LAFARGEVILLE, NY – After a strong performance last weekend in Quebec, Steve Poirier brought his winning ways back to New York. The St. Mathieu de Beloeil, PQ., star earned his fifth Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint win of the season at the Can-Am Motorsports Park in the 25-lap A-Main event.
Poirier’s win was worth $1,700 and was run as part of the SUNY Canton Series. It helped him increase his overall lead in both point standings as he searches for his third career series championship in the last four years.
“We found something the last month and it has made the car very good and I’m really comfortable right now,” commented Poirier after his win. “Sometimes we have luck on our side and tonight we did.”
The feature event went green shortly after the completion of the heats as speedway officials attempted to beat the weather that was moving in. Lance Yonge grabbed the lead as the race got started from his pole starting position.
Yonge paced the field with Poirier making his charge very early in the race. Within three laps he was up to second from his sixth starting position and closing in on Yonge. Yonge worked the high lane while Poirier used the inside line to his advantage. It helped him close in to Yonge back bumper with only nine laps complete in the event.
“It seemed like everything opened up to me at the beginning of the race,” said Poirier. “I was able to get up to second with only three laps complete. For the first half of the feature my car was super fast. I ran a smaller left rear tire and it made my car very good at the start of the race on the bottom.”
Poirier made his move the very next lap as Yonge slid high off the second turn. As Yonge hoped to find the drive on the outside Poirier found everything he needed down low in his AMB Moteurs powered Eagle. Poirier pulled even with Yonge down the back stretch and then completed the pass at the entrance to turns three and four.
With the lead now in hand, Poirier pulled away from Yonge. While trying to protect his lead, Poirier switched lanes and now be began using the high side of the speedway. At the halfway point of the race Poirier held the lead while Shawn Donath made his way around Yonge to take second.
The race for the lead once again heated up with 15 laps complete as Donath caught Poirier in his Patterson Motorsport ride. As Poirier continued to race high Donath used the inside lane to success. On the next circuit, Donath showed the nose but was not able to take the lead.
Once Poirier saw the nose of Donath’s ride below him he immediately switched lanes and went back to the bottom. This decision ended up being the key to the race as Poirier drove away from Donath and went on to win his 28th career series victory which tied him with Craig Keel on the all-time win list.
“I saw Shawn (Donath) underneath me,” said Poirier. “I really had to concentrate to stay on the bottom. Early in the race I didn’t have to lift and the car was super fast. As the race went on it was easier to run the outside. Once I saw the shadow from his car on the inside I knew I had to go down there. I figured Shawn wouldn’t be able to pass me on the outside so I went back to the bottom.”
Donath ended up finishing in second after nearly obtaining the lead. Had Donath waited another lap to make his move for the lead he have been able get to Victory Lane.
“I shouldn’t have showed him (Poirier) what I had,” stated Donath. “I think he was missing the line. He was fast but he didn’t go to the bottom until I got underneath him.”
The runner-up finish was redemption for Donath. In his last race at Can-Am Donath had a car that was just as good as it was on this night but he caught an implement tire on the inside of the speedway breaking the front end of his racecar.
“Last time here we had a car that was easily that good,” said Donath. “It was my fault that I just clipped the tire. It ruined the whole night. It was a lot of work for these guys and it made the whole night go down the drain. It was nice to get a little bit of redemption.”
Justin Barger, the defending series champion, of Montrose, N.Y., started 12th in the feature and with a caution free race he ran out of time in his efforts to get to the top two. The third place finish allows him to stay close to Poirier in the chase for the series title.
“We just needed a yellow,” said Barger. “Starting that far back on a big track like this it’s hard to close in when the track is pretty fast. His luck will run out soon and things will change. We got some of our good tracks coming up next and we are going to put it to him.”
Yonge, of Penn Yan, N.Y., faded back and finished in fourth while Alain Bergeron ran a very consistent race to earn a fifth place finish at the checkered flag. Rounding out the top ten were local favorite Jeff Cook, Jason Barney, Kevin Ward Jr., Shayne Ely and Ryan Smith aboard the Gary King #1K
ESS/Can-Am Notes: A field of 22 cars entered the third event at the Can-Am Speedway in 2010 with weather threatening all night….Don Sharp Jr. of New Hampshire and Brandon Warner made their first series starts of the 2010 season….Dan Kaszubinski took the green in Alain Bergeron’s backup car after suffering motor woes in his primary ride and then also in the Zach Weigand mount shortly afterwards….Mike Stelter drove Curtis Bradshaw’s car for the evening….Besides Sharp Jr. (Motor) and Weigand, Tommy Wickham (motor) and Tyler Rice (Heat race accident) were unable to start the A-Main…The whole ESS program was completed in less than one hour and 20 minutes thanks to great cooperation between Can-Am and ESS officials as well as all the ESS teams.
SUNY Canton Series A-Main – Steve Poirier, Shawn Donath, Justin Barger, Lance Yonge, Alain Bergeron, Jeff Cook, Jason Barney, Kevin Ward Jr., Shayne Ely, Ryan Smith, Brandon Warner, Chris Jones, