October 12, 2009 – Shediac (N.B.) – After a number of second place finishes over the past few years at this event, Kirk Thibeau (#28) of Fort Fairfield, Maine was finally able to enjoy a victory lane celebration after capturing the win in the Maple Leaf Foods Pro Stock 150 during Sunday’s 9th annual Atlantic Stock Car Championships presented at the Centre for Speed (CFS) in nearby Grand Barachois, N.B.
Meanwhile, John Rankin (#28) of St. Martins, N.B. capped off a successful Sportsman season by winning the Vance Hanes Autoparts 75 Atlantic Championship event to go along with his 2009 season championship at Speedway 660.
The full-day event attracted 156 of the top drivers and teams from throughout Atlantic Canada and Maine to compete in six different Atlantic Championships stock car features for Pro Stock, Sportsman, Streetstock, Mini Stock, Four Fun and Legends drivers with over $50,000 in payouts and lap sponsorships on the line.
Four other Atlantic Champions were crowned in their respective divisions including Jamie Vassallo (#38) from Glace Bay, N.S. in Streetstocks, Geoff Bevan (#43) of Middle Sackville, N.S. in Legends, Martin Landry (#00) of Grand Barachois in Mini Stocks and Dan Michaud Jr. (#119) of Waverley, N.S. in the Four Fun division.
In Pro Stock action, Thibeau started third in 31-car grid for the Maple Leaf Foods Pro Stock 150 as a result of his win in the third qualifying heat behind the two other heat winners, Shawn Tucker (#52) of Fredericton (pole) and Kevin Moore (#88) of Charlottetown. On the very first turn of the feature, defending event champion, Wayne Smith (#44) of Timberlea, N.S., who had battled lap traffic throughout the qualifying and semi-final events to start near the back of the field, and Terry Dougay (#14) of Albany, PEI collided sending Smith to the pit area for quick repairs which put him one-lap behind the leaders upon his return to the track.
Meanwhile, Moore took the early lead from Tucker on the first lap of the event, a lead he held until lap #18 when Thibeau got by thanks to an inside pass. Thibeau and Tucker then battled bumper-to-bumper over the next 24 laps until Tucker finally found a way around Thibeau on lap #42 to claim his first and only lead of the event with a hard-charging Smith one-lap down but third in the field behind Thibeau.
Over the next 8 laps, Thibeau battled hard to reclaim the lead on lap #50 with this time, a hard-charging Mike Stevens (#26) of Riverview parked on his back bumper followed by Tucker, Craig Slaunwhite (#99) of Terrence Bay, N.S. and Moore. The fifth lead change of the event occurred on lap #59 when Stevens took the high line to get around Thibeau – a lead he would hold over the next 12 laps.
A scary moment occurred on lap #68 when Canadian Motorsports Hall of Famer, Rollie MacDonald (#13) of Pictou, N.S. plowed hard into the turn #3 wall after coming into contact with another racecar. The good news was that MacDonald emerged from the crumpled racecar under his own power complaining of a sore ribcage as a result of the violent collision.
A few laps after the resumption of the event on lap #71, leader Stevens appeared to loose control of his racecar on his own coming out turn #4 thus handing the lead back to Thibeau. After a quick trip to the pit area, Stevens returned, but a loose handling racecar kept him well back from the lead pack.
Over the final 79 laps of the feature and a number of caution flags, Thibeau was able to hold his lead and beat back challenges from Slaunwhite, Tucker and Moore to finally capture the win that had eluded him over the past number of years. At the finish line, Moore had to settle for second with Tucker in third, Jonathan Hicken (#5) of Brudenell, PEI in fourth and Kris Fournier (#37) of Charlottetown, PEI rounding out the top five.
« I’ve been coming to this event since 2001, finished three or four times in second, and now this feels awesome, » said a beaming Thibeau in victory lane as he collected the winner’s trophy as well as the lion’s share of the purse after having led the most laps in the event.
Pro Stock semi-final winners included Hicken and Brian McNaughton (#18) of Lower Coverdale, NB.
The Vance Hanes Auto Parts Sportsman 75 saw 30 of the top Sportsman drivers from throughout Atlantic Canada take the green flag with New Brunswickers Al Snelgrove (#0) of Moncton, CFS 2009 Sportsman Champion, Dan Bourque (#15) of Grande-Digue, Cal Hatfield (#11) of Rothesay, and Jim Duke (#84) of Lakeville in the four top starting positions thanks to their earlier heat wins.
