When the DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Feature at Cornwall Motor Speedway finally saw the checkered flag, after over a month of waiting, the points were turned upside down, and Bastien Caron left with the check.
The Series set the Feature lineup for Cornwall on May 31, with Jean Philippe Guay on the pole and defending Super DIRT Week champion Devon Camenga to his outside. But weather postponed the program, leaving them two and the rest of the 28-car field to wait until July 7 to take the green.
When the race finally commenced on Tuesday evening, Guay drove away with the lead while Camenga’s chance of a good night evaporated off Turn 2 when he slid off track, losing six spots. He was never able to recover, eventually finishing eighth, but as the race progressed, the result proved to be a positive outcome for the driver who entered the race third in points.
Guay lost the lead to Tyler Bushey on Lap 2 and then, four laps later, like Camenga, slid off track. The mistake set him on a path that led to an issue that took him out of the race later on.
After a caution on Lap 7, Tommy Lizotte threw a slider on Bushey through Turns 3 and 4 to claim the lead. Caron, who was patiently working his way through the field from the eighth starting position – and doing so in style, carrying his left front off the ground like a Big Block Modified – then took his turn at attacking Bushey for second.
The No. 73 Pro Stock snuck by Bushey just in time for a caution on Lap 19 to bring Lizotte back within reach. When the race resumed, Caron powered past Lizotte for the lead and led a lap before the yellow flag flew again.
On the next restart, Caron almost threw away everything. He overshot Turn 2, allowing Lizotte and two more cars to get by. Unperturbed by the error, he went three-wide through Turns 3 and 4, splitting the second- and third-place cars to reclaim second and close on Lizotte.
Five laps later, while Caron and Lizotte were battling side by side for the lead, Lizotte spun in Turn 4 with the field coming at him. That included points leader Pete Stefanski, who collided with the No. 777 car and was unable to finish.
With Lizotte out of the picture, Caron found himself having to fend off Sid Harmer for the lead. Their battle lasted for a couple of laps before another caution paused the race – this time for a second incident with Jasey Casey, who entered the night second in points. Race officials also made the call to shorten the race from 50 laps to 40 at this point.
A few more cautions hindered the pace of the race, but Caron was still able to learn something from each one.
Harmer snuck under Caron and challenged for the lead on a couple of restarts, but a caution always came out before he could try to complete the pass. So, after almost losing the lead twice, Caron hugged the bottom around Turns 1 and 2, forcing Harmer to try the high line to pass him – a move that consistently worked in Caron’s favor.
The No. 73 car led the rest of the way, while Harmer, was left to battle Bushey and Burton Ward for the runner-up spot. The three drivers became the show at the finale as they waged a three-wide war around the entire 1/4-mile track on the final lap. Harmer held on to second, Ward grabbed third and Bushey finished fourth.
Caron, who entered the night fourth in Series points, 16 points behind Stefanski, survived the wild race to leave with a strong points gain, the $1,500 (CAN) check, and his second Series victory.
The free Hoosier tire went to Marc Peladeau, who finished ninth. Tech inspection included a check of valve springs and carburetors.
Joe Grabianowski Photo
UP NEXT
The DIRTcar Pro Stock Series continues its road to the championship finale at Super DIRT Week with a return to Mohawk International Raceway in Hogansburg, NY, on Wednesday, July 8, joining the Super DIRTcar Series.
How can you watch the DIRTcar Pro Stock Series at Mohawk? Live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS
DIRTcar Prostock Feature (50 Laps): 1. 73-Bastien Caron[8]; 2. 14R-Sid Harmer Jr[11]; 3. 28-Burton Ward[3]; 4. X15-Tyler Bushey[5]; 5. 48-Jocelyn Roy[19]; 6. 12S-Dakota Sharp[14]; 7. 72G-Denis Gauvreau[9]; 8. 110-Devon Camenga[2]; 9. 17-Marc Peladeau[21]; 10. 38JR-Justin Chaput[26]; 11. 2Z-Hugh Page[25]; 12. 9-Eric Jean Louis[23]; 13. 32-Jonathan Levesque[12]; 14. (DNF) 115-Jean Philippe Guay[1]; 15. (DNF) 57J-Jason Fetterly[16]; 16. (DNF) 324-Jason Casey[13]; 17. (DNF) 777-Tommy Lizotte[6]; 18. (DNF) 2-Pete Stefanski[7]; 19. (DNF) 57K-Kevin Fetterly Jr[17]; 20. (DNF) 71-Delbert LaGrow Jr[20]; 21. (DNF) 11A-Dave Seguin[10]; 22. (DNF) 1R-Ricky Thompson[22]; 23. (DNF) 54S-Zachary Sorrentino[4]; 24. (DNS) 6-Stephane Lebrun; 25. (DNS) 13-Kevin April; 26. (DNS) 22B-Blayne Nichols; 27. (DNS) 38S-Steve Chaput; 28. (DQ) 9JD-Jonathan Galipeau[27]
