Sanborn Driver Battles Traffic, Caution-Riddled 75-Laps to Take Tour Event
RANSOMVILLE, N. Y. – Friday, July 5, 2013 – Ransomville Speedway’s Battle at the Border Wednesday, July 3, spelled redemption for 358-Modified driver Chad Brachmann. After a disappointing run in the first of three races at the speedway, finishing 11th in the Modified feature Tuesday, Brachmann and his team put all the effort they had into tweaking the Mighty Taco 3B, and it showed Wednesday when he took the win in the coveted DIRTcar 358-Modified Series race.
“After last night, we were all down in the dumps about how poorly we finished,” Brachmann said after Wednesday’s race. “We went back to the shop today, we worked real hard and it paid off.”
The small block Modified tour race brought some of the best drivers to the western New York track to compete in a 75-lap feature, and Brachmann faced the likes of Dale Planck, Tim McCreadie, Danny Johnson, Stewart Friesen, and Billy Decker in his ride to the finish Wednesday night.
Brachmann qualified for the redraw after a second-place finish in his heat, and drew the second spot with Planck starting on the pole. Planck kept the top spot on the green, and kept it after a double-file restart in lap 2. However, lap 4 spelled trouble for Mario Clair and Zach Aubertine, who got in a tangle in turn 3. On the following restart, Brachmann usurped the lead and never looked back.
The leaders faced heavy lapped traffic going into lap 14, Planck still in second after Brachmann and Phelps in third. Brachmann deftly maneuvered lapped cars and stayed out of trouble as a car hit the outside wall in lap 22 to bring out another yellow and a pileup in lap 30 caused the red flag to be waved. Steve Schumacher and Aubertine collided, causing Aubertine’s 03 to flip and bring the red.
“It got a little crazy out there,” Brachmann said, “but I just figured I just had to bide my time and not do anything stupid, and keep the car clean.”
Another collision in lap 31, involving Rob Krull, Todd Gordon, and John Smith brought out the yellow flag again, but Brachmann again avoided the wreck and stayed in the lead on the restart.
Lapped traffic again posed a challenge for leaders Brachmann and Planck in lap 44, but Brachmann was strong on the outside and able to get around cars without much trouble. In lap 49, Johnson slowed off pace to bring out the hello and in 54 the 38 of Susice caught fire to bring the seventh caution of the race.
The last laps of the race remained caution-free, and Brachmann stayed ahead of Planck to take the win at the checkered flag. Planck was second and “Mr. Small Block” Pete Bicknell picked up the third spot. Jimmy Phelps in fourth and Jeff McGinnis round out the top five.
The DIRTcar 358-Modified Series travels north of the border for a 125-lap feature Sunday, September 1, at Cornwall Motor Speedway.
DIRTcar 358-Modified Series – Round 3
Ransomville Speedway
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
1. 3B Chad Brachmann – Sanborn, N. Y.
2. 7z Dale Planck – Cortland, N. Y.
3. 42 Pete Bicknell – St. Catharines, Ontario
4. 99J Jimmy Phelps – Baldwinsville, N. Y.
5. 1R Jeff McGinnis – Ransomville, N. Y.
6. 12 Chad Chevalier – Port Colborne, Ontario
7. 7K Scott Kerwin – Newfane, N. Y.
8. 25 Erick Rudolph – Ransomville, N. Y.
9. 72 Tommy Flannigan – St. Catharines, Ontario
10. 66x Carey Terrance – Hogansburg, N. Y.
11. 91 Billy Decker – Sidney, N. Y.
12. 6 Mat Williamson – St. Catherines, Ontario
13. 123 Rob Krull – Cambria, N. Y.
14. 44v Phil Vigners – Elba, N. Y.
15. 22c Mario Clair – Drummondville, Quebec
16. 37 David Hebert – St. Damase, Quebec
17. 26 Ricky Richner – Niagara Falls, N. Y.
18. 56 Steve Schumacher – North Tonawanda, N. Y.
19. R70 Ryan Arbithnot – Renfrew, Ontario
20. 64 Daniel Nadeau – Marieville, Quebec
21. 16B Todd Burley – Spencerport, N. Y.
22. 28 Todd Gordon – Thorold, Ontario
23. 38 Ryan Susice – Ransomville, N. Y.
24. 71 Mike Bowman – St. Catharines, Ontario
25. 27J Danny Johnson – Rochester, N. Y.
26. 7m Tim McCreadie – Watertown, N. Y.
27. 08 Mark D’Ilario
28. 678 John Smith – Niagara Falls, N. Y.
29. 03 Zach Aubertine – Chaumont, N. Y.
30. 44 Stewart Friesen – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Did Not Qualify:
12 Brian Sage – Brockport, N. Y.
45 Mike Ward
12j Nick Joy – Lyndonville, N. Y.
11 Brett Clarke
11J Justin Wright – Piffard, N. Y.
21k Randy Chrysler – Tuscarora Nation
B-Main 1: Nadeau, Decker, McGinnis, D’Ilario, Hebert, Ward, Clark
B-Main 2: Schumacker, Kerwin, Aubertine, Bowman, Williamson, Wright
Heat 1: Gordon, Rudolph, Planck, Friesen, Burley, Decker, D’Ilario, Clark
Heat 2: Clair, Chevalier, Smith, Susice, Arbithnot, Hebert, Ward
Heat 3: Johnson, Bicknell, McCreadie, Terrance, Krull, Schumacher, Wright, Sage, Williamson
Heat 4: Vigners, Brachmann, Phelps, Flannigan, Richner, Kerwin, Aubertine, Bowman, Joy
DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Schedule
| DATE | TRACK | LOCATION | LAPS | WINNER |
| Sun. May 19 | Cornwall Motor Speedway | Cornwall, Ont. | 100 | (Postponed to July 1) |
| Mon. May 20 | Merrittville Speedway | Thorold, Ont. | 100 | Matt Sheppard |
| Mon. July 1 | Cornwall Motor Speedway | Cornwall, Ont. | 100 | Matt Sheppard |
| Wed. July 3 | Ransomville Speedway | Ransomville. N. Y. | 75 | Chad Brachmann |
| Sun. Sept. 1 | Cornwall Motor Speedway | Cornwall, Ont. | 125 | – |
| Fri. Sept. 6 | Autodrome Drummond | Drummondville, Que. | 75 | – |
| Fri. Sept. 13 | Mohawk International Raceway | Akwesasne, N. Y. | 100 | – |
| Fri. Sept. 20 | Le RPM Speedway | St-Marcel De Richelieu, Que. | 100 | – |
| Sat. Sept. 21 | Brighton Speedway | Brigton, Ont. | 100 | – |
| Wed. Oct. 9 | Cayuga County Fair Speedway | Weedsport, N. Y. | 75 | – |
| Thurs. Oct. 10 | Rolling Wheels Raceway | Elbridge, N. Y. | 75 | – |
| Sat. Oct. 12 | New York State Fairgrounds | Syracuse, N. Y. | 150 | – |
| Sat. Oct. 19 | Brockville Ontario Speedway | Brockville, Ont. | 100 | – |
The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, NAPA Auto Parts, and Safety-Kleen. Contingency partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio. Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Performance, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow and Wrisco Industries.
