Ok folks, time for the brief ramblings of a madman session otherwise known as the 20 min rundown.. WHAT A GREAT NIGHT OF RACING!! One of the best year enders I can recall in recent memory.. There were a couple major stories on this evening, but I'll elect to start with the LLMs.. The story in this division was the final night performance of our newly crowned track champ #57 Ron "The Dominator" Quesnelle who captured both of the twin 50 lap features to cap off what was a dream season for the Sunrise Toyota Camry and the entire Penetang based team.. Ron, was the benefactor of some good luck in the first feature, when the 1st and 2nd place cars of #90 Dave Lewis and #10 Gord Shepherd tangled in corner 4 on lap 40, bringing Quesnelle to the lead, where he would eventually outbattle defending track champ #69 Al "Red Rocket" Inglis on the ensuing restart to take the first segment win..
In the second 50, Quesnelle took the lead in the very late stages, passing #54 Randy Bull in 1&2 with just 3 laps remaining in the caution free affair..
In the first 50 lapper, Lewis took the initial lead from outside pole, leaving pole sitter #2 "Hometown" Mike Brown to battle side by side with the 10 of Shepherd for the runner up post.. Shepherd, would power past Brown, who suddenly was trapped to the high side in what looked to be a bit of an ailing ride, causing the Hawkestone resident to get shuffled back several more positions as Quesnelle, #11 John Gaunt, and Inglis would all file past Brown's A&R Disposal Services Ford Fusion. Gaunt, who has had some mechanical woes in the past couple weeks, looked to have as good of a ride under him as he's had all season long, evidenced by him progressing inside the top 5 from his 8th place starting position on the grid..
At the front of the field meanwhile, Lewis was setting a torrid pace with laps in the 14.9 sec. range, holding Shepherd at bay by 2 car lengths, while Quesnelle was also closing in on the lead duo with each passing lap.. By lap 30, the pace had slowed marginally, with Lewis now running just a shade over the 15 second mark around the 1/3rd mile tri oval configuration.. As mentioned the first caution flew on lap 40, when Lewis and Shepherd tangled out of turn 4, just as it looked like Shepherd would complete a pass on an inside move he originally started by diving down inside Lewis on the exit of turn 2. The only other caution came about just 2 laps later, when Lewis would spin #55 Steve Quesnelle just underneath the flagstand, with both drivers summoned arrears deemed involved cars.. This set the stage for a Ron Quesnelle/Gaunt duel from the front row on the restart, with Quesnelle coming out on top, as Gaunt would in turn lose 2nd to Inglis, who executed a clean inside pass while racing down the backstretch.. With 5 laps remaining, the best battle was the race for 4th, as Shepherd and Bull were locked in a dogfight for that position, with Shepherd coming out on top of that one.. Inglis, would literally hound Quesnelle for the lead during the final 5 lap shootout, but as has been proven time and time again this season once out front the 57 is hard if not impossible to pass, as the laps ran out on Inglis and his Orillia Metal Fabrication Dodge Interpid. Quesnelle, notched the win by just a single car length at the finish, while Inglis, would come to the checkered in the runner up spot, as Gaunt, Shepherd, and Bull rounded out the remainder of the top 5..
The second 50 lap feature saw Lewis and Steve Quesnelle battle door handle to door handle for the first couple laps, as Lewis assumed control of the point by lap 3. Also fast to find the front of the field was the 54 of Bull, with the Haliburton resident checking into third throughout the initial stages, while in behind him Gaunt made a brilliant inside move on Shepherd between 1&2 to take over 4th in the running order. Bull, who has improved by leaps and bounds since the opening weeks continued to progress to the front, taking over 2nd from Quesnelle, just after Gaunt had completed the pass of Shepherd in behind. On lap 15, Bull pulled to the outside of leader Lewis and completed the pass while racing into the entrance of corner 3... Bull, appeared to be dominant in this one, opening up a half straightaway lead on the battle for 2nd, now involving Ron Quesnelle and Gaunt, a position Quesnelle would wrestle away from the 2004 track champ when Gaunt pushed high on the exit of turn 2. By lap 31, the man on the move was Inglis, as the talented veteran also would move past Gaunt with a low pass in turn 1. At the front of the field, the commanding Bull lead was evaporating with each passing lap, as Quesnelle began to zero in on Bull's gorgeous Randy's Tree and Landscaping Camaro SS. With six laps remaining, Quesnelle finally caught Bull, and passed him 2 laps later to the low side in between turn 1&2.. From there it was game, set, and match as Quesnelle would close out the 2011 Barrie Speedway season in fine style, notching his 13th feature victory of the season.. Bull, would cap off a stellar season of his own coming home 2nd, also surpassing a personal goal of a top 5 in the season long point standings as he would finish 4th when all was said and done. Defending champ Inglis would record his 2nd podium of the night, coming home 3rd in the caution free affair, as Gaunt and Shepherd rounded out the fast five.. Congrats to Ron and team on a well deserved championship as it wouldnt happen to a cleaner driver or bigger class act!! WHEW... That was alot of typing.. Being championship night I'm trying to be a bit more detailed in painting the picture of the evening of racing, hense the Thunder and Pure Stock rundowns are gonna have to wait just a short while until I can get a wakey wakey coffee and ciggy into me.. But fear not it is forthcoming VERY SOON!!
