Rick Young's 'Rick at the Races' Oct. 17-18, 2009 at Brockville Ontario Speedway

PIC 1   A band playing on the front stretch provided pre race entertainment

PIC 2  'Girl  Power' , SPORTSMAN action with # 66 Tabatha Murphy and # 52 Jessica Power

PIC  3  Chris Raabe # 01 wins the SPORTSMAN DIRT SERIES race

PIC 4   Sprint Car action

PIC  5  Jessica Zemken after her Sprint Car 'Dash for Cash' win'

PIC  6  Glenn Styres wins the Sprint Car feature

PIC  7  That's me with former 'Gater' columnist Nicole Perault

PIC  8  358 Modified action

PIC  9  Inside Track Magazine editor Gregg McPherson

PIC 10  # 22 Mario Clair goes high, while # 77x Dale Planck stays low

PIC 11  Mario Clair wins the 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES race

PIC 12   Dale Planck becomes the 2009 Mr DIRT Smallblock Champion

PIC 13  Joey Ladouceur in action in his Pro Stock

PIC  14  Joey Ladouceur wins the DIRTCAR Pro Stock Series race.

PIC  15 Pete Stefanski becomes the 2009 Mr DIRT Pro Stock Champion

PIC  16  STREET STOCK action

www.rickattheraces.com

17/18 Oct Brockville Ontario Speedeway - The 2009 NorthEast Fall Nationals

Usually on the weekend that follows SUPER DIRT WEEK , you will find me, like many other Canadian dirt racing fans heading down to the Eastern States Championships at the Orange County Fair Speedway , Middletown, NY, but not this year !

In the recent past this great event has been the final round of the various Mr Dirt Series races. Well, in 2009 the OCFS was not part of the DIRTCAR organzation, so the weekend became vacant. This year the DIRTCAR 358 Modifieds and the DIRTCAR Pro Stocks had their final points races at the Brockville Ontario Speedway, along with the penultimate round for SPORTSMAN ( their final round is at the Black Rock Speedway, Dundee, NY this coming weekend)

Brockville promotors Paul and Cheryl Kirkland took on the ambitious task of hosting this major DIRTCAR 2009 curtain closer which went under the title of 'The North East Fall Nationals' . Not only were there three DIRTCAR divisions on the two day program, but Sprint Cars and Street Stocks too.

My Saturday morning (17 Oct) started with a mandatory safety meeting I had to attend at work in Cornwall (Ont) . These are always a 'pain' but thankfully only last a few hours. It was over by 11-00am and I was soon heading down Hwy 401 on the short journey to Brockville. The weather forecast was for sunshine all weekend and on arrival I found the pits were already filling up with race cars. It was a bit chilly, but heh ! What do you expect for mid October?

Saturdays show consisted of a full program for Sprint Cars, a SUPER DIRT SERIES event for SPORTSMAN, plus the qualifying heats for Sundays 358 Modified SUPER DIRT SERIES race.

In the SPORTSMAN 50 lapper, current Mr Dirt, Chris Raabe made it look easy, taking the checkers after fending off an early challenge by Justin Wright. Up until this point everything was going smoothly, but during the SPORTSMAN race, electric power in the area surrounding the track went out. By now it was late afternoon/early evening and it was almost time to put the floodlighting on. There was still the Sprint Car feature to run but time was running out. The victory photos of Raabe were quickly done, while he sat in his car on the center, as the Sprints were hastily brought out on the track.

The Sprint Car drivers gave the thumbs up, that conditions were OK and the race was started. It was completed just in the nick of time before it became too dark. The race was won by Oshweken Promotor, Glenn Styres who was followed over the line by runner up Steve Poirier and Jessica Zemken in third, who'd earlier won the 'Dash for Cash'.

Now that Saturday's show was in the bag, it was time for the partying to begin. The field adjacent to the track had been turned into a camp ground and I was staying overnight in my buddy Roger Aubin's motor home. Beef on a Bun was on offer to the revellers and a band played aloft a flat bed trailer. To keep everyone warm a bon fire had been lit. During the socializing it was good to meet up with my old friend Nicole Perault, a former writer for the Gater Racing News. Nicole from Iberville, Quebec has been absent from the Dirt tracks for a while due to work commitments . The little bit of racing she has seen , has been restricted to the paved stuff at the Thompson Speedway in Connecticut.

