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BROCKVILLE-Pat O Brien already has a thirst for winning races. Add in an officials call he didn't agree with, you've got a recipe for an exciting Iceman run to the front of the field. O Brien started 25th and still managed to win the 100 lap Lucas Oil Canadian DIRT Challenge Series race, the 730 Truck Stop 100 at Brockville Ontario Speedway on Saturday night.
It all started in the heats, O Brien was leading his qualifier when a caution flag flew. The Iceman stopped under the flag stand to deal with a safety issue as his belts had worked loose. The officials in charge of the special five race series across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec ruled that he had extended the caution and put him to the back of the field. O Brien then had to qualify through the consi before the run through the entire field that reminded fans of a similiar show put on in the same event last season by brother Danny.
There were 4 different leaders in the first 30 laps of the main event as Mark Hitchcock, David Hebert and then Danny O Brien took turns at the front of the field before O Brien suffered a front end problem handing the lead over to Yan Bussiere. Bussiere had been fast all evening turning laps a shade over 14 seconds in his heat race and he would hold onto the top spot until 9 laps to go. Pat O Brien used an inside move coming through turns 1 and 2 to take the over the lead and would survive one last restart to grab a very popular victory among a near capacity crowd. He admitted in victory lane that the skirmish with the tour organizers had provided a little extra motivation as he won his 3rd race in 4 appearances this season at Brockville, where his average finish is now 1.25.
Bussiere was second with Friday nights tour winner at Edelweiss Laurent Ladouceur in third followed by an impressive run by Steve Barnard. Kyle Dingwall also came from the consi and passed almost as many cars as O Brien to finish in the top five.
It was also a big night for long time competitor Sheldon Hoogwerf. Hoogwerf won his first ever open wheeled feature taking the 15 lap Sportsman main event. He did it with a flair for the dramatic as well, going by Mike Mainse on a restart with two laps to go. Bob Albright, Peter Stapper and Chris Herbison rounded out the top five in a spirited affair that included a rollover by Marc Therrien. Therrien somehow made repairs, only losing 4 laps and coming back out to finish 15th.
Bill Code's wheeled picked the exact right time to come off, the defending track champ lost the tire heading into turn 1, but after the checkered flag had fallen to grab the 15 lap Street Stock main event holding off a fast closing Steve Billings. Brock Cullen, Dana Aikens and Kevin Jodoin were third through fifth respectively.
Steve Barber lost nothing in his week off. Barber wheeled back into victory lane in the 16 lap Rookie event easily outdistancing Chris Bakker and Jessica Power. Frank Mitchell Jr and Matt Bond closed out the fast five. Adam Trickey didn't start the main event but collected the big pay day anyway, winning the 50-50 draw and over grand in the process. Brockville Ontario Speedway returns to action next Saturday night with a full race program including the Vintage cars. The green flag drops at 7pm.
Modifieds 100 laps: Pat O Brien, Yan Bussiere, Laurent Ladouceur, Steve Bernard, Kyle Dingwall, Clément Therrien, Mario Clair, Lance Willix, Brian Rogers, Mike Adderly, Stéphane Lafrance, Todd Stewart, Sébastien Gougeon, Paul Pekkonen, Dany Bilodeau, Fred Gamache, Pierre Dagenais, Lee Ladouceur, Mark Hitchcock, Michel Dusseault, Ron Valade, Brian McDonald, David Hébert, Ryan Poole, Robbie Grant, Bobby Herrington, Danny O’Brien, Kyle Robidoux, Jasmin Léveillé, Claude Marcoux
Sportsman 15 laps: Sheldon Hoogwerf, Mike Mainse, Bob Albright, Peter Stapper, Chris Herbison, Tyler Rand, Dylan Evoy, Adam Turner, Jason Riddell, Shane Pecore, Kenny Polite, Tabitha Murphy, Kees VanWinden, Jason Powers, Marc Therrien, Randy Earl, Chris Raabe, Derrick Spellan DNS
Street Stock 15 laps: Bill Code, Steve Billings, Brock Cullen, Dana Aikens, Kevin Jodoin, Hubert Merkley, Derrick Eaton, Art Brown, Charles Barkley, Bob Botting, Steve Kearney, Jack Code
Rookies 16 laps: Steve Barber, Chris Bakker, Jessica Power, Frank Mitchell Jr., Matt Bond, Brandon Henderson, Dwight Feltham, Chris Lloyd, Steven Laplante, Collin Tracey, Gage Morin, Joe Banks, Brad Gibson, Josh Kane, Adam Trickey DNS |
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