Another major story coming into the evening was the ultra tight point race in the Thunder Cars, as close friends #12 Jim "Polish Prince" Belesky and #10 Rick Walt came into the evening separated by just a scant 4 points.. Each driver notched a heat win through the first round of qualifying, but the point title was essentially decided in the 2nd round of heats when Walt, who (unfortunately for him) drew into alot tougher heat while trying to play catch up on the personable veteran from Carthew Bay.
Walt, who started outside in row 3 in this particular heat passed a few cars early, but then found himself locked behind the door to door battle at the front of the field involving rookie standout #55 Shawn Goggins and #77 Brian Murray.. These two drivers, starting from the front row battled door handle to door handle with neither laying so much as a scrub rail on one another for the first 11 laps.. Walt, got caught up behind this battle, and perhaps excitement and emotion got the best of him, as he would bump Goggins on the last lap between 3&4 in an attempt to free up the preferred inside line.. Unfortunately, the ensuing contact would send Goggins for a crossways slide out of corner 4, with Murray catching a piece of Goggins right rear quarter panel thus spinning him, as Murray eventually righted the ship and took the win.. With Walt being deemed involved in the last lap altercation, he was slotted the last of the lead lap cars (6th place) thus not getting any points, while Belesky finished 2nd to CRO's own #14 "Hurricane" Thayne Hallyburton in his own 2nd round of heats..
This set the stage for the 40 lap feature race, as all Belesky needed to do was finish 3rd or better to defend his 2010 title, as 8 points now separated the top 2 bananas.. The race would start off with #80 Doug "Shaky" Shakell grabbing the lead from pole, after getting the jump on #21 Desi Walt from the drop of the green.. Fast on the move on the inside groove was the duo of #24 Leonard Johnston and Hallyburton, as that pair slotted themselves in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Hallyburton, who looked ultra impressive on this evening, was quick to dispose of Johnston to take over 2nd.. From there the Hillsdale Service Center/Elmvale Carquest Monte Carlo SS ran down leader Shakell and passed him to the outside entering turn 1, as Belesky was putting on a charge of his own from 7th on the grid to eventually dispose of Shakell to take over 2nd, just one lap after the Hallyburton pass.. These two drivers began to pull away from the field, opening up a 5 car length advantage on the race for 3rd, with Shakell, Johnston, and Murray locked in a tooth and nail war for that position.
On lap 18, Murray took control of 3rd in the running order, as Belesky began to cut into the lead Hallyburton had build up with each passing lap. On lap 21, Belesky would make the winning move, getting to the inside of Hallyburton out of 2, finally powering past after 3 solid laps door to door. This one would also be of the caution free variety, as Belesky took care of business, picking up his 6th feature win of the season.. Hallyburton, would match a season best in finishing 2nd, with Murray, Johnston, and #44 Dave "The Deuce" Doucette comprising the remainder of the top 5..
Walt, unfortunately didnt look to have his A game in this one, as most of the race he was mired in heavy traffic and eventually and unbelieveably got lapped, as leaders Belesky and Hallyburton lapped the field right up to 5th place.. Don't know if Rick had mechanical issues, burned the tires off in the earlier heat race while trying to pass Goggins and Murray, but something was amiss with the #10 Peter and Dave Shellswell/Ridge Road Racing Ford Fusion.. Perhaps dejection had also set in after the earlier heat race I don't know, but the performance of the #10 was suprisingly off in this one..
That said I would like to both congradutate and personally thank both the 10 and the 12 for giving Barrie race fans one whale of a season, as well as all the other Thunder guys and gals who met or exceeded their own personal goals.. As a collective group I knew I could always count on this class to put on one whale of a show, and I just wanted to let you all know your efforts were highly appreciated.. You were the epitomy of excellence on many nights this season, with some great races along the way.. Two races that come to mind are opening night when the 10 and 12 battled 20 laps side by side fron the front row and didnt so much as brush one another, in a thrilling feature eventually claimed by Walt.. The other was a battle on the Fri night affair when Belesky and resident barnstormer #66 Marty Monette exchanged the lead a couple times, and had a stellar 16 lap door handle to door handle, with Marty returning to Barrie victory lane that evening.. On behalf of all us bench racers thanks once again!!! Pure Stocks..... your next but need java #2.. 😉
Ok Pure Stocks now your turn.. What's suprised me most about this class is how the numbers have dwindled since the opening months, as several strong runners decided to pack up shop just past mid season.. Could be a sign of the times I guess, or perhaps there are other factors, but for a track that pays out the best in the province for this class its moderately disappointing from a race fan's perspective.. That said some of the races with a few less cars, tend to be the better ones as 18 cars showed up with a couple breaking in the heats, and one getting DQ'd for the evening after a bit of a pitside skirmish..
