8.29.15 Empire Super Sprints Results
ST. MARCEL, QUE – Steve Poirier had a rough Friday evening as the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints visited the Autodrome Granby. The St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Que., driver crashed out early in the event resulting in a disappointing 21st place finish.
All that was washed away on Saturday night at Le RPM Speedway for the defending series champion as he led all 25-laps of the Einstein Construction Group Canada Tour, Fondation 4 Saison Quebec Series A-Main for his sixth win of the season and the 53rd of his career.
“Tonight I was tired and was just hoping for a good night,” said Poirier. “Normally when we are finishing we are on podium or at least in the top five. The luck finally went our way. We had a good starting position, the caution at the right time. I don’t think we had the best car but enough that everything aligned for us. Sometimes everything goes against and tonight it was meant to be our night.”
Poirier dominated his heat race putting him into the redraw where he drew the pole starting position for the feature. He fired perfectly at the green and beat Tommy Wickham to turn one for the lead. He paced the field for the first three circuits with Mark Smith joining him at the front.
The pair battled with Smith getting the better of Poirier at the exit of the fourth turn on lap four on the outside. Unfortunately for Smith that pass was negated as the red flag came out when Tim Axton, Dale Gosselin and Etienne Girard came together in the fourth turn causing Axton to get upside down. All drivers were uninjured with only Girard able to continue.
“By the time I saw him it was too late to slide him,” said Poirier of Smith’s pass. “I was going to just let him go and follow him on the top and then we got the yellow. I’m not proud of seeing that top quicker, it was a mistake. It was hard figure out when that top was going to come in.”
Poirier, using what he learned from Smith, elected to use the outside groove for the restart. It worked out perfectly for Poirier as he held off Smith who attempted to get by on the bottom. From that point forward the two were glued together as they raced in the first and second positions.
As the race reached the midway point Poirier and Smith continued to pace the field while battling each other and heavy lapped traffic. Poirier used several perfectly timed slide jobs to keep Smith at bay. Smith moved around on the track as he tried to find a way to get by Poirier.
“I was lucky that the first five or six lapped cars were on the inside,” stated Poirier. “Eventually I had to slide on the last lap. I was hoping it was the right move with (Dave) Axton because he was in the middle. I decided to slide him and I think I cut his line a little bit. I had no choice because if I had stopped there I think I would have been passed.”
The final stages of the race saw Smith right on Poirier’s back bumper. Each time Smith attempted to make a move on Poirier he was up for the challenge keeping the Pennsylvania driver behind him. At the checkered it was Poirier claiming his first ever win at the quarter-mile oval.
Smith crossed the line and second with his Patrick Vigneault owned No. 55 and settled for the Quebec series title. He thought he had more for Poirier, but he was too patient in traffic and lost his only opportunity when the caution came out early.
“I kind of showed him (Poirier) where the race track was but that is how it goes,” said Smith. “We were still better than he was and I kind of showed him where the track was. I pulled the trigger on him too early then I waited too long toward the end. I was just being too patient. I just ran out of laps. All in and all it was a good race we are taking some of his money now because we won the Quebec championship and that is pretty cool.”
Tommy Wickham, who was leading Friday’s event before crashing out, finished a close third to the top two with a car he worked all day repairing. The team was forced to work through the night repair the frame at Alain Bergeron’s shop which was damaged in the incident with Poirier at Autodrome Granby.
“Last night was a late night for us with the accident at Granby,” said Wickham. “I have to thank (Alain) Bergeron’s guys and my crew. We changed the motor, fixed the frame up and we are here. They made it so we could run tonight. We’ve had a tough season and this feels good, hopefully it gets us going again.”
2014 winner, Michael Parent, raced his way up to the fourth position from eighth while Brewerton, N.Y., driver Jason Barney, completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Lee Ladouceur, Paul Kinney, hard charger Etienne Girard, Matt Tanner and Wickham’s teammate Paulie Colagiovanni.
Lucas Oil A-Main – Steve Poirier ($2,075), Mark Smith ($1,275), Tommy Wickham ($1,250), Michael Parent ($855), Jason Barney ($790), Lee Ladouceur ($885), Paul Kinney ($705), Etienne Girard ($695), Matt Tanner ($660), Paulie Colagiovanni ($625), Dan Douville ($610), Yan Bilodeau ($545), Dave Axton ($525), Denny Peebles ($575), Guilluame Neiderer ($510), Tyler Comeau ($505), Paul Pekkonen ($500), Dale Gosselin ($500), Tim Axton ($500).
Lap Leaders – Poirier 1-25
Car Mate Trailers $25 to win Heats – Wickham, Poirier, Smith
Bonuses:
Insinger Fuels Hard Charger – Girard (8 pos.) $50
Engler Machine and Tool Halfway – Poirier $50
SUNY Canton Smart Move – Peebles $50
Beard Sewer and Drain Determination Award – Kinney $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – Barney $35
Bitner Automotive Blistering Fast Time – Smith $25
9/11 Restoration – Tanner and Douville $25
Hoosier Tire – Wickham $200
Vahlco Wheels – Ladouceur $190
For more Information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints:
Web: www.empiresupersprints.com
Twitter: @ESSprints
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpireSuperSprints
Android App: Empire Super Sprints
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Mach 1 Chassis, SUNY Canton, NAPA Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Insinger Performance, Car Mate Trailers, Fondations 4 Saisons, Cobra Coaches, 911 Restoration, Westward Painting Company, Fondations 55, Einstein Construction Group, Panther Frameworx, YorkMont Auctions, Engler Machine and Tool, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Beard Sewer and Drain, Lacaillade Masonry, FX Chevy, ASI Racewear and many, many associate sponsors!!