Sunday, as the weather men predicted, was another sunny day, and a little bit warmer. Power to the area had been restored and we were all set for another great day.

The Sprint Cars and SPORTSMAN, had departed and the 358 Modifieds were joined in the pits by Pro Stocks and Street Stocks. Like Saturday, I stationed myself on the center close to the fourth turn to snap the action. It was here I met up with my friend Gregg McPherson, editor of INSIDE TRACK RACING NEWS. He was in the area for family function, so took time out to take in some dirt action. He seamed to be enjoying it.

First of the feature races to be run was the 100 lap 358 SUPER DIRT SERIES event. From the green flag Quebec's Mario Clair took the lead which he kept until lap 47 when New York's Dale Planck took over. Clair had been riding the top groove while Planck preferred the bottom, then following a caution on lap 77 the Frenchman regained the lead. Planck's preferred groove wasn't as quick, and the high riding Clair went on to take the checkers. Plancks second place was enough to clinch the 2009 Smallblock Mr DIRT SERIES.

The Pro Stock feature was next and the sports top two drivers Joey Ladouceur and Pete Stefanski, both drew front row positions. With this kind of scenario, the 50 lapper as you'd expect , wasn't too exciting as Ladouceur claimed a flag to flag victory. Dave Bissonnette was second and Dion Oakes was third. Stefanski had slipped back to sixth, but I'm sure he didn't mind ! It was good enough to claim for the 2009 Mr DIRT Championship for Pro Stocks.

The final feature of the weekend was for the Street Stocks which was won by Steve Billings.

The inaugural staging of the NORTH EAST FALL NATIONALS was a great success and I have to compliment Paul and Cheryl Kirkland for taking on such a big gamble, and making it such a memorable occasion.

As I mentioned in my last report, it has already been announced that for 2010 the Big Block Modifieds will be part of the show.

Meanwhile, down in Middletown, NY, Sundays Eastern States 200 lapper had to be postponed due to bad weather.

Goodyear and American Canadian Tour reach agreement through 2014

Waterbury, VT – The American Canadian Tour (ACT) sanctioning body announced today that they have renewed an agreement with Goodyear Racing to utilize various Goodyear produced racing tires through 2014.

Tom Curley, President of the ACT, and managing partner of Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont said, "Goodyear is known the world over as the pre-eminent racing tire. The introduction of the Goodyear brand has been one of the most important decisions we have made over the past decade. The various Late Model tracks that have joined the ACT business model have made Goodyear their tire of choice, and race teams unanimously have endorsed this decision."

ACT was instrumental in working with Goodyear engineers and marketing personnel in the research and development of the 8" slick currently used at ten (10) ACT affiliate tracks and on both the ACT US Touring Series and Série ACT Castrol in Canada.

"I remember the first test we did on this tire six years ago. It was early November and we had to shovel the snow off Thunder Road to get the test conducted. We ran that first tire test for what seemed like 500 laps under pretty awful conditions, and then tested again in the Spring after the engineers 'tweaked' a few things. The Goodyear tire and ACT crate motor, along with the other cost-saving systems that have been implemented, have turned out to be the best thing that has happened to racing in our region," said Late Model driver Joey Laquerre, a fifty year veteran of stock car racing.

Laquerre also tested the seven inch (7") treaded tire for the popular "Tiger Sportsman' division at Thunder Road. "We have now been on the tire for a couple of years and it works great", he said. The 7" treaded tire, which is being used at both Thunder Road and Airborne Park Speedway, services a limited Late Model type car.

Scott Junod, Goodyear Sales Manager, Short Track Racing, said, "We have enjoyed tremendous growth in the Northeast short track market over the past five race seasons with our ACT affiliation. All of us, including Goodyear Race Tire engineers Graham Carney and Joel Reichert, have especially enjoyed and appreciated working with the ACT teams in the continuing development of both our Late Model units and the Sportsman tire."

The Goodyear model D2672 and D2882 model tires are used at Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre VT, New Hampshire tracks Lee USA Speedway, White Mountain Motorsport Park, and Twin State Speedway. Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine, as well as Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts are also part of the ACT Late Model program. Tracks using the Goodyear brand through the ACT program in Canada include Capital City Speedway in Ottawa and the Kawartha Downs Speedway in Ontario. Both the ACT US Tour and the Série ACT Castrol utilize the Goodyear slick.

Circle J Tires is the supplier of Goodyear tires on behalf of ACT in the United States. Contact number is 802.244.6964. For more information on Goodyear racing tires visit the Goodyear web page at www.racegoodyear.com.

