SHERIDAN WINS NASCAR LATE MODEL OPENER

Ron Sheridan won the NASCAR Late Model feature race on opening night at Delaware Speedway.

Sheridan took the lead at lap 26 however the most important pass he made may have been at lap 23 when he went around Jesse Kennedy to take over third. Up to that point, Mark Watson had led the entire race until some contact with defending champion Steve Robblee (who was second at the time) in turn three. As a result, Robblee was black-flagged and sent to the back of the lead lap. Watson's night was over and Sheridan took the lead. Kennedy went on to finish second.

Unlike last year when he wrecked on opening night, Scott Lindsay, a former champion, had a good start to the '10 season with a third-place finish.

There were four cautions in the race, the most notable being at lap 12 with a four-car wreck on the back straightaway that involved Lloyd Rawlings, Jamie Grover, Shawn Thompson and Jay Doerr. Both Doerr and Rawlings suffered heavy damage and did not return to the race. Earlier in the night Kennedy and Robblee both collected heat race wins.

In Demar Aggregates Trucks, London's Gary Adriaensen, a former Enduro competitor, scored his first ever Truck feature win. Adriaensen's #55 took the lead at lap 13 from Michelle Korcina who had led the first 12 laps. She landed in second place.

Jeff Showler's season started with a wreck. His #56 had to be towed off the track after he was involved in an incident on the front straightaway.

Steve McCaw of Komoka took Truck heat #1. Defending champion Paul Fothergill, started 2010 with a win in heat race #2. He was strong in the feature but faded with what appeared to be a mechanical issue near the end and finished 11th.

In the Super Stock division, the stats show that Steve Smith's #84 led every lap of the feature race but that's only part of the story. Smith had Stephen Richmond in the 24 car bearing down on him, making several strong challenges for the lead. Meanwhile, with the 28 of Kris Lawrence and the 77 of Darrell Lake closing in, a caution with 3 laps to go meant three strong challengers were on Smith's tail. Smith got the restart he needed and became the second straight driver to come from the Enduro division to win a feature race on this opening night.

On Tuesday May 18th Delaware Speedway is hosting the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series practice day. Spectators are welcome to watch some of the finest drivers in the country for free - they'll take to the track in the noon hour.

Delaware hosts the opening race of the NCATS series June 5th. Tickets are on sale at the track and online at www.delawarespeedway.com.

Next Friday, May 21st, the racing line-up at Delaware Speedway features the NASCAR Late Models, POWERADE Modifieds and Demar Aggregates Trucks.