Snelgrove and Glyn Nott (#12) of Burton, NB battled for the lead throughout the first half of the event. On a lap #36 restart, there was dramatic turn of events as Snelgrove led the field to the green flag, with Knott in second and Speedway 600 champion, John Rankin (#28) of St. Martins, N.B in third. Snelgrove’s left front wheel slipped into the infield on the restart sending him spinning in front of the field. As a result of the caution flag, he had to go to the back of the pack for the ensuing restart, thereby handing the lead to Nott.
Over the next 18 laps, Rankin tried to find an opening to get around Knott, which he finally accomplished with an outside lane pass on lap #55. Knott kept pace with Rankin until lap #70 when his racecar slid up the track in turn #3, opening the door for Matt Maillet (#29) of Burton, N.B. to vault into second. Rankin then held on for the win, crossing the stripe ahead of Maillet and 2008 CFS champion, Claude Gaudet (#22) of Grand Barachois.
Sportsman semi-final winners included Ronnie Lane (#46x) of Prosser Brook, NB, Calvin Rankin (#46) of Quispamsis, NB and Luc Bourgeois (#88) of Memramcook while 16-year old Jacob Logan (#37) of Harvey Station, N.B. picked up the win in the Sportsman Consolation.
In Streetstock action, Jamie Vassallo (#38) of Sydney, N.S. continued the Cape Breton domination in this Atlantic Championship event by capturing the win in the 50-lap feature ahead of former Speedway 600 Champ, Rick Cashol (#54) of Saint John and Joey Rudderham (#67) of Marshy Hope, Cape Breton. Cashol, who also finished second in the 2008 Atlantic Championship event, started third on the 25-car grid. He quickly took the lead from pole-sitter Doug MacEwen (#40) of Charlottetown on lap #2 with Vassallo in hot pursuit in third. Four laps later (lap #21), Vassallo took the outside groove to overtake both MacEwen and Cashol and held on for the win.
In Mini Stock action, drivers from CFS dominated the field to finish in the top three positions. Martin Landry (#00) of Grand Barachois picked up the win after taking the early lead from Brad Daley (#33) of Moncton. At the finish line, Daley had to settle for second place while Pierre Gautreau (#99) of Shediac, the 2008 CFS Mini Stock champion, came in third.
In Four Fun action, champion drivers from Scotia Speedworld (SSW) in Halifax once again took two of the top three positions in the 23-car feature. Dan Michaud Jr. (#119) of Cole Harbour, N.S. capped off a very successful season by winning the Atlantic Championship event to go along with his 2009 Lightning division championship at SSW. Michaud crossed the stripe ahead of Gerald Brun (#17) of Moncton and fellow SSW Thunder division champ, Derek MacCallum (#16) of Lower Sackville, N.S.
Finally, in Legends action, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion, J.R. Fitzpatrick (#23) of Cambridge, Ontario wagged a fierce battle with rookie Brad Eddy (#28) throughout the 20-lap feature. As both drivers raced hard to checkered flag out of the final turn, their racecars collided sending both of them crashing heavily into the front straightway wall. Shaken, but otherwise uninjured, they emerged from their disabled cars to the applause of the crowd who had just witnessed a tremendous battle between two talented competitors.
The win went to Geoff Bevan (#43) of Middle Sackville, N.S. who ran a strong third throughout the event, with Shelby Baker (#53) of Halifax, NS placing second and Ray Cox Jr. (#55) of Porters Lake, NS in third.
As a result of having to move all qualifying and feature events to Sunday because of rain on Saturday, J.R. Fitzpatrick, the NASCAR Canadian Tire series champion and NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck series driver for the Kevin Harvick NASCAR racing team, was unable to compete in Sunday’s delayed Pro Stock 150 event due to an early evening flight back to North Carolina.
Next Saturday, October 17th at 1 :00 p.m., the CENTRE for Speed (CFS) will present the Atlantic Demolition and Endurance Championships with up to $10,000 in winnings available to Demolition Derby competitors.
The CFS is located 5 kms east of Shediac’s Parlee Beach on Route #133 in the village of Grand Barachois, New Brunswick.
Full schedule details are available at www.centreforspeed.com