For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or media@acttour.com 

PRIZE FUND VALUED AT $1.5 MILLION DISTRIBUTED DURING POST-RACE AWARDS CEREMONY FOR 2009 STAR MAZDA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY GOODYEAR

Chateau St. Julien / Carmel, CA – Hours after concluding the 2009 season in the most dramatic fashion possible, with a hard-fought, championship-clinching victory by English racer Adam Christodoulou, drivers, teams, crew and officials of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear gathered at the Chateau St. Julien winery in the scenic Carmel Valley for the Series awards presentation ceremony.

In addition to the fully-sponsored ride in the 2010 Atlantic Championship won by the Series champion, the $575,000 in cash and prizes presented to the top-15 finishers and various other prizes awarded both at the ceremony and on a race-by-race basis during the season, the 2009 Star Mazda Championship prize fund totaled $1.5 million.

The Top-3 Finishers / $971,000 total
Christodoulou, with a season record of three wins, two poles and nine podium finishes driving the #11 JDC Motorsports / Molecule / Alpinestars / Miller Milling Company Mazda, won not only the series championship but also 'Rookie of the Year' and collected checks for $100,000 and $10,000 respectively. He also collected a $1,000 check for being the top-finishing driver participating in the Racing for Kids program, with the presentation made by RFK public relations director Ron Hingst. An equal amount was donated to the children's hospital of Christodoulou's choice.

His big prize, valued at $750,000, came in the form of the ceremonial presentation of a MAZDASPEED driving suit and helmet that symbolizes a full-season sponsorship in the 2010 Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Christodoulou will test with several Atlantic teams and an announcement concerning his 2010 plans will be made in coming weeks.

The Star Mazda Championship is a major rung on the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder, the only automaker-supported ladder system in auto racing today that reaches all the way from karting to the top levels of the sport. 2008 Star Mazda champion John Edwards won the 2009 Atlantic Championship in the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Star Mazda Championship graduates also include Indy Racing League stars Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal and Raphael Matos (the 2005 Star Mazda champion), as well as rising NASCAR stars Michael McDowell (the 2004 series champion) and Colin Braun. 2007 champion Dane Cameron currently races full-time in the #30 Racers Edge Mazda RX-8 GT1 car.

Finishing second, with a record of five wins, five poles and six top-10 finishes, was Peter 'The Irish Steamroller' Dempsey, racing the #3 Juncos Racing / The Collection / Motorsport Ireland / Queyside.ie Mazda. Heading into the season finale at Mazda Raceway, Dempsey was the championship leader and needed finish only sixth or better to clinch the championship. After qualifying on the pole, Dempsey (who won four Star Mazda races in 2008) was spun out on the first lap by contact from another car, ending his championship hopes. He still collected a check for $70,000 and his attention-getting performance this season makes it highly likely he will advance his career next season.

Finishing third in the championship and collecting a check for $50,000 was Conor Daly, the 2008 Skip Barber Pro Series champion and winner of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder scholarship that provided funding for his 2009 Star Mazda Championship season at the wheel of the #22 Andersen Racing / College Network / Indeck / Cytomax Mazda. Daly, the son of racing legend Derek Daly, scored one win, one pole and six podium finishes in his rookie season in the Star Mazda Championship. He tested open-wheel cars in Europe between races toward the end of this season and seems firmly on the path to a career in Formula One.

It's also worth noting that the two young Americans who won the Team USA Scholarship to race in England's prestigious Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy in coming weeks – Skip Barber Pro Series champion Connor De Phillippi and Jim Russell Championship racer Bret Smrz – are driving cars fielded by Cliff Dempsey Racing (Peter Dempsey's father). De Phillippi will race in the Star Mazda Championship in 2010 with backing from the MAZDASPEED Ladder program.

