CANTLEY, PQ – Tommy Wickham has come close to winning an event at the Autrodrome Edelweiss in the past. He’s had second place finishes and then last season he had a win go by the wayside when he had a motor expire in his No. 75.
Friday night all the pieces finally fell together for Wickham giving him his second career Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint 25-lap A-Main feature event win. It was also his first win in the Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Canadian Sprint Car Series.
“This place owed us one,” said a smiling Wickham after the event. “It seems like every time we have come here we’ve finished second. I had a motor let go with five laps to go last year. It feels great to finally win one.
” Wickham started on the pole with Justin Harris to his outside. He and Harris battled as they raced into turn one with Wickham grabbing the lead as he raced off the bottom of turn two.
Once in front, Wickham pulled away from the competition and made his way quickly into slower traffic. He didn’t have to battle for long as he was saved for a moment when Chuck Hebing got into the wall in turn four bringing out the caution on lap five.
On the restart, Wickham held the lead while Rick Wilson looked to the outside in turn two. Wilson went for the lead in turn three but he went into the corner too hard causing the car to loop around on him bringing out the caution for the second time.
Racing resumed with Wickham getting away from all challengers. He had a comfortable lead as laps clicked off. It cut into when he reached slower traffic on lap 14.
Wickham mainly worked the bottom of the speedway but he was able to move around with his Jimmy D’s powered J&J to get by the cars running at the tail of the field when necessary.
“The traffic was hard get through at times but eventually I made my way through it,” said Wickham. “I was lucky though because I could move around when I needed to. This car was awesome tonight.
”The field got one more shot at the 22-year-old Constantia, N.Y., driver on lap 20 when Sylvain Erickson spun in turn two.
For the restart, Wickham had the slower car of Daniel Lampron between himself and the second place running car of Brian McDonald. Wickham pulled away while McDonald took a couple of laps to get by the slower car of Lampron.
Wickham felt the pressure of McDonald during the final two laps of the race but he was able to hold him off for the win.
“I looked up at the number board there under the last caution and I knew he (McDonald) was behind me,” stated Wickham. “I heard him a couple times there in the last few laps but I knew if I kept running the line that I had been I would be alright.
”McDonald, of Cornwall, Ont., finished a close second to Wickham with his Engine Research powered Maxim. McDonald needed a couple more green flag laps to make a move on for the lead.
“He was running the middle and you could see him getting looser as the race went on,” stated McDonald. “I was getting better on the bottom and maybe another lap I would have had something for him (Wickham). He deserves this one though, he ran a great race.
”McDonald was happy to be in the position to challenge for the race lead after he started the feature from the outside of the fifth row. He utilized all parts of the speedway to work his way forward.
“I got lucky around the top when guys got bottled up on the bottom,” said McDonald. “I got by some guys on the bottom, my car was great down there too. I could go where a lot of guys couldn’t.
”McDonald’s teammate, Lee Ladouceur, of Alexandria, Ont., crossed the line in third with his Maxim ride. It was his best finish to date. He’s suffered through some early season motor woes which finally got worked out on Friday night.
“We replaced the parts (in the motor) that have been a problem for us,” said Ladouceur. “We bought some new parts and it looks like it fixed the problem. This should give us a head start on the next few races and hopefully allow us to stay up front
. Alain Bergeron charged from the 12th starting position to finish fourth with his Don Ott powered J&J. He was chased to the line by St. Mathieu de Beloeil, PQ, driver Steve Poirier.
Pit Notes: 20 cars entered into competition for the first of two events at the Quebec oval…Paul Pekkonen, David Renaud and Sylvain Erickson made their first starts of the season…Hebing was out of the feature early when a tire came off the rim sending him into the wall in turn four…Anthony Cain flipped in hot laps but was able to make repairs to start the A-Main…Normand Beaudreault took a hard hit in his heat when his car shot into the outside wall of off turn four. He was taken to a hospital in Hull, PQ., with some broken bones. He is expected to make full recovery.
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint A-Main (25-laps): Tommy Wickham, Brian McDonald, Lee Ladouceur, Alain Bergeron, Steve Poirier, Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Tim Kelly, Justin Barger, Rick Wilson, Michael Parent, Sylvain Erickson, Justin Harris, Daniel Lampron, Paul Pekkonen, Chuck Hebing, April Wilson, Anthony Cain, David Renaud. Did Not Start – Normand Beaudreault
Lap Leader – Wickham 1-25
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 (10 laps): Alain Bergeron, Rick Wilson, Jeff Cook, Tim Kelly, Michael Parent, Normand Beaudreault, David Renaud
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 (10 laps): Brian McDonald, Lance Yonge, Chuck Hebing, Justin Harris, Sylvain Erickson, April Wilson DNS – Anthony Cain
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 (10-laps): Steve Poirier, Lee Ladouceur, Justin Barger, Tommy Wickham, Daniel Lampron, Paul Pekkonen
Centre de Beaute 360/Cobra Coaches Dash (4 laps): Steve Poirier