Hometown racer David Rogers stood victorious in the Can-Am Victory Lane after capturing his second DIRTcar Sportsman Series win at the track in less than a month.
From the drop of the green flag, the race was a battle for positions with nothing given away easily. Starting on the pole for the night’s 30-lap, $2,000-to-win, John Burr Memorial Feature, Rogers shot out in front to pace the field. He was followed closely by outside pole sitter Xavier Andrews with Cedric Gauvreau in third behind them.
The two front runners ran tightly together before Rogers cleared Andrews after Lap 3, giving himself distance from the field. Gauvreau and Andrews then began a battle of their own for second place that lasted for a handful of laps. Gauvreau won the battle moving into second, seemingly gunning for Rogers next.
Unbeknownst to them, Jessica Power had started a run of her own behind them. After Gauvreau pulled into the pits with mechanical issues on Lap 15, the Kingston, ON driver was bumped into third behind Andrews. She then immediately hammered down on the inside lane, running it as tight as possible, pulling even with him coming off Turn 4. After a burst of speed down the front stretch, she edged by the #0 machine, taking over second with 12 laps remaining.
Power continued forward full throttle, immediately challenging Roger’s lead. After running less than a car length behind him, still hugging the inside lane tight as possible, she clipped an implement tire lining the racetrack, sending her front left tire clear off the track.
The mishap gave Rogers breathing room as she retained control of her vehicle and the race stayed under green. But she relentlessly pursued the race leader, coming within half a car length on Lap 24 on another attempt to pass him on the inside of Turn 2. Rogers played defense and blocked her attempt, passing down low to the inside to do so.
As the last five laps ticked off the counter, Rogers ran the track without error, navigating through lapped traffic. He crossed the finish line first, scoring his second DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory at Can-Am this season and third overall.
“I could hear (Power) a couple times, but I was just a little tight,” Rogers said. “Earlier, we weren’t any good. So, we took all the shocks and springs and changed them. I moved the front end, I moved the rear end, and I told (my crew guy) we’re going wholesale changes here.”
Power finished in second, falling just shy of her first DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory.
“We threw everything we had at Dave (Rogers),” Power said. “He did a great job. The car was a rocket tonight. It was the fastest it’s been all year, so, I can’t complain.”
Andrews finished in third to round out the podium, recording one of his best finishes at the track. He had not seen a competition at Can-Am since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We didn’t really know what to expect here,” Andrews said. “I don’t think we’re the best right now, but we ran pretty good and I’m happy with it…there’s some tough competition here. We put a really good night together.”
Gavin Eisele finished in fourth and Mike Fowler finished in fifth to round out the top five.
Chris Corbett was the recipient of a free Hoosier Tire.
UP NEXT: The DIRTcar Sportsman Series will next travel to Weedsport Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 10, for the Sportsman Classic.
DIRTcar Sportsman Series (30 Laps): 1. 44-David Rogers[1]; 2. 52-Jessica Power[4]; 3. 0-Xavier Andrews[2]; 4. 18-Gavin Eisele[3]; 5. 410-Mike Fowler[6]; 6. 92-Andrew Buff[9]; 7. 35B-Brennan Moore[12]; 8. 64-Tyler Corcoran[11]; 9. 57H-Remington Hamm[8]; 10. 38-Zach Sobotka[19]; 11. 31B-Ryan Dolbear[16]; 12. 34-Eric Nier[7]; 13. 63M-Franklin Mackin[21]; 14. 30-Nick Root[23]; 15. FOX28-Tyler Stevenson[22]; 16. 34K-Keegan Nier[14]; 17. 03-Joshua Jock[10]; 18. 66B-Jason Bruno[27]; 19. 95-Kearra Backus[29]; 20. (DNF) 98-Chris Corbett[28]; 21. (DNF) 2-Taylor Doxtater[26]; 22. (DNF) 38JR-Jason Parkhurst Jr[25]; 23. (DNF) 6-Brian Hudson[13]; 24. (DNF) 01-Zach Buff[24]; 25. (DNF) 22-Cedric Gauvreau[5]; 26. (DNF) 1D-Paul DeRuyter[20]; 27. (DNF) 32RS-Ryan Shanahan[17]; 28. (DNF) 29-Nick Heywood[15]; 29. (DNF) 99R-Anthony Rasmussen[18]