4th through 15th-place finishers/ $296,500 total
More than 35 drivers participated in one or more Star Mazda Championship races during the 2009 season, with a top field of 33 cars (a number equaled only by the Indy 500) in Round 3 at Miller Motorsports Park. The Series pays prize money down to 15th place in the points, including;

4th / $40,000 -- Alex Ardoin driving the #51 JDC Motorsports / Oral & Facial Surgery Center / Twister Trailer Mazda (one win, five podiums, six top-5s and ten top-10s)

5th / $35,000 – Joel Miller driving the #2 Andersen Racing / Doug Mockett & Co. / Allied Interior Products Mazda (three podiums, seven top-5s, nine top-10s)

6th / $30,000 – Anders Krohn driving the #27 Mundill / Trallfa / Colosseum Mazda (one win, one podium, three top-5s and nine top-10s)

7th / $27,000 – Richard Kent driving the #33 Andersen Racing / Traka Allied Interior Products Mazda (two wins, four poles, two podiums, six top-5s and nine top-10s)

8th / $25,000 – Caio Lara driving the #19 JDC Motorsports / MLD / ATW/ Molecule Mazda (four top-5s, eleven top-10s. He also won the VP Fuel "Most Improved Driver Award" worth an additional $5,000)

9th / $22,500 – Jorge Goncalvez driving the #72 AIM Autosport / Mazda (three top-5s, seven top-10s)

10th / $20,000 – Michael Furfari driving the #13 Team Mundill / Furfari Paving Mazda (eight top-10s)

11th / $18,000 – Denis Navarro driving the #21 Andersen Racing / Navarro Medicines Distribution / Allied Interior Products Mazda (eight top-10s)

12th / $16,000 – Rusty Mitchell driving the #66 Mitchell Motorsports / Motorola Mazda (one pole, one podium, two top-5, four top-10s. He also won the Quartermaster "Clutch Performer Award" worth an additional $5,000)

13th / $14,000 – David Ostella driving the #71 AIM Autosport/Global Precast Mazda (one podium, six top-10s)

14th / $12,000 – Toshihiro Deki driving the #80 Juncos Racing /D-Techniques Mazda (five top-15s, nine top-20s, three in-class victories in the Expert Series (drivers 30-44 years old). He also won the BBS "Hard Charger Award" worth $5,000 and was second in the Expert Series for an additional $5,000)

15th / $10,000 – Kevin Toledo driving the #77 Eliseo THL Mazda (two top-10s, ten top-20s)
Experts and Masters / $35,000 total

The Star Mazda Championship is unique in featuring race-within-a-race categories for more mature drivers in whom the competitive fire still burns brightly. The Expert Series is for drivers 30-44 years of age and the Master Series is for drivers 45 and older. In 2009, Chris Cumming, the Vancouver, B.C. resident who drives the #16 World Speed Motorsports Mazda scored seven in-class wins and won a repeat of his 2008 championship; he collected a check for $10,000. Finishing second was Japanese racer Toshihiro Deki, driving the #80 Juncos Racing / D-Techniques Mazda. In addition to finishing 14th overall in the series, he scored three Expert Series victories and won $5,000. Finishing third was Californian Patrick O'Neill who scored two in-class victories driving the #64 Mundill / O'Neill Construction Mazda.

In the Master Series, Californian Mike Guasch clinched the championship early, with a win in Round 10 on the road circuit at the legendary Grand Prix de Trois Rivières in Quebec, Canada. Driving the #91 JDC Motorsports / Molecule / MG4 Manufacturing Mazda, Guasch scored six in-class wins and won $10,000. Finishing second was North Oaks, Minnesota resident Gerry Kraut, co-owner of the championship-winning JDC Motorsports team and CEO of a venture capital firm. Driving the #55 JDC Motorsports / Dougherty & Co. / Dougherty Funding LLC Mazda, he scored three in-class wins and won $5,000. Finishing third was Tarpon Springs, Florida racer Walt Bowlin, driver of the #23 Team Mundill / Hooters / Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery Mazda. He scored six in-class top-3 finishes and was awarded $2,500.

Team Championship / $22,500 total
The Star Mazda Championship 'Team Championship' is based on points earned by each team's two highest-finishing cars. Even in the case of larger teams, only the top-2 count toward the championship. Smaller, one-car teams get a bonus of 5 points per race to compensate and allow them to compete against larger teams.

Winning the team championship, and a check for $10,000, with a total of 366 points was JDC Motorsports. The team, co-owned by John Church and Master Series racer Gerry Kraut, won the series championship with Adam Christodoulou and JDC drivers took two poles (Christodoulou) and won four races in 2009 (three of Christodoulou and one for Alex Ardoin); JCD also won the team and overall series championship in 2007 with Dane Cameron.

Finishing second in the team championship was Andersen Racing, last year's series and team championship winner with John Edwards, who went on to win this year's Atlantic Championship. Andersen Racing drivers won five poles (four for Kent and one for Daly) and four wins (three for Kent and one for Daly). Andersen Racing scored 333 points and won $7,500.

Awards of Merit / $19,000 total
The Quartermaster "Clutch Performer Award" is designed to keep drivers motivated in the home stretch by scoring the most points earned by a competitor in the final six races of the season. The trophy and check for $5000 was presented to Rusty Mitchell, driver of the #66 Mitchell Motorsports / Motorola Mazda.

The BBS 'Hard Charger Award" is scored over all 13 races during the season and is presented to the driver who gains the most places in total from the beginning to end of the races. The prize, a custom-made coffee table made from a polished BBS wheel and etched glass top, plus a set of four BBS racing or BBS road car wheels (valued at $5,000), was presented to Toshihiro Deki.
The VP Fuel "Most Improved Driver Award" is a consensus award that is nominated by all participants, drivers and teams, in the Star Mazda Championship. It is awarded to the driver who has shown the most growth and improvement as a driver. A trophy and check for $5,000 were presented to Brazilian racer Caio Lara, driver of the #19 JDC Motorsports / MLD / ATW/ Molecule Mazda.

The Performance Friction Company "Crew Member of the Year Award" is also the result of nominations from all Star Mazda Championship participants and is awarded to the team member who has done a consistently outstanding job throughout the season. The award, and a check for $1,500, was presented to Lead Mechanic Allen Oppel of Andersen Racing.

The President's Cup, also known as the "Spirit of the Star Mazda Championship Award" is also a consensus award, ultimately decided by the President of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, Gary Rodrigues. It, along with a check for $2,500, is awarded to the person who most typifies the qualities and character that the Star Mazda Championship values and promotes; for 2009, that person was Ricardo Juncos, owner of the Juncos Racing team that so nearly won the championship in its first year of Star Mazda competition with driver Peter Dempsey.
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For more information on the Star Mazda Championship and its drivers, as well as the Mazda Motorsports ladder system, please visit http://www.starmazda.com/ and http://www.mazdausa.com/. For information, interviews and photos, contact Star Mazda Communications Director Peter Frey at (818) 398-5733 or StarMazdaPR@aol.com.
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On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car.
For more information on the various Mazda spec series, visit:
http://www.atlantic-championship.com/ http://www.skipbarber.com/ http://www.mx-5cup.com/

Leaf Racewear 25th. Anniversary Open House & Sale

Leaf Racewear is pleased to announce that our 25th Annual Open House & Sale begins this Saturday, October 24, 2009 and runs through Saturday, October 31.

In the past this sale has offered our customers HUGE SAVINGS on all our products and this year will be no different! Everything will be marked down and our website Product Clearance section will have more product priced to sell!

Orders may be placed over the phone, fax, email, website or in person at our London, Ont. factory. If ordering online through our website, sale pricing will be calculated by one of our sales staff once the order has been received and we will send a confirmation email and/or phone call to confirm the sale pricing with you.

Sale pricing will be available on line online at www.leafracewear.com by Thursday evening. This is a great time to take advantage of these once a year saving and get a jump on the 2010 season.

For more information please visit : www.leafracewear.com or contact us at (800) 731-7735.

Inside Track Canadian Racers Contingency Program

For those of you who have displayed Inside Track decals on your racing vehicle this past season (Thank you!!) and who are eligible for free 'Thank your sponsor(s)' ads in Inside Track Motorsport News, it's time to complete and submit your information sheets and high-resolution JPG images. Instructions on what we need to produce your ad are on the forms. Click on the image above to review the eligibility guidelines.

CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the submission form.

Or CLICK HERE to download the form in MS Word form.

Part of being eligible for a free ad ($400 value) is to be a subscriber in good standing to Inside Track, so if you ran the decal but have not yet subscribed, CLICK HERE to download a copy of the subscription form or call (416) 962-7223.

Remember, this program is open to all Canadian grassroots racers (not just stock cars). Thank you to everyone who displayed Inside Track decals this season! A sample of what the eventual ad will look like is below.

BROCKVILLE: Ladouceur Dominates BOS Fall Nationals, Stefanski Wraps Up Record 4th Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Championship

*Rick Young Photo Attachment // Brockville, ONT – October 18, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director

Second-generation standout Joey Ladouceur finished right where he needed to in capturing the inaugural DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals 50-lap Pro stock title race Sunday evening at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

And so did Pete Stefanski as his sixth-place feature finish locked up an unprecedented fourth straight overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship in the 2009 full-fender finale.

