Cody McPherson is no stranger to Merrittville Speedway’s Victory Lane.
And on Saturday night, he proved it again to earn back-to-back DIRTcar Sportsman Series West Region victories.
The St. Catharines, ON driver passed seven drivers on his march to the front and battled Series rival and high-side-runner Brett Senek for the lead.
The convincing 30-lap Feature win further cements McPherson’s Sportsman Series win record at 26. Additionally, it gives him the points lead entering the final West Region match-up at Land of Legends Raceway on Wednesday, July 22.
McPherson said he had a game plan from the beginning.
“As soon as I saw the lineup, I knew I had one move in my head,” McPherson said. “Luckily, it worked, and usually that never happens, but it did. I got right to fifth and made my way up to the lead.”
After capturing the top spot, McPherson set sail. However, there was still one driver ready to pounce. Brett Senek, from Ransomville, NY, pointed his #111 to the top side and began reeling in the #7.
“The bottom was good, but I knew the top of Turns 1 and 2 were good,” McPherson said. “I was just about to move up there. I could hear Senek. I could see his shadow going into Turns 3 and 4. We got into lapped traffic, and I knew if I got a bunch of them, it would force him to the top and screw up his momentum.”
Once McPherson broke through lapped traffic, his gap to second grew until the checkered flag.
Nigel Pendykoski, from Port Colborne, ON, made a late-race pass on Senek to claim an impressive second-place finish. A podium finish adds to a solid two-day stretch of Series racing for the No. 78JR team after a top 10 finish at Ransomville.
UP NEXT: The DIRTcar Sportsman Series East Region will return to action on Thursday, June 11, for a date at Airborne Park Speedway, along with the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series West Region (30 Laps): 1. 7-Cody McPherson[8]; 2. 78JR-Nigel Pendykoski[9]; 3. 111-Brett Senek[2]; 4. 185-Tyler Puchalski[1]; 5. 99PJR-Matteo Panunte[6]; 6. 66P-Jeff Panunte[3]; 7. 5S-Matt Sharpe[12]; 8. 22-Terry Smith[13]; 9. 212-Martin Polhill[7]; 10. 68-Curtis Friesen[20]; 11. 4B-Brad Overbeeke[11]; 12. 108-Billy Bleich Jr[16]; 13. 96-Tyler Lafantaisie[18]; 14. 88-Elijah Knutt[15]; 15. 13M-Daniel McKay[4]; 16. 62-John Babion[17]; 17. 711-Nick Ventura[5]; 18. 18RJR-Madyson Rouse[14]; 19. 391-Trevor Pitt[22]; 20. (DNF) 3N-Noah Mamo[10]; 21. (DNF) 777-Cameron Olm[19]; 22. (DNF) 49-Bill Gill[21]; 23. (DNS) 29-Matthew Jessome
Hoosier Racing Tire Award: Jeff Panunte (Free Tire).
