Local Sportsman driver sweeps inaugural series Quebec swing
Granby, Quebec – Tuesday, July 23, 2013 – Martin Bélanger, DIRTcar Correspondent – For a second night in a row, the Sportsman drivers were in action in Quebec, Canada, as the fifth round of the DIRTcar Sportsman Series visited Autodrome Granby for the first time in history. Local top runner, Steve Bernier made a commitment to show to everyone why he is one of the guy to beat in the province of Quebec.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series points leader Joey Ladouceur and local top runner and last night`s series winner Steve Bernier shared the top row on the starting grid of the 50-lap feature event. Bernier grabbed the lead from the outside lane over Ladouceur with Jonathan Desilets running third. The race was slowed on lap 3 as a small tangle occurred in the front stretch; everyone was able to get out of trouble without any damage.
Bernier to the lead on the restart with Maxime Michon being able to get third. Michon had eyes on second as a tangle happened on the backstretch on lap 7. Bernier in front as Yves Leveille got a great start and jumped to second sending Ladouceur to third. Running in the top 5, Desilets and Michon got together in turn 2 and caution was out with 40 laps to go.
Bernier still in front as Guy Ouellette was running hard, taking on second of Leveille after starting fourth on this green, Ladouceur fading to fifth. Mathieu Desjardins used the high lane to pass Ladouceur for fifth of the 20th circuit. The leader got into traffic on the following lap, Ouellette able to gain ground in these conditions.
Ricky Thompson lost his engine at the halfway point, bringing out the yellow. Bernier was the leader followed by Ouellette, Leveillee, Keven Beaucage and Mathieu Desjardins.
Bernier having another strong start with Ouellette, Leveillee, Beaucage and now Brad Rouse cracking the top 5, Beaucage managed to get third over Leveille on lap 27 as Ouellette started to challenge Bernier for the lead. Running in second, Ouellette slowed down in turn 2 and the yellow was out with 18 laps to be completed.
Bernier lead as an accident involving several cars occurred brought back the yellow.
The #25 car made no errors on the restart as Rouse and Beaucage were side by side for second with 15 laps to go. Jessica Power joined the leading pack now running in fifth.
Bernier pulled away from the rest of the field with 10 laps to go in the event, he led the feature wire to wire and captured his second DIRTcar Sportsman feature race in a row over Beaucage in second, Rouse in third, Leveillee in fourth and Martin Pelletier in sixth.
The series will take a 6-week break before hitting the beautiful Niagara Region for a 3-race weekend at Ramsomville, Merrittville and Humberstone on September 6, 7 and 8.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race #5—Autodrome Granby, July 23, 2013 Event Summary
Feature Results:
Steve Bernier, Keven Beaucage, Brad Rouse, Yves Leveillee, Martin Pelletier, Jessica Power, Boyd McTavish, Mathieu Desjardins, Yvan Rivard, Pat Dumouchel, Louie Jackson Jr, Rene Montmigny, Joey Ladouceur, Mathieu Laramee, Martin Lessard, Jasmin Leveille, Bill Mullin, Alex Lajoie, Martin Giguere, Martin Thibert, Mike Stacey, Dany Gagné, Robert Delormier, Jonathan Desilets, Guy Ouellette, Samuel Desrochers, Jenna David, Ricky Thompson, Maxime Michon, Rene Duquette (DNS)
LAP LEADERS:
Bernier (1-50)
Heat Races (8 laps, top 4 went to redraw)
#1: Ouellette, Y.Leveillee, Gagne, Michon, A.Lajoie, McTavish, Dumouchel, Lessard, David, Duquette (DNS)
#2 : Bernier, Desjardins, Desilets, Ladouceur, Montmigny, Laramee, Desrochers, Rivard, Thompson, Stacey
#3: Pelletier, Beaucage, Rouse, J.Leveillee, Power, Giguere, Jackson Jr, Delormier, Thibert, Mullin
Autodrome Granby DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race #5 Roster (30)
1 Bill Mullin
1m Mathieu Desjardins
1R Ricky Thompson
2 Jenna David
2x Martin Lessard
3D Patrice Dumouchel
4 Samuel Desroches
4k Jasmin Leveillee
11 Martin Thibert
11j Martin Giguere
18jr Louie Jackson jr
18r Brad Rouse
21 Jonathan Desilets
21r Robert Delormier
23 Mike Stacey
25 Steve Bernier
32 Guy Ouellette
33 Alex Lajoie
41 Boyd McTavish
44 Yvan Rivard
45 Keven Beaucage
52 Jessica Power
66 Rene Duquette
75 Maxime Michon
84 Rene Montmigny
90 Dany Gagne
91 Mathieu Laramee
92 Joey Ladouceur
92p Martin Pelletier
139 Yves Leveillee
2013 DIRTcar Sportsman Series Schedule
Wed. June 5 Rolling Wheels Raceway Elbridge, N. Y. Adam Hilton
Mon. July 1 Cornwall Motor Speedway Cornwall, Ont. Brad Rouse
Wed. July 3 Ransomville Speedway, Ransomville. N. Y. Joey Ladouceur
Mon. July 22 Autodrome Drummond Drummondville, Que. Steve Bernier
Tues. July 23 Autodrome Granby Granby, Que. Steve Bernier
Fri. Sept. 6 Ransomville Speedway Ransomville, N. Y.
Sat. Sept. 7 Merrittville Speedway Thorold, Ont.
Sun. Sept. 8 Humberstone Speedway Port Colborne, Ont.
Sat. Sept. 14 Mohawk International Raceway Akwesasne, N. Y.
Fri. Sept. 20 Brighton Speedway Brighton, Ont.
Sat. Sept. 21 Le RPM Speedway St. Marcel de Richelieu, Que.
Wed. Oct. 9 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Weedsport, N. Y.
Sat. Oct. 12 New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse, N. Y.
Sun. Oct. 20 Brockville Ontario Speedway Brockville, Ont.
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.