“Pete’s been tough the past four years, we’ll just have to come back next season and give him another run,” remarked Ladouceur, 33, who offered Stefanski his stiffest competition yet in the new millennium. Despite scoring five wins and posting six fast times in the nine-race championship series, the Alexandria, Ont. pilot still fell 13 points shy of a second title while extending his DIRTcar rule with an eighth top-10 finish. “Its just been a dream year any other way you look at it.”

“I like the slick stuff we had out there today, kinda separates the men from the boys a little bit. For me, I like when you gotta be consistent and smooth. This is a good series we got racing against a solid group of guys. I’m happy to be a part and have some success in it as well,” said the 2004 Mr. DIRTcar champion who now ranks third all-time with 13 series victories.

Veteran Dave Bissonnette was the closest to Ladouceur over 2.3-seconds behind, while ’06 DIRTcar division rookie Dion Oakes, Stephane Lebrun and first-year tour follower Rob Yetman filled out the front-five just ahead of Stefanski.

“We knew Joey would be strong here, just like he has been everywhere else this year,” said Stefanski, 39, who opened the series with a pair of wins to increase his career-high total to 23. Stefanski and Ladouceur also rank 1-2 all-time on the DIRTcar Northeast circuit scoring 88 and 72 Pro Stock wins respectively.

“It just comes down to one or two races, whether you have good luck or bad luck. We both had our share this season, we’re just fortunate to come out on top.”

The pre-race draw among the top-12 heat race qualifiers unfolded just like nearly every event on this year’s Pro Stock tour, with Ladouceur snatching up the pole and Stefanski selecting #2 to join his modern-day rival on the front row. Earlier in the day Ladouceur had set fast time and ran away with his heat while Stefanski won his own qualifier after running 16th-fastest under the clocks in the familiar Sunrise Racing no. 2 San Ter Sewing-PJ NFB Auto Sales/Chevrolet Monte Carlo/EMS.

As soon as the initial green flag dropped down from the starter’s stand Ladouceur was able to open up a commanding lead. And despite nine caution periods slowing the action on the slippery 3/8-miler, he repeatedly pulled away at will on every ensuing restart aboard his sleek Coffrage 20-20 Minimax Express no. 92 Cadillac-STS Stinger X machine.

“It should be good but sometimes its tough starting up front, you can’t see what the other guys are doing behind you,” noted Ladouceur, after extending his DIRTcar Northeast best Pro Stock win total to 15. “Nobody ever showed me anything so we just kept doing what we started and it worked out perfect.”

After suffering a flat tire to bring out a second yellow flag after just two laps around, Bissonnette was able to charge back to second, while Stefanski stayed in his runner-up slot only a few laps before experiencing a gradual descent the remainder of the way.

“I just tried to stay in the top-5 but towards the end of the race we started pushing a bit,” added Stefanski, after the Wheatfield, N.Y. driver finished out of the front-five for just the second time on tour all season. “With all the lapped cars getting up in there they caused a lot of melee that almost took us out.”

“One of the front runners ran into a lapped car and got him sideways, then put him in my lane and he turned back across. It was just rough and we were getting bounced around a little back there. For the most part we were playing a little conservative, when the opportunity was there we were ready to go for it,” Stefanski said.

With the race well in hand for Ladouceur from lap one, the action in his rear-view mirror provided plenty of position swapping among the top-10 racers. At the halfway mark Louie Jackson held down second followed by Oakes, fast-moving Bissonnette and Stefanski, while Yertman and Lebrun looked for room both high and low as the laps dwindled.

The biggest scare for Stefanski came with just eight laps to go as Central New Yorker Jack Terrell got wide exiting turn four right in front of the Wheatfield, N.Y. chauffeur and the resulting front-end contact shuffled him from fourth to sixth. Harvey Arquette stopped high out of turn two to incur the final caution period giving Stefanski ample time to regroup for the lap 47 restart.

Finishing behind Stefanski (1157) and Ladouceur (1144) in the final 2009 Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Championship point standings are P.J. Peters (1021), early race casualty Don Carlson (1009), Dion Oakes (956), Rob Yetman (954), Stephane Lebrun (923), Dave Bissonnette (876), Roch Aubin (817) and Sean Corr (805).