Onto the race itself and this one saw rookie #17 James Campbell power out front getting the jump on #3 Randi Sequin from the onset.. Sequin, another that falls into the class of improving by leaps and bounds over the course of the season, would battle back to wrestle the point away from Campbell on lap 2. Fast on the move from his 4th place starting position was the #09 Neon of Singhampton's Dean Curry, as the likeable veteran would take the lead from Sequin with an outside pass in turn 1. A hard charging trio was also quick to power through traffic as #13 Dave "Gipper" Glaze, #39 Travis "The Enforcer" Hallyburton, and 2011 point champ #02 Shawn Murray found themselves tucking in just behind the leader.. Curry, was looking his customary cool and collected at the front, running laps in the 17.2 sec. range, as Hallyburton was the first to pull alongside and eventually take over the lead , as Curry fell back into the clutches of Murray, who negoiated an outside pass between 1&2.. The first caution would appear right at the midway mark, as a trio of rookies collected in turn 4 with Sequin, #63 Jamie Cairns, and #57 Ryan Toon all involved.. No major damage was sustained and all 3 were able to continue.
Another quick restart came about when #400 Justin Holmes would have something let go in the rear end of his Honda Civic as the talented rookie spun in corner 4, and was lightly tapped by #11 Adam Misener after coming to a rest at the apex of said corner. This set the stage for an intense battle from the front row, involving Hallyburton and Murray, with the 2006 track champ looking to set up a run to the outside of his front running counterpart, as #91x Kyle Lethbridge began to pressure Glaze for 3rd in behind.. Hallyburton, was able to fend off the staunch Murray challenge throughout the duration to bring home his 4th feature win of the season.. Unfortunately for Hallyburton, the post race technical inspection would not be as kind to him as the actual race was and he received the dreaded DQ (not sure of the exact infraction)... Murray would cap off his own "season of dreams" in finishing a strong 2nd to further cement the 2011 title, while Glaze was able to hold off Lethbridge to round out the podium.. #91 Andre Pepin would finish the season with a 5th place showing, as the talented Midland pilot looks forward to a move to the Limited Lates in 2012..
Heat wins went to Hallyburton with a pair, Glaze, and #89 Cory Horner.. This division had its share of challenges and especially at the beginning of the season with several mishaps in the first two months and several painfully slow paced races.. But I will say this, when these guys were on it they were on it and the Barrie track is ideal for this class to produce some incredible racing as we also saw on a few occasions.. To all the newcomers I hope you first off had some fun this season, and you all are thinking of a return in 2012 as you look to improve on your 2011 accomplishments... THERE YOU HAVE IT... FROM THE CHEAP SEATS!!!! ;D See you all at the banquet... hopefully..
Once again congrats to Ron, Jim, and Shawn on your 2011 track titles.. Collectively, couldnt go to a more deserving bunch and I personally am proud the 3 of you chose my hometrack for your racing fix!! 😉 ;D
This may not be the right place to post and I ask the mod to do what he feels is correct with this post.
I would like to comment about the DQ last night but think that what happened at Sunset last night only reinforces my concerns. This is a DANGEROUS SPORT but we all have jobs and lives and relationships when we leave the track after the night of racin'.
The disagreement in the Pure stock class last night happened in the pit run behind 1-2 last night. The car #'s involved are not important; ask your friends for that scoop. I do not want to encourage a WAR OF FLAMES!!
Anyways, after that intro. OFF TRACK behaviour by non-DRIVERS needs to be addressed. It is bad enough that drivers have a difference of opinion that may at times take itself sometimes into the garage area. OKAY..I understand the adrenaline flowing BUT after the drivers are done.. we sponsors,crew,family getting involved in the extracurricular activity is not good for a sport where we need more fans. As was said in other posts at the hockey rink or a drinking establishment THERE are CHARGES LAID.
In terms of disclosure, I sponsor a LLM car and do a radio report on a local station about NASCAR, but we are Stock car racing not the WWE.. when NASCAR told the Cup boys said boys have at it they meant the drivers not the rest of us.
SCT
That was a first class report of the evenings races. There is no one person that can call a race like you. My thanks to you Dave for a great year, you are the man. Keep it coming.