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Bowman Feasts On Humberstone Home Cooking In Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman
Pt Colborne, Ont. –– September 29, 2007 –– By John Steckley, St. Catharines Standard Motorsports Columnist
St. Catharines, Ontario driver Mike Bowman led an onslaught of local talent Saturday in the Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Trevor Wilkens 50 presented by Pete Cosco Haulage at Humberstone Speedway as seven of the top-10 finishers hailed from the Canadian province.
Bowman, who finished third in the recently completed Merrittville Speedway points race, had just about everything fall his way Saturday. The third-year DIRTcar Sportsman driver won the opening heat race, which entitled him to start on the pole with a heads-up starting format in place. Once locked into that prime piece of real estate, Bowman led all but two of the 50 feature laps en route to his first career tour triumph.
Nine cautions slowed the Trevor Wilkens Memorial considerably and caused Bowman some concern at the front of the field. “I was just praying that we’d hurry up and get to lap 25,” the relieved winner noted. “Greg (Panunte) and Chris (Hile) are both tough competitors and it’s a lot easier to have them restarting on your tail than right beside you.”
A lap 17 restart was particularly bothersome to the eventual winner. Hile aced that one and drove around the no. 71 Bowman car to claim the lead. Bowman continued to attack along the bottom of the track and reclaimed the top spot two circuits later.
After visiting Victory Lane , Bowman discussed his lane choice. “I really felt much better on the bottom of the track tonight,” he explained. “Chris’ strong move in the middle of the race concerned me but I stuck with my favourite groove.”
With the rash of yellow fever, tempers predictably boiled over at points. Chris Higgins and Chris Raabe exchanged pleasantries, and sheet metal, during a lap 32 caution period. Raabe was sent pitside by race officials for his role in the incident.
Bowman finished the event with a half straightaway advantage over Panunte and Hile. James Michael Friesen’s strong effort netted a fourth-place finish for the third-generation driver. After struggling in his heat, Mr. DIRTcar Series points leader Joe Williams started 16th and raced his way into fifth at the checkers. Rounding out the top-10 were Jipp Ortiz, Nick Cupolo, Brandon Easey, Brad Rouse and Tyler McPherson.
SPORTSMAN SHORTS: The Sportsman teams were greeted with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures Saturday afternoon in Port Colborne, a far cry from September 9 when all day showers scuttled the first attempt to run the Wilkens Memorial...Saturday’s action closed out a successful third season for Humberstone Speedway under the ownership of St. Catharines, Ont. businessman Pete Cosco and his wife, Linda. The Modified racer purchased the shuttered track from a former Modified driver, Al Wagner...The sportsman feature was named in honour of Trevor Wilkens. Cosco was the car owner for Wilkens, an up and coming racer, who competed in the Sportsman and Modified divisions at Merrittville Speedway. Tragically, Wilkens fell ill and died much too young in the early 1990's. Cosco also honors the memory of his young protege by sponsoring the annual Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series event in early August at Merrittville Speedway.
Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race #9 – Humberstone Speedway, Sept. 29, 2007 “Pete Cosco Haulage presents 2nd Annual Trevor Wilkens Memorial 50” Event Summary
(50-laps): 71-MIKE BOWMAN, 99P-Greg Panunte, 5J-Chris Hile, 7A-James Michael Friesen, 19J-Joe Williams, 0-Jipp Ortiz, 99C-Nick Cupolo, 72-Brandon Easey, 18R-Brad Rouse, 777-Tyler MacPherson, 11J-Don Spatorico, 7X-Tom Flannigan, 99W-Larry Wight, 08-Mark D’Ilario, 140-Mark Dixon, 66- Dan Weisner, 13-Dennis Giancola, 24-Norm Mark, 19H-Chris Higgins, 77-B.J. Willard, 95-Brad Gravestock, 88B-Doug Spiece, 1P-Darren Peters, 12-Chad Chevalier, 01- Chris Raabe, 97C-Luke Carleton, 13M-Graham MacKay, 3K-A.J. Kingsley, 11Z-Darren Zumpe, 88-Don Spiece, 94-Stan Zanchin.
LAP LEADERS: Bowman (1-16), Hile (17-18), Bowman (19-50).
CAUTIONS: 9 (lap 7, lap 9, lap 10, lap 15, lap 16, lap 21, lap 27, lap 32, lap 43)
QUALIFYING
Heat Races (8 laps, top 6 finishers transferred to feature, heads up
start)
#1: M. Bowman, J.M. Friesen, D. Spatorico, C. Raabe, A.J. Kingsley, Don Spiece, S. Zanchin, R. Hile
#2: G. Panunte, N. Mark, T. McPherson, N. Cupolo, D. Peters, B.J. Willard, G. MacKay, M. Dixon (DNS)
#3: C. Hile, B. Easey, C. Higgins, L. Wight, D. Weisner, Doug Spiece, D. Zumpe, B. Gravestock
#4: B. Rouse, J. Ortiz, L. Carleton, J. Williams, D. Giancola, M. D’Ilario, T. Flannigan, C. Chevalier
Consolation Round (8 laps, top 6 finishers transferred to feature)
CONSI: C. Chevalier, T. Flannigan, D. Zumpe, M. Dixon, B. Gravestock, G.
MacKay, S. Zanchin , R. Hile (DNS)
Guaranteed Starter: S. Zanchin
DID NOT QUALIFY(1)
5R-Rob Hile
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 18th Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series begins the final month of open-wheel competition the first week in October as all eyes focus on Super DIRT Week XXXVI at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse with three races scheduled during a four-day stretch. Each extra-distance affair offers valuable points towards the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship.
2007 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series Schedule
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK LOCATION/WINNER
Fri-Jul 6 30 Brewerton Speedway Alan Fink
Mon-Sep 3 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Todd Henderson
Fri-Sep 7 50 Ransomville Speedway Joe Williams
Sat-Sep 8 50 Merrittville Speedway Joe Williams
Fri-Sep 14 30 Can-Am Motorsports Park Joe Williams
Sat-Sep 15 44 Canandaigua Speedway Joe Williams
Sat-Sep 22 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Chris Higgins
Fri-Sep 28 30 Fulton Speedway Joe Williams
Sat-Sep 29 50 Humberstone Speedway Mike Bowman
Wed-Oct 3 30 Can-Am Motorsports Park LaFargeville, NY
Fri-Oct 5 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge , NY
Sat-Oct 6 30 New York State Fairgrnds Syracuse ,NY
Sat-Oct 13 55 Black Rock Speedway Dundee , NY
Sat-Oct 20 50 Orange Co Fair SpeedwayMiddletown,NY
*All events subject to change.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
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