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RACE RECAP: AUGUST 21, 2009 John Houghton Delaware Speedway PR August 21, 2009 It was a wild evening of racing at Delaware Speedway on Friday evening for BX93 and CPT Entertainment Night. The night would see some new winners and some exciting racing, some unfortunate on-track incidents, but also some of the best racing of the year. Ultimately it would turn into a night to remember. To begin the night, Delaware Speedway competitors received a rare treat in the driver’s meeting when Canadian racing legend Earl Ross had the opportunity to address the drivers. Earl Ross is known to Canadian motorsport fans as the only Canadian driver to ever win a race in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He further holds the distinction of the only non-American driver to win an event until Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007 “I’d like to say that I raced here at Delaware for many years, it’s one of the best tracks in Ontario, it’s probably the longest running,” said Ross when addressing the driver’s meeting. “It’s always been a favorite track of mine. I enjoy the racing here and you guys put on a good show, and I appreciate watching you.” Jonathan Urlin (#4) of London won his first event of the year Friday evening in the Nascar-Whelen All-American Series APC Late Model division. Urlin started from the first position following his time trial win with his lap time of 18.808 seconds. Running in second was Ron Sheridan (#52) of Mt. Brydges followed by his points championship rival Steve Robblee (#28) of Dorchester. The race had three cautions, one of which was for a mechanical failure on Mark Watson’s (#02) of St. Thomas for concern about possible fluid on the race track. The mechanical failure took place in a group of drivers who were battling for eighth position and all managed to avoid problems. “It’s a good night for us, it’s nice to be strong out front again,” said Urlin in victory lane. “I was told by the owner I’m not allowed to think about points tonight. We’re coming back here to try to get back out front about an hour from now [in the second feature].
The second APC Late Model race of the evening was won by Dion Verhoeven (#77) of Kerwood. On the opening lap of the race as the field took the green flag, the hood on Doug Stewart (#2) of London’s car flew up blocking the driver’s view. As Stewart slowed, contact was made between him and Drew Spicer (#89) of Innerkip. Several cars were collected in the incident including Jamie Ramsay (#22) of St. Thomas and David Elliott (#37) of Acton. The second caution of the race was on lap four as result of contact between Todd Barlass (#29) of North Street, Michigan and Jesse Kennedy (#10) of Southwold. The contact sent Kennedy spinning at full speed into the turn one wall, ending his evening. Following those two cautions, the event would run caution free. The race was a hotly contested one with Shawn Thompson (#72) of Ailsa Craig leading the majority of the race. The winning pass came in lapped traffic with two laps to go when Verhoeven went to the low side following Todd Barlass (#29) of North Street, Michigan while second place runner Ron Sherdian (#52) made contact with Thompson on the high side. The contact slowed both drivers and allowed Verhoeven to jump to the lead. In the end, Steve Robblee (#28) of Dorchester would finish second followed by Jonathan Urlin (#4) of London. Sheridan would end up fifth, Thompson fell back to twelfth. “It’s been a long time coming, it was a rough year trying to keep the car together and solid” said Verhoeven in victory lane. “We finally got a good run!” Coming into the final pair of races at the APC 300, Rocket Ron Sheridan (#52) of Mt. Brydges leads the points followed by Robblee. The pair are separated by just three points.
“This rain really through a mess into the night,” said Shipway. “I figured the only way this car was going around was on the high side, and that’s what we did.”
The Demar Aggregates Truck race started off with Michael Thompson (#9) of Dorchester taking the lead. By the time caution flew on lap ten for a spin involving Michelle Koricina (#99) of Ailsa Craig and Devon Bloemendal (#01) of Delaware the race would be led by Gary Adriaensen (#55) of London followed by Jordan Dupuis (#75) of Lasalle. As the field approached lap fourteen Dupuis was able to get to Adriaensen’s inside to complete the pass. Caution would fly on the next lap for spin involving Justin DeMelo (#82) of London. Two laps into the restart trouble would strike the division’s points leader as he tangled with Devon Bloemendal (#01) of Delaware, locking the two trucks together off turn two. Caution would fly once more three laps later for a spin involving Gary Brookes (#97) and Lonny Thompson (#4) of Dorchester. Three laps into the next run disaster would strike in turn three. A sudden downpour hit the speedway causing fourteen of the eighteen trucks in the event to be directly or indirectly involved in the crash. The hardest hits appeared to go to Kathleen Hosang (#16) of Zurich who struck the outside wall before being struck on the side by a spinning Lonny Thompson (#4) of Dorchester. Devon Bloemendal (#01) of Delaware took a hit into the wall requiring his truck to be removed from the track on a flat bed tow vehicle. Following the crash the truck race was declared over for the evening with Jordan Dupuis (#75) heading to victory lane.
Following a brief rain delay the Transmission Direct Enduro Challenge was able to take to the track. The Transmission Direct Enduro drivers have become very skilled at running in slick conditions, as two of their events this season have been run under rain. The challenge would come down to two drivers, Steve Book (#64) of Brantford and Dave Goertz (#15) of Arkona who found early in the event the highside was dryer then the bottom of the race track. Goertz was able to pass book with just three laps remaining in the 35-lap event to take the win. Book finished second, third was Jim Fergusson (#06) of Essex. “It was pretty slippery down there, the track was still wet,” said Goertz in victory lane. “It’s hard on the brain trying not to turn hard [and taking the highside].”
The next race event at Delaware Speedway is Five-Dollar Wednesday featuring the Krown Junior Racing League Championship race. Gates open at 5:30, racing starts at 6:45 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, kids 12 & under are free. Next Friday evening features Nascar Whelen All-American Series action presented by Maple Leaf Foods. The lineup is made up of the POWERADE Modifieds, Delaware Super Stocks, and Demar Aggregates Trucks. Gates open at 6:00 pm, practice runs from 6:00-7:00 pm racing starts at 8:00 pm.
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The POWERADE Open-Wheel Modified race was won by Paul Shipway (#88) of Ailsa Craig. The event ran caution free with Jamie Cox (#3) of Dorchester finishing second, Barry Newman (#1) of Springfield finishing third. The most contentious battle on the speedway was a three-way dogfight for fifth position between Stephen Richmond (#24) of Appin, Dean Scott (#19) of Beachville and Darrell Limon (#54) of Watford. Richmond was strong on the high side almost pulling around Scott, but ultimately hit the outside wall off turn two on the final lap. Scott would hold fifth, followed by Limon. Richmond would finish tenth.
