off Murray, who pushed him to the end. Hogue, sporting a brand new crate motor, made a great run after his spin to claim third, while McPherson ended up fourth ahead of Paul Wichert.
The Open Wheel Lites continued their recent reign of terror, racking up seven cautions in their twenty lap feature, which ultimately saw Paul Klager, from Beamsville, storm to his eighth win of the season. Klager, who went away thirteenth, took the lead on a lap twelve restart after runaway lead Shawn Sliter, who had worked his way to the lead from eleventh, looped his machine in turn two. From there Klager had to weather two more cautions, but won going away. Wayne Robins finished in the runnerup spot, followed by Wally Billing, Jeff Johnson, and Chadd Parker.
The Minis ran a twenty lap special event and Ken Kadwell came away with his second win of the season. The St Catharines driver, who hadn’t a feature before this season, now has two victories, as he piloted his Volkswagen Jetta to the lead on a lap two restart after starting twelfth, rocketing around the outside of young Brandon Iuduciani. From there he withstood two cautions , but was never seriously threatened. James Small finished second.
A rousing “King of the Pits,” competition saw the team of modified driver Adam Ferri claim the first place prize of $200, as they bested the teams of Pete Bicknell and Ken Cosgrove in the entertaining event. Six teams took part.
NOTES: The Big Block Grand Marshal contest had its first drawing, with Shani Bleich, Rie Hojo, Devin Habiult, and the Petris Family being selected. The next drawing will be July 14th……………………….In the “Who would have thought it?” category, street stock driver Peter Reid was involved in a grinding crash in his heat, which required medical attention. He was taken from the track on a stretcher with a possible neck injury. Before he could be taken to the hospital to be checked out, Reid declared himself fit, signed off, and started eighteenth in the feature, ultimately finishing fourteenth…….Another red flag saw young open wheel lite competitor, Adam Leslie take make vicious contact with the front wall at the start of his heat. The driver was shaken but was apparently OK. Not so the car, which suffered serious damage…………….The sportsman consi had an oddity when three winners from this year were forced to qualify there. Last week’s winner Jim Johnstone, Rob Knapp, and Chad Chevalier all had problems in their heats, but all were able to make the feature through the consi. Chevalier made the biggest charge, finishing seventh after starting twenty-third. Johnstone won the consi.
Results:
L. St Amand Modifieds: (35 laps) Pete Bicknell, Chad Brachmann, Larry Lampman Jr., Rich Vinson, Brian Stevens, Todd Gordon, Adam Ferri, Scott Wood, Dereck Lemyre, Tim Jones, Ken Cosgrove, Chris Steele, Scott George, Rick Richner, Fred Carleton, James Friesen, George Bosse, Robbie Krull, Dan Miller, Boyd Mactavish, and Paul Ashton. Heat winners were Bicknell, Richner, and Vinson.
Original Pizza Logs Sportsman: (25 laps) Brad Rouse, Tyler McPherson, Justin Sharp, Brandon Easey, Mike Bowman, Alan Sleight, Chad Chevalier, Nick Cupolo, Wayne Conn, Bill Bleich, Darren Zumpe, Tom Flannigan, Rob Knapp, Don Spatorico, Ken Winfield, Tim Lipsitt, Mat Williamson, BJ Willard, Jim Johnstone, Robbie Rounce, Travis Braun, Norm Mark, Mark D’Ilario, and Derek Wutzke. Heat winners were Easey, Wutzke, and Rouse. Consi winner was Johnstone.
Hoosier Stocks: (20 laps) Jeff Dayman, Rob Murray, Bill Hogue, Cody McPherson, Paul Wichert, Kirk Wilson, Mike Dooley, Russ Davidson, Bill Bleich Jr., Ron Kingsbury, Dave Small, Vince Fargnoli, Chad Rumsby, Peter Reid, Kevin Kocarik, Shayne Pierce, Jason Fontaine, and Kevin Knapp. Heat winners were Murray, Knapp, and Dayman.
Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites: (20 laps) Paul Klager, Wayne Robins, Wally Billing, Jeff Johnson, Chadd Parker, Jamie Gilbert, Kory Howe, Kellie Mason, Shawn Sliter, Mark Brighton, Scott Billing, Dan Russell, Bob Bredin, Todd Kendrick, Derek Bredin, Dave Russell, Jordan Curran, Andrew Sittler, Ray Sliter Jr., Andy Tallman, Malvin Jeffrey, Joe Szigati, Josh Sliter, and Rick Brubacher. Heat winners were Shawn Sliter, Howe, and Dave Russell.
Turn 4 Collision Minis: (20 laps) Ken Kadwell, James Small, Tony Kelly, Garnet Wilson, Aaron Wiley, Matt Castelein, Carey Gore, Brandon Iuduciani, Abel Castelein, Baden Curtis, Greg Wilson, Terry Larmet, Trevor Goulding, Jocelyn Wiley, Evan Curtis, Rob Overholt, David Lopes, and Mike Giberson. Heat winners were Matt Castelein and Small.
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