By EMILY KNOWLDEN
The excitement continued for this evening’s Burton’s Logging and Equipment Qualifying Night #2 of the Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Confinement Classic presented by Dirt Track Digest. Fans were treated to yet another nail biter from flag-to-flag, ultimately ending with Alex Bergeron, the driver out of Drummondville, Quebec.
Bergeron, the winner of the fourth heat race, started on the outside pole for the 25-lap A-Main event and quickly jumped out front. He maintained his lead from start to finish, but had his work cut out for him the entire night.
“Tonight was a difficult night. We had a lot of pressure from behind, but we were able to work hard and stay on point,” said Bergeron.
Behind him it appeared everyone was running tail to tail on the top line with Bryce Bailey, the Isabell Racing driver out of Waverly, N.Y., running in second with Joel Berkley quickly closing the gap in third.
Berkley, the Monte Motorsports driver from Queensland, Australia, worked his way up to Bailey and after some light contact between the two, Berkley took over second just in time for the first caution of the night on lap nine.
As the race continued, Berkley and Bailey swapped positions as David Heileman, your Wednesday night Go to Confinement 25 winner from Milwaukee, Wis., began to close in. After trading a few slide jobs back and forth, Heileman took over third from Bailey and set his sights on the second place, Berkley.
As the third and final caution of the night flew on lap 18, the field lined up just one last time with Bergeron still out front, and Berkley and Heileman close behind him.
As the green flag dropped, Bergeron was able to extend his lead while Heileman put a move on Berkley to take over second place, but just couldn’t make it stick, ultimately falling back to third place where he would remain.
They stayed bumper to bumper, all running on the high side till the checkered flew on lap 25. Bergeron, Berkley, and Heileman were your top three, followed by Bailey in fourth and Pennsylvania 410 Sprint Car regular Brett Michalski rounding out the top five.
Second place Berkley was excited after his hard battle with Heileman stating, “David is one of the best in the game, and I was excited to be between two of the best. We will be a bit more aggressive tomorrow night.”
Similar to Wednesday night, Heileman was pleased with his performance. “Tonight was good. The car felt good in the feature. The cautions came at the wrong times so that hurt us a bit.”
Moving into tomorrow, we can expect another night of stout competition for the finale of the Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Confinement Classic presented by Dirt Track Digest. The top 10 from each prelim night will automatically advance to the feature event, with the rest of the 60 car roster being filled out by points.
The Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Confinement Classic presented by Dirt Track Digest is an iRacing event being held at the virtual Eldora Speedway. The entire program will be broadcast live through the Dirt Track Digest Facebook page and on DirtTrackDigest.TV in full HD with racing beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. The feed features a Dirt Track Digest TV Xtra format with live scoring and in race commentating from the Lawn Control Ground and Snow Studios with Northeast announcers Shane Andrews and Mike Mallett.
Stay tuned to Dirt Track Digest as well as our Facebook page for the latest developments for the first ever Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux Confinement Classic presented by Dirt Track Digest.
The Confinement Classic is supported by the following sponsors: Bill Brown and Company, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux, Burton’s Logging & Equipment, Camp Mayhem, DIG Racing Products, Empire Super Sprints, Ground Control Lawn and Snow, JZ iRacing Photos, KBS Racing Photos, Milton Cat, NESCOT, Ohsweken Speedway Racesource, Racers Preferred Models, RL Cleaning and Sprint Car Unlimited.
BILLY WHITTAKER CARS & TRUCKS CONFINEMENT CLASSIC PRESENTED BY DIRTTRACKDIGEST.COM – VIRTUAL ELDORA SPEEDWAY – APRIL 23, 2020
BURTON’S LOGGING AND EQUIPMENT A-MAIN FINISH (25-LAPS):
