Demelo Wins Delaware Speedway’s Season Opener!
(May 1, 2010) Delaware Speedways 2010 Season opened with a 150 lap Transmission Direct Enduro race, ultimately marking the first feature win by Manny Demelo.
Barry Watson (#45) of London had the fastest lap at 23.299 seconds and nearly won the first heat race but it was ultimately Demelo’s day. Demelo’s #182 rode to victory lane after he fought for the lead with second-place finisher David McCullough (#39).
Watson looked good early on in the first qualifying heat. He led the pack until his car simply quit with only 2 laps to go, allowing Al Hilton’s #114 to take the win. Five cars finished on the lead lap of the first heat, four on the second, where former multi-time truck division champion Paul Fothergill (#7) emerged victorious.
54 cars took to the track for the first 150-lap feature race of the season. At lap 38, perennial favourite Steve Book had to leave the track when his #64 overheated forcing him to sit out the rest of the race. Barry Watson led until lap 45 when the #1 driven by Ken Cook crashed hard into the outside wall on the front straightaway. The crash collected Watson who did a “180” and had to drive in reverse down the track to the opening at the exit end of pit lane. Cook was unhurt and when he was asked by announcer Jamie Maudsley how he felt, Cook told the crowd, “It was fun!” Watson’s departure from the race put Demelo in the lead.
At lap 80, David McCullough made a charge for the lead by passing the #9 car of Ed Jeffrey. At lap 90, McCullough overtook Demelo for the lead beginning a tug-of-war that would continue for 42 laps and see the #39 and #182 trade off the lead six times. With 18 to go, Demelo took the lead back and held onto it for the win.
While the struggle for the lead was on, Piet Blaauboer II’s #777 and Jeff Ferguson’s #5 were battling for 4th place and closing in on Ed Jeffrey in 3rd.
Ed Jeffrey ultimately hung onto 3rd position with Blaauboer II and Jeff Ferguson rounding out the top five finishers in an exciting hour and one minute Transmission Direct Enduro season opener. In victory lane, Manny Demelo congratulated David McCullough on a great race.
The Ultimate Chaos Car division winner was 14 year old Tyler Yeo in Canadian Hero, who made a late-race charge from behind. Tyler is a first-timer whose only practice has been in the wide open space of a cornfield. The division experienced its first-ever complete car flip as last year’s points leader, Bush Bomb, landed on its roof and driver Spencer Rabideau crawled out the back and told the crowd “That was awesome!”
The next event at Delaware Speedway is Friday May 7th with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season opener.
Lisa Brandt, Publicity 226.448.7227