After a 900-mile drive from Quebec, Denis Gauvreau made his opportunity count Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
The Chelsea, QC driver powered around Marc Lalonde on Lap 3 of the 25-lap MSD Pro Stock Feature and never looked back to earn his first World Short Track championship win.
Lalonde, the pole-sitter, led the race’s opening lap in his No. 8 car, setting a fast pace around the 4/10-mile facility.
But behind the Plantagenet, ON driver, Gauvreau started moving toward the front quickly. Gavreau quickly passed Albany-Saratoga Speedway regular Jordan Modiano on Lap 1 and set his sights on Lalonde, the 2019 Plattsburgh Airborne Speedway champion.
With a burst of speed, Gauvreau was wheel-to-wheel with Lalonde as they entered the backstretch on Lap 3. After carrying his momentum on the outside lane through Turns 3 and 4, Gauvreau nosed ahead of Lalonde for the lead at the start/finish line.
Gauvreau went untouched to earn the $3,000 prize and his first DIRTcar Pro Stock Series victory since winning at Autodrome Edelweiss in 2008.
The Canadian debuted a brand new Manimal chassis in Charlotte and said it was the key to victory.
“This a brand new (Nick) Stone car,” Gauvreau said. “It’s the first race. It’s a beautiful car. Thank you, Nick Stone, for this car. I went up to the outside and go for first.”
Three-time DIRTcar Pro Stock Series champion Jocelyn Roy crossed the line second after passing Lalonde midway through the race.
“I’m very happy,” Roy said. “My team is in great shape. The great people in the U.S. are nice. I’m just very happy. My team, my sponsors, and my family are all very happy.”
Lalonde settled for third, earning his best finish in four tries at Charlotte.
“I struggled a bit this weekend with the car,” Lalonde said. “I made some adjustments. It was good. We’re still missing something, but I’m happy with a third racing against all the best riders in our Series and two Canadians in front of me.”
Reigning DIRTcar Pro Stock Series champion Pete Stefanski finished fourth, driving Phil Defiglio’s car, and Eric Jean-Louis rounded out the top five.
MSD Pro Stock Feature (25 Laps): 1. 72G-Denis Gauvreau[3]; 2. 48-Jocelyn Roy[6]; 3. 8L-Marc Lalonde[1]; 4. 2-Pete Stefanski[7]; 5. 921-Eric Jean Louis[4]; 6. 54S-Zachary Sorrentino[8]; 7. 8C-Sean Corr[16]; 8. 17-Marc Peladeau[9]; 9. 75-Gary Silkey[5]; 10. 76-Kyle Hoard[15]; 11. 9-Shane Henderson[11]; 12. 09-Shawn Perez Sr[10]; 13. 6C-Brian Carter[17]; 14. 9B-Slater Baker[13]; 15. 2Z-Hugh Page[19]; 16. 93-Sheldon Martin[18]; 17. 4M-Jordan Modiano[2]; 18. 2H-Luke Horning[12]; 19. 177-Chris Stalker[14]; 20. 63-Ryan Crellin[26]; 21. 28-Philip DeFiglio[21]; 22. 771-Jim Duncan[24]; 23. 01-Braxton Mcdaniel[22]; 24. 09J-Shawn Perez Jr[23]; 25. 58-Roxanne Roy[25]; 26. 57W-Joe Wilson[20]