BROCKVILLE: Clair Wins BOS Battle, Planck Wins Points War In Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Ranks

*Rick Young Photo Attachment // Brockville, ONT – October 18, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director

Sunday was a day of firsts on the DIRTcar Racing Northeast circuit as Dale Planck clinched his first-ever Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Championship following the inaugural DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals staged over the weekend at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

And in a fitting ending when the first time an overall Mr. DIRTcar champion was crowned on Canadian soil, Frenchman Mario Clair scored a victory in the 100-lap Small-Block finale to collect $4,000 for his initial tour triumph north of the border.

“Beating someone of Dale’s caliber is truly a great honor,” was Clair’s translation in victory lane made by Canadian Series Director Brian Mulligan following the St-Edmond, Quebec driver’s second career win on tour. A weekly runner at autodromes Granby and Drummond during the summer, 2007 Mr. DIRTcar titlist Clair scored his first series win in 2008 at Mohawk Int’l Raceway.

“We’ve been running so many tracks the last few years trying to improve. This is certainly a big win for us with such good drivers in competition. I like coming here and hopefully I can continue to do well following this exciting series,” Clair continued through an interpreter.

Overtaking race-long leader Clair just shy of the halfway mark before giving back the point 30 laps later, Planck held off Clair’s teammate David Hebert for the runner-up spot while the Canadian contingent of Pat O’Brien (Ontario) and Yan Bussiere (Quebec) filled out front-five positions in the Brockville season-finale.

With time trials and qualifying heat races run off the day before, a draw for the top-12 starting positions was held minutes before the first green flag dropped to begin the 100-lap 358-Modified main. Clair was the last man in line finishing third in the fourth heat and waiting for him was the #2 as he joined the youngest of three racing brothers, Tim O’Brien, on the front row to head the 32-car field.

Clair was up to the task from lap one, putting his Resist O no. 22 Batiments JDL-Motel Drummond/Bicknell mount far ahead in the early stages while a shift in second-place status carried through during the first half of the race. Fourth starting Stewart Friesen held down second before Planck used the low lane to take over on lap 21 and set his sights on the French favorite who was successfully navigating the high line around Brockville’s smooth 3/8-miler.

With six caution periods all for minor spins slowing the pace during the first third of the race, Planck kept the RezX Racing no. 77x Grow It Hydroseeding/TEO entry glued to the inside groove waiting patiently for his chance to overtake Clair. That opportunity finally arrived as the veteran open-wheel pilot from Cortland, N.Y. ducked low out of turn four to forge his first lead on lap 48.

At the halfway point Clair remained a solid second followed by Pat O’Brien, Bussiere and Hebert, while Tim O’Brien, Friesen, Planck’s closest contender in points Pete Bicknell, rookie Jeremy Wilder and Pierre Dagenais rounded out the top-10. Two-thirds of the way through, 13 cars remained on the lead lap with fellow Frenchmen Martin Gagne and Clement Therrien, along with popular Port Colborne, Ont. driver Larry Lampman Jr. able to keep the leaders in sight.

The yellow lights flashed for the 12th and final time on lap 74 when Dagenais looped his no. 124 Bicknell machine in turn three to tighten the field for the last restart. And that’s all that Clair needed as he blasted by as soon as the green flag reappeared and only needed to navigate lapped cars as the remaining laps clicked off.

And late race traffic was just what Planck was banking on to provide a final chance to pick up his first series win of the season. With just three laps to go, Clair closed in the quartet of Kyle Dingwall, Bobby Herrington, Dagenais and Therrien as Planck put himself in prime position to take advantage of any sudden miscue. Yet that opening never materialized and Clair actually crossed the finish line pushing Therrien under the checkers as Planck trailed by .25-second at the stripe.

“The fact that David finished third in my other car makes this even more special,” smiled Clair, who celebrated his 37th birthday in victory lane at Brockville after his first career victory at the ‘City of the 1000 Islands’ oval that closed out its own 40th Anniversary season of racing. “After Syracuse I heard he was all done for the season so I gave him my back-up. I only warned him not to pass me, that was good for me today.”

Planck settled for the runner-up position for the fourth time this season in 11 series stops, adding in eight more top-10 finishes to put him on top in the final Hoosier-VP Mr. DIRTcar point standings.

“Mario had a helluva run on the outside, I was just waiting for someone to go up top,” remarked Planck, 39, a winner of six 358-Modified features at Brockville, all in 2000. “I played it kind of safe down there on the bottom most of the way. Just wanted to finish this race in one piece so second is all good.”