1 Alex Bergeron
2 Joel Berkley
3 David Heileman
4 Bryce Bailey
5 Brett Michalski
6 Cole Neuhalfen
7 Nelson Webster
8 Mason Hannagan
9 Richie Preston
10 Justin Williams
11 Kevin Click
12 Alex Smolders
13 Richard Murtaugh Jr.
14 Brian Parr
15 Trevor Trego
16 Austin Griffie
17 Justin Grant
18 Lance DeWease
19 Matthew Hearn
20 Joseph Buonagurio
21 Reed Whitney
22 Brian Cross
23 Craig Dunn
24 Kevin Swindell (DNS)
LUCAS OIL EMPIRE SUPER SPRINTS B-MAIN FINISH (16-LAPS) – 4 TRANSFER
1 Austin Griffie
2 Alex Smolders
3 Joseph Buonagurio
4 Kevin Swindell
5 Geoffrey Bradshaw
6 Christopher Hile
7 Chad Homan
8 Billy Whittaker
9 Zach Sobotka
10 Kyle Young
11 Joseph Achzet
12 Austin Germinio
13 Justin Phillips
14 David Callaghan
15 Jason Giblin
16 Andrew Ferguson
17 Curtis LaMere
18 Dylan Ondek
19 Ted Barcomb
20 Zane Scott
21 Nicholas Books
RL CLEANING C-MAIN FINISH (10-LAPS) – 4 TRANSFER
1 Curtis LaMere
2 Zane Scott
3 Kevin Swindell
4 Zach Sobotka
5 Brian Hoag
6 Brian Orto
7 Matt Yorker
8 Nick Rochinski
9 Larry Wight
10 Saif Grafke
11 Dominick Travernese
12 Justin Demontigny
13 William Suave
14 Bruce Hilton
15 Michael Peek
16 Travis Pullen
17 Stewart Friesen
18 Keith Flach
NESCOT TIME-TRIAL RESULTS (2-LAPS)
1 David Heileman 12.966
2 Kevin Swindell 12.998
3 Joel Berkley 13.005
4 Alex Bergeron 13.006
5 Richie Preston 13.012
6 Richard Murtaugh Jr. 13.017
7 Bryce Bailey 13.030
8 Zane Scott 13.035
9 Kevin Click 13.038
10 Craig Dunn 13.041
11 Nelson Webster 13.045
12 Brian J Cross 13.055
13 Lance Dewease 13.057
14 Cole Neuhalfen 13.059
15 Matt Yorker 13.060
16 Mason Hannagan 13.060
17 Alex Smolders 13.075
18 Billy Whittaker 13.086
19 Travis Pullen 13.087
20 Chad Homan 13.088
21 Joseph Buonagurio 13.101
22 Stewart Friesen 13.102
23 Justin Williams 13.104
24 Jason Giblin 13.105
25 Justin Grant 13.108
26 Austin Griffie 13.109
27 Trevor Trego 13.125
28 Brian Parr 13.130
29 Brett Michalski 13.135
30 Justin Phillips 13.137
31 Christopher Hile 13.158
32 Reed Whitney 13.168
33 Andrew Ferguson 13.170
34 Dylan Ondek 13.172
35 Bruce Hilton 13.178
36 Geoffrey Bradshaw 13.182
37 Joseph Achzet 13.182
38 Zach Sobotka 13.188
39 Brian Orto 13.192
40 Matthew Hearn 13.195
41 Curtis LaMere 13.197
42 Ted Barcomb 13.202
43 Nicholas Books 13.205
44 Kyle Young 13.209
45 Brian Hoag 13.237
46 Larry Wight 13.239
47 David Callaghan 13.250
48 Nicholas Rochinski 13.353
49 Dominick Tavernese 13.358
50 Austin Germinio 13.359
51 William Sauve 13.363
52 Michael Peek 13.372
53 Saif Grafke 13.377
54 Ted Starr 13.437
55 Justin Demontigny 13.883
56 Keith Flach 15.839
SPRINT CAR UNLIMITED HEAT RACE RESULTS (10-LAPS)
HEAT 1 – 4 TRANSFER
1 David Heileman
2 Mason Hannagan
3 Nelson Webster
4 Richard Murtagh Jr
5 Joseph Buonaguario
6 Austin Griffie
7 Geoffrey Bradshaw
8 Christopher Hile
9 Curtis LaMere
10 Larry Wight
11 William Suave
12 Keith Flach
HEAT 2 – 4 TRANSFER
1 Bryce Bailey
2 Brian Cross
3 Trevor Trego
4 Reed Whitney
5 Alex Smolders
6 Ted Barcomb
7 Joseph Achzet
8 David Callaghan
9 Kevin Swindell
10 Michael Peek
11 Stewart Friesen (DNS)
HEAT 3 – 4 TRANSFER
1 Joel Berkley
2 Lance DeWease
3 Justin Williams
4 Brian Parr
5 Billy Whittaker
6 Nicholas Books
7 Andrew Furgeson
8 Zach Sobotka
9 Saif Grafke
10 Nick Rochinski
11 Zane Scott
HEAT 4 – 4 TRANSFER
1 Alex Bergeron
2 Kevin Click
3 Cole Neuhalfen
4 Travis Pullen
5 Jason Giblin
6 Brett Michalski
7 Dylan Ondek
8 Brian Orto
9 Kyle Young
10 Dominick Travernese
11 Tedd Star
HEAT 5 – 4 TRANSFER
1 Richie Preston
2 Craig Dunn
3 Matthew Hearn
4 Justin Grant
5 Chad Homan
6 Austin Germinio
7 Justin Phillips
8 Brian Hoag
9 Justin Demontigny
10 Matthew Yorker
11 Bruce Hilton
COMBINED POINT STANDINGS (*indicates invited driver)
1 Braden Eyler 3
