GRANBY, QC – Young Kevin Ward Jr. did what many thought could not be done, pass three-time Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint (ESS) champion Steve Poirier in front of a hometown crowd to win the 25 lap A-Main at Autodrome Granby. The event kicked off the Le Groupe Ultra Tour of Canada Series.
The win for the Port Leyden, NY driver comes after he flipped on lap one of the A-Main last week at Utica-Rome.
“I’m just speechless!. Wow, we have had such a tough start the year the year with the exception of Can-Am that we really needed this.” said the happy winner. “To pass Steve Poirier here in Quebec means so much. He is such a good driver and this doesn’t happen often but we did it tonight.”
The front row was made up of five championships with Lance Yonge and Poirier bringing the field down with Poirier getting the jump to lead on front of the big Granby crowd.
The driver of the sharp #28FM led right to the one and only caution which occurred on lap four when Martin Roy, Dale Gosselin and Devin Caron made contact in turn one. Only Caron would return back to the action.
When the race resumed, Poirier again got the jump on Yonge with Ward moving up from his eighth place starting position taking second just a few laps later. This set up a good old fashioned dog fight for the top spot that kept the crowd on edge.
Just shy of the halfway mark lapped cars were figuring into the fray. Poirier was using the extreme outside of the speedway but it was that lane that made Ward try a different route.
“He was real good up top but the slower cars were all over the track as it was real racy.” noted Ward on setting up his winning pass. “I was just looking for a place to make my move and it happened in turn three. I had a lane down low and went for it.”
As the leading duo came down to score lap 18, Ward ducted under Poirier and a lapped car to take over the lead in front of a stunned crowd. Poirier then pressured Ward right to the checkered flag.
“I was a little comfortable out there. When you lead you just don’t know where everyone else is running.” Poirier explained. “I felt good on top but he (Ward) had a better line and got me. I tried to get back by him but he got through the slower cars with no troubles.”
Poirier did pull within a few car lengths with two to go but Ward wasn’t to be denied on this night taking the win. Poirier crossed the line second ahead of Paul Kinney, Yonge and Michael Parent rounding out the top five.
For Kinney, it was an interesting night. “We had a issue with the hauler on the way, then we got lost so we got someone to draw for us as we were so late.” Kinney went on. “I tell you, I was on edge but the crew gave me a great car and I was closing on the Steve and Kevin so we had a good ending to a weird night.”
Making up the next five were B-Main winner Dylan Swiernik who earned the hard charger honors, Chris Jones, Jeff Cook, Jason Barney and Chuck Hebing. For Hebing, who was a teammate to Barney on this night, he was running in seventh when he spun on the last lap in turn two moving him down to tenth in the final rundown.
ESS/GRANBY NOTES: A solid field of 26 sprints made up the pit log…Quebec mini-sprint star Guilluame Neiderer was making his first ESS start ever…Making first starts in 2013 were Lee Ladouceur, Alain Boisvert, Devin Caron, Donald Lemire and Kayle Robidoux…After building a new hauler for the Barney/Marshall team, Hebing struck a deal to run the X1 Chassis #X1 that has been run by Vinnie Vitale.
Le Groupe Ultra Tour of Canada A-Main – Kevin Ward Jr. ($1,800), Steve Poirier, Paul Kinney, Lance Yonge, Michael Parent, Dylan Swiernik, Chris Jones, Jeff Cook, Jason Barney, Chuck Hebing, Lee Ladouceur, Alain Bergeron, Alain Boisvert, Patrick Vigneault, Joe Trenca, Devin Caron, Paul Pekkonen, Etienne Girard, James Hanson, Martin Roy, Dale Gosselin, Mike Stelter.
Did Not Start – Tyler Rand, Added Starter – Girard.
Did Not Qualify – Donald Lemire, Kayle Robidoux, Guillaume Neiderer
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Ladouceur, Ward Jr., Poirier, Pekkonen, Hanson, Roy
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Parent, Bergeron, Boisvert, Jones, Trenca, Rand
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – Kinney, Yonge, Cook, Barney, Vigneault, Hebing.
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Swiernik, Gosselin, Stelter, Caron.
Bonuses:
Westward Painting Compant Halfway – Poirier $100
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus – Ward Jr. $100
Fondations 4 Saisons Hard Charger – Swiernik (13 Pos.) $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – Parent $50
North Eastern Pool and Spa Power Pick – Swiernik, Gosselin $50
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Swiernik $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers – Ladouceur, Parent, Kinney $25
Jimmy D’s Speed and Machine Fast Time – Ladouceur $25
Go Nuclear Late Models Go Fast Award – Ward Jr. $25