“Mario is always fast so I can’t really ask for much more. The track was in great shape , good on the top, bottom and in the middle, so we got to put on a heckuva race. This is a great way to cap off a season, especially here in Canada,” Planck said.

Added Herbert after posting his third top-five finish in just five series events, “I wish I had a few more laps to get a little closer to Dale at the end. Mario gave me a great car, I think I could’ve done better with more time out there.”

Following Dale Planck (1262) in the final 2009 Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar 358-Modified Series Championship point standings are Pete Bicknell (1180), Larry Lampman Jr. (1143), Danny O’Brien (1118), Mario Clair (1042), Carey Terrance (1028), Chad Brachmann (1023), Jeremy Wilder (983), Mat Williamson (938) and Lance Willix II (930).

Raabe Runs To DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals Sportsman Title Saturday At Brockville

*Rick Young Photo Attachment // Brockville, ONT – October 17, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director

Reigning Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman points king Chris Raabe returned to Brockville Ontario Speedway after a year absence wasting little time reminding the opposition why he was the 2008 track champion.

The ‘Teenage Tornado’ set fast time in Xtreme Lubricants Time Trials then come feature time shot by front row starter Dylan Evoy on a lap eight restart and led the remainder of the way to take top honors in the first-ever DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals Championship pocketing $1,000 for the 50-lap victory.

“This is real big for us considering the tight points race and being able to take advantage of a track we’ve had quite a bit of success at,” remarked Raabe, 18, following his 20th win of the season and tour-high fifth triumph on the ’09 short-track campaign. “Ryan’s been hot lately and I wanted a win bad to build my own momentum. I know going back to Black Rock next week anything can happen.”

Napanee, Ont. standout Raabe put himself in prime position to repeat as overall Mr. DIRTcar champion for a second straight season, opening up a 3.2-second victory margin over runner-up Justin Wright, with last Saturday’s Super DIRT Week winner Matt Billings, hometown favorite Randy Earl and closest title contender Ryan Susice from Ransomville, N.Y. scattered around the track.

A year away from the signature track outside the City of the Thousand Islands did little to foster a lapse in memory for Raabe, who also steered owner Gary McColman’s no. 01 Scott’s Industrial Services-TyRoute Communication/TEO entry to win in Brockville’s Sportsman Series showdown in July of ’08.

“The track has been widened and some of the banking has been reduced but the Sportsman still have to roll the top to keep momentum,” noted Raabe, who took nine checkered flags last season at Brockville en route to the points crown. “It’s all relative once you get out there but it was really racy tonight and fun to get around.”

Raabe tucked in on the back bumper of Evoy and alongside Susice to start the 50-lap main event. Tour invader B.J. Willard began fifth on the 30-car grid and looped in turn four to stack up the trailing pack with Susice pushed back to 12th during the first of five caution periods. When Chris Herbison got turned around navigating the first corner, Raabe took advantage on the ensuing restart to grab a lead he would never relinquish.

“I had a terrible push all day, just couldn’t get the car to turn,” said Susice, 19, despite rallying to score his ninth top-five finish including three feature wins behind the wheel of the potent  Investor's Service Company no. k38 Philpac Packaging/Bicknell mount. He’ll need some help from Raabe in next Saturday’s series season finale at Black Rock Speedway, now trailing his Canadian counterpart by 57 markers with a maximum 60 points available to gain in one event.

“I was driving the car a lot harder than I should’ve at the end just to get it to turn. That’s all I could do to keep up the second half of the race. But I’m not giving up yet, there’s still one more to go and I’ll give it my best shot,” added Susice, who earned his first track titles this season at Ransomville and Canandaigua speedways.

Luke Whitteker slowed on the back chute with a flat left rear tire on lap 14 to force out a yellow flag and Evoy spun while jockeying near the front on the following restart, with Raabe opening up a comfortable advantage back under green. Fifth-place runner Sheldon Hoogwerf slid low into the turn four uke tire to incur the final caution with Raabe outdistancing runner-up Wright by nearly a straightaway in the chase to the checkers.

Twenty-four cars finished the race with the first 16 completing the entire distance just as the sun began to set on very cool day north of the border.

Sunset Speedway: Renovation Photos (Oct. 16, 2009)

Now that the racing season is complete, they're hard at work at Sunset Speedway doing renovations on the Barrie-area track. Co-promoter Mark Dilley sent along some shots.