2 David Heileman 5
3 Joel Berkley 6
4 Alex Bergeron 6
5 Billy Rowlee 6
6 Michael Sheridan 9
7 Bryce Bailey 12
8 Richie Preston 15
9 Grant Wessley 19
10 Tyson Landis 19
11 Kyle Sosnoski 20
12 Nelson Webster 21
13 Kevin Click 22
14 Tyler Ducharme 22
15 Kevin Hanley 22
16 Richard Murtaugh Jr. 23
17 Cole Neuhalfen 23
18 Troy Wagaman Jr. 23
19 Mason Hannagan 26
20 Max Stambaugh* 26
21 David J. Wilson 28
22 John Guarino 29
23 Jeffrey Herrick 29
24 Kevin Loveys 30
25 Joe Isabell 31
26 Lance Dewease* 33
27 Alex Smolders 34
28 Kevin Swindell* 35
29 Craig Dunn 35
30 Brian J Cross 36
31 Justin Williams 36
32 Darren Dryden 36
33 Jason Nygard 38
34 Brett Michalski* 40
35 Jordin Mitchell 41
36 Trevor Trego 45
37 Joseph Buonagurio 46
38 Justin Grant 46
39 Brian Parr 46
40 Mike Mahaney 46
41 Austin Griffie 48
42 Jacob Karklin 48
43 Corey Heffron 50
44 Billy Whittaker* 51
45 Chad Homan 52
46 Jordan Poirier* 52
47 Reed Whitney 57
48 Joshua Indick 57
49 Adam Buchanan 57
50 Zane Scott 59
51 Sam Reakes* 61
52 Matthew Hearn 62
53 Jason Giblin 63
54 Ryan Dolbear 63
55 Jeremy Zarfos 63
56 Brandon Planck 63
57 Christopher Hile* 65
58 Chris Herbison* 65
59 Ryan M Simmons 66
60 Geoffrey Bradshaw 68
———————————– Cut off for making Saturday program
61 Matt Yorker 69
62 Justin Phillips 70
63 Christopher Raabe* 70
64 Gregg Caldara 74
65 Joseph Achzet 75
66 Zach Sobotka 75
67 Travis Pullen 76
68 Andrew Ferguson 76
69 DJ Christie 77
70 Dylan Ondek 79
71 C.D. Coville 81
72 Robert Dunn 81
73 Michael Phelps 82
74 Kyle Young 83
75 Anthony Perrego* 83
76 Connor Ross 83
77 Mike Schultz 84
78 AJ Kingsley 86
79 Stewart Friesen* 87
80 Curtis LaMere 87
81 Ted Barcomb 87
82 Austin Germinio 88
83 Timothy DeZwarte 89
84 Seth J Miles 89
85 Brian Orto 90
86 Nicholas Books 90
87 David Callaghan 90
88 Joel Moller 91
89 Peter Dance 93
90 Kyle Rochinski 94
91 Brian Hoag 95
92 Shayne Pierce 96
93 Bruce Hilton 97
94 Michael Fowler 97
95 John Zachary 99
96 Jim Phelps* 100
97 Larry Wight* 102
98 Nicholas Rochinski* 103
99 Robert Mortier 103
100 Brendan Morgan 103
101 Brett Haas 104
102 Billy VanInwegen* 105
103 Dominick Tavernese 107
104 Saif Grafke 109
105 Dave Axton 110
106 William Sauve 112
107 Justin Demontigny 113
108 Michael Peek 114
109 Joshua Gugliotto 114
110 Ted Starr 121
111 Keith Flach* 123
112 Joseph Toth 124
BURTON’S LOGGING AND EQUIPMENT QUALIFYING NIGHT #2 PAYOUTS
David Heileman – Quick Time Award courtesy of NESCOT – $25.00
David Heileman – Heat 1 winner courtesy of Jeremy Elliott’s SprintCarUnlimited.com – $10.00
Bryce Bailey – Heat 2 winner courtesy of Jeremy Elliott’s SprintCarUnlimited.com – $10.00
Joel Berkley – Heat 3 winner courtesy of Jeremy Elliott’s SprintCarUnlimited.com – $10.00
Alex Bergeron – Heat 4 winner courtesy of Jeremy Elliott’s SprintCarUnlimited.com – $10.00
Richie Preston – Heat 5 winner courtesy of Jeremy Elliott’s SprintCarUnlimited.com – $10.00
Curtis LaMere – C-Main winner courtesy of RL Cleaning – $20.00
Austin Griffie – B-Main winner courtesy of Empire Super Sprints – $20.00
Geoffrey Bradshaw – “Just Missed” Award, 5th place in the B-Main courtesy of Camp Mayhem – $30.00
Alex Bergeron – A-Main 1st Place courtesy of DIG Race Products & Burton’s Logging & Equipment – $75.00
Joel Berkley – A-Main 2nd Place courtesy of DIG Race Products & Burton’s Logging & Equipment – $25.00
David Heileman- A-Main 3rd Place courtesy of NESCOT – $15.00
Richard Murtaugh Jr. – “Lucky 13” award, 13th place in the A-Main courtesy of Shane Andrews – $20.00
Alex Smolders – A-Main Hard Charger Award courtesy of Burton’s Logging & Equipment – $25.00
Brett Michalski – Highest Finishing “Invited” driver courtesy of Ohsweken Speedway Racesource – $50.00
