Cayuga, N. Y., driver fends off challenges from Herbison, Pelletier
AKWESASNE, N. Y. – Sunday, September 15, 2013 – Dave Marcuccilli, of Cayuga, N. Y., fended off challenges from Martin Pelletier and Chris Herbison to claim victory in the 50-lap DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series feature Saturday, Sept. 14, at Mohawk International Raceway.
Marcuccilli was fast all night, topping time trials with a 19.394-second lap around Mohawk’s 3/8-mile. He went on to win his heat race and start in the front in the feature.
At the initial green flag, Marcuccilli charged forward in the m1, but the next 50 laps would not be without its challenges. After a lap-9 caution, Marcuccilli maintained his lead, but Pelletier was working his way up the rank. Pelletier claimed the second spot off the restart and a hard-charging Herbison, who started the race in 14th, followed in third.
In lap 10, Herbison cruised high on the backstretch to pass Pelletier. The yellow lights came on in lap 14 with a car off the track and Herbison joined Marcuccilli on the front row for the restart.
Marcuccilli stayed ahead, but Herbison challenged strongly, taking the topside in an attempt to get by the leader. Riding high in the straightaways and low in the turns, Marcuccilli defended his position, finally gaining some ground in lap 21 when Herbison’s 63 faltered slightly, grazing against the turn 3 outer wall.
A lap 21 caution gave Herbison another opportunity to challenge on the double-file restart. Marcuccilli stayed ahead at the green but Herbison stayed at his rear bumper, and finally nosed past him in lap 25 before caution in lap 29 slowed the pace.
Off the subsequent restart, Pelletier gained momentum and pulled up beside Herbison to challenge for second. Pelletier took the bottom groove and the two raced side-by-side for a lap before Pelletier found the speed he needed on the front stretch to get by.
In lap 33, Neal Provost spun in turns 3 and 4 to bring yellow conditions back to the track. Marcuccilli sped ahead at the restart, overpowering Pelletier from the top of the track to reclaim the lead.
Marcuccilli kept the lead through the remainder of the 50-lap feature to claim the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series win. Left behind him was a battle for the best spots in the top five, with Chris Barber, who started 18, claiming second in lap 40. Meanwhile, Joey Ladouceur had been working his way up from tenth and claimed fourth over Herbison, who wound up fifth.
The DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series continues with another action-packed weekend Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21. Friday’s race at Brighton Speedway in Brighton, Ontario, kicks off the weekend and is followed by Saturday’s event at Le RPM Speedway in St-Marcel-de-Richlieu, Quebec.
For more information about the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series, visit www.dirtcarump.com/category/divisions/sportsman-modifieds. For the latest news and updates about the series, follow @DIRTcarNE on Twitter and like the DIRTcar Racing Facebook page.
DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series, Round 9
Mohawk International Raceway – Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013
Statistical Report
A-Main (50 laps):
1. m1 Dave Marcuccilli – Cayuga, N. Y.
2. 80 Steve Barber – Gananoque, Ontario
3. 92p Martin Pelletier – St-Robert, Quebec
4. 47s Corey Wheeler – Cornwall, Ontario
5. 63 Chris Herbison – Brockville, Ontario
6. 25g Nick Guererri – Waterloo, N. Y.
7. 2T Chris Thurston – Clayton, N. Y.
8. 92 Joey Ladouceur – Alexandria, Ontario
9. 30 Brent Kelsey – Plantagenet, Ontario
10. 2ez Mike Arquiett – Brasher Falls, N. Y.
11. 18 Brad Rouse – St. Catharines, Ontario
12. 1x Nolan Swamp – Akwesasne, N. Y.
13. 52 Jessica Power – Kinston, Ontario
14. 17 Tyler Meeks – Evans Mills, N. Y.
15. 21 Robert Delormier – Akwesasne, N. Y.
16. 3m Mathieu Desjardins – Sorel Tracey, Quebec
17. 2 Adam Rozon – Cassleman, Ontario
18. 41 Boyd MacTavish – Ransomville, Ontario
19. 14 Zach Arquiett – Brasher Falls, N. Y.
20. 1R Ricky Thompson – Akwesasne, N. Y.
21. 23 Mike Stacey – Kahnawake, Quebec
22. 22m Scott Mere – Parishville, N. Y.
23. 5 Wyatt Mullin – Iroquois, Ontario
24. 74 Neal Provost II
25. 35 Thomas Cook – Hogansburg, N. Y.
26. 42 Daryl Nutting – Ballston Spa, N. Y.
27. 12 Brandon Hagan – Plessis, N. Y.
28. 2 Jenna David – Akwesasne, N. Y.
29. 83 Dylan Evoy – Brockville, Ontario
30. 18J Louie Jackson Jr. – Akwesasne, N. Y.
Did not qualify:
1 Jean Nichols Gareau – St-Zotique, Quebec
3d Pat Dumouchel – St-Etienne, Quebec
4J Jasmine David – Akwesasne, N. Y.
15 Ryan Helm – Cherubusco, N. Y.
21x John Green
m70 Billy Cook – Hogansburg, N. Y.
70x Andrew Fish – Malone, N. Y.
71 Delbert LeGrow, Jr. – Massena, N. Y.
77e Ryan Stabler – Cornwall, Ontario
B-Main 1 (10 laps): Desjardins, Arquiett, Swamp, Provost, B. Cook, Thompson, Dumouchel, Jenna David, FIsh, Gareau
B-Main 2 (10 laps): Stacey, Mere, T. Cook, MacTavish, Helm, Jasmine David, Green, LeGrow. DNS: Stabler
Qualifying Heats (8 laps; top 3 redraw, top 5 transfer)
Heat 1: Ladouceur, Guererri, Hagan, Meeks, Thurston, Z. Arquiett, Swamp, B. Cook, Jenna David, Gareau
Heat 2: Marcuccilli, Wheeler, Rouse, Herbison, Barber, Desjardins, Provost, Thompson, Dumoucel, Fish
Heat 3: Evoy, Nutting, Kelsey, M. Arquiett, Rozon, T. Cook, Jasmine David, Helm, Green, LeGrow
Heat 4: Jackson, Pelletier, Power, Mullin, Delormier, Mere, MacTavish, Stacey, Stabler
Time Trials: 1. Marcuccilli 19.394, 2. Ladouceur 19.621, 3. Jackson 19.667, 4. Wheeler 19.674, 5. Hagan 19.694, 6. Evoy 19.825, 7. Guererri 19.832, 8. Meeks 19.854, 9. Rouse 19.861, 10. Barber 20.000, 11. Pelletier 20.012, 12. Power 20.055, 13. MacTavish 20.082, 14. Mullin 20.129, 15. Herbison 20.183, 16. Desjardins 20.230, 17. Nutting 20.233, 18. Thompson 20.258, 19. Rozon 20.308, 20. B. Cook 20.340, 21. Kelsey 20.359, 22. Jenna David 20.375, 23. Thurston 20.415, 24. Z. Arquiett 20.425, 25. Stabler 20.458, 26. Jasmine David 20.461, 27. Provost 20.470, 28. Gareau 20.489, 29. M. Arquiet 20.498, 30. Dumouchel 20.518, 31. Delormier 20.571, 32. LeGrow 20.618, 33. Swamp 20.688, 34. T. Cook 20.714, 35. Stacey 20.889, 36. Mere 20.897, 37. Helm 20.990, 38. Green 21.311, 39. Fish 21.406
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.
