“The Natural” Dale Planck Conquers Granby, 358-Modified Series Round 6

Photo by Rick Young

Planck Takes Two in a Row, Winning Consecutive DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Events

GRANBY, QUEBEC – September 8, 2012 – Shooting ahead of local star Francois Bernier and early race leader Matt Billings in lap 13, “the Natural” Dale Planck took first at Friday’s DIRTcar 358-Modified Series “VP Racing Fuels 75” and never looked back until he reached victory lane.

“We were lucky to have an out front starting spot and so many green laps there. I was pretty content on running bottom, then the 49 [Francois Bernier] showed me the outside at turns 1 and 2,” Planck, current series point leader said. “That worked out for me. I hear he’s the best here, so it’s good to learn from him.”

Carried by the momentum of Sunday’s series win at Cornwall Motor Speedway, Planck maintained his lead the remaining 58 laps, powering ahead at the restart after the race’s only caution in lap 16 and later outmaneuvering followers Billings and David Hebert through heavy lapped traffic. By the checkered flag, he had a near 8-second lead over runner-up Hebert, garnering his first-ever win at Autodrome Granby.

“It seems like we’re having a little momentum here,” Planck said. “I’m just real happy to be here. I’ve never won here at Granby so it’s pretty special for me.”

Hebert, who finished in second, made the night’s fast time with a 19.917-second lap and won his heat, drew the ninth spot in the lineup. By the end of the race, he made up enough ground to overcome the redraw position, but just wasn’t as fast as Planck through the lapped traffic.

“The car was fast in the time trials and the heat race, but I drew ninth,” Hebert said. “Planck was too fast for me on the lapped cars.”

The DIRTcar 358-Modified Series heads to Akwesasne, N. Y., for its seventh Saturday, Sept. 15, for an action-packed weekend at Mohawk International Raceway.

The racing action continues tonight at Autodrome Granby with Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series events.

DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Statistical Report; Autodrome Granby; September 7, 2012

A-Main Lineup: 1. 77x Dale Planck; 2. 1 David Hebert; 3. 27J Danny Johnson; 4. 22J Gino Clair; 5. 6m Mat Williamson; 6. 74 Matt Billings; 7. 20H Brett Hearn; 8. 39 Clement Therrien; 9. 61 Jean Boissoneault; 10. 22c Mario Clair; 11. 151 Brian McDonald; 12. 66x Carey Terrance; 13. 97 Michel Chicoine; 14. 23 Dany Bilodeau; 15. 54 Steve Bernard; 16. 38 Luke Whetteker; 17. 21a Peter Britten; 18. 63 Dominic Dufault; 19. 12 Yannick Ledoux; 20. 94 Steve Nadeau; 21. 20 Kevin Bourgogne; 22. 73 Alain Boisvert; 23. 4k Jimmy Phelps; 24. 3 Claude Brouillard; 25. 29 Francois Bernier; 26. 21 Yan Bussiere; 27. 22X Jeremy Wilder; 28. 37 Paul St-Sauveur; 29. 25R Erick Rudolph; 30. 39a Alan Therrien

B-Main 1: 1. 20H Brett Hearn; 2. 23 Dany Bilodeau; 3. 22c Mario Clair; 4. 39a Alan Therrien; 5. 24R Erick Rudolph; 6. 124 Pierre Dagenai; 7. 85 Kayle Robidoux; 8. 44 Sebastien Gougeon; 9. 21J Jacque Poulin; 10. 327 Dan Brown

B-Main 2: 1. 54 Steve Bernard; 2. 22X Jeremy Wilder; 3. 37 Paul St-Sauveur; 4. 20 Kevin Bourgogne; 5. 38 Luke Witteker; 6. 22P Patrick Beaumier; 7. 10c Tim Currier; 8. 172 Andre Gauthier

Heats (8 laps, top 5 qualify, top 3 to redraw)

Heat 1: 1. 39 Clement Therrien; 2. 49 Francois Bernier; 3. 4k Jimmy Phelps; 4. 63 Dominic Dufault; 5. 6m Mat Williamson; 6. 23 Dany Bilodeau; 7. 22c Mario Clair; 8. 25R Erick Rudolph; 9. 39a Alan Therrien; 10. 327 Dan Brown; 11. 172 Andre Gauthier

Heat 2: 1. 3 Claude Brouillard; 2. 22J Gino Clair; 3. 66x Carey Terrance; 4. 21 Yan Bussiere; 5. 94 Steve Nadeau; 6. 20H Brett Hearn; 7. 44 Sebastien Gourgeon; 8. 124 Pierre Dagenais; 9. 85 Kayle Robidoux; 10. 21J Jacque Poulin

Heat 3:  1. 1 David Hebert; 2. 74 Matt Billings; 3. 21a Peter Britten; 4. Jean Boissoneault; 5. 97 Michel Chicoine; 6. 37 Paul St-Sauveur; 7. 22P Patrick Beaumier; 8. 10c Tim Currier; 9. 47 Simon Perreault; 10. 99 Bruno LePage

Heat 4: 1. 77x Dale Planck; 2. 73 Alain Boisvert; 3. 27J Danny Johnson; 4. 12 Yannick Ledoux; 5. 22x Jeremy Wilder; 6. 54 Seve Bernard; 7. 151 Brian McDonald; 8. 20 Kevin Bourgogne; 9. 38 Luke Whitteker

TIme Trials: 1. David Hebert (19.917 sec.); 2. 22J Gino Clair (20.001), 3. 39 Clement Therrien (20.05); 4. 4k Jimmy Phelps (20.120); 5. 77x Dale Planck (20.206); 6. 46 Kayle Robidoux (20.224); 7. 49 Francois Bernier (20.230); 8. 3 Claude Brouillard (20.231); 9. 21 Yannick Ledoux (20.266); 10. 20H Brett Hearn (20.318); 11. 74 Matt Billings (20.376); 12. 25R Erick Rudolph (20.412); 13. 21a Peter Britten (20.412); 14. 63 Dominic Dufault (20.438); 15. 151 Brian McDonald (20.492); 16. 73 Alain Boisvert (20.501); 17. 21 Yan Bussiere (20.526); 18. 22c Mario Clair (20.541); 19. 6m Mat Williamson (20.550); 20. 61 Jean Boissoneault (20.559); 21. 44 Sebastien Gougeon (20.589); 22. 27J Danny Johnson (20.590); 23. 54 Steve Bernard (20.605); 24. 97 Michel Chicoine (20.617); 25. 94 Steve Nadeau (20.655); 26. 22P Patrick Beaumier (20.714); 27. 10c Tim Currier (20.718); 28. 47 Simon Perreault (20.729); 29. 124 Pierre Dagenais; 30. 37 Paul St-Sauveur (20.757); 31. 20 Kevin Bourgogne (20.800); 32. 22x Jeremy Wilder (20.846); 33. 21L Jacque Poulin (20.925); 34. 66x Carey Terrance (20.962); 35. 23 Dany Bilodeau (21.011); 35. 38 Luke Whitteker (21.214); 38. 85 David Langlois (21.285); 39. 99 Bruno LePage (21.291); 40. 87 Martin Gagne (21. 311); 41. 172 Andre Gautheir (21.720); 42. 40 Dan Brown (22.005)

2012 DIRTcar 358 Modified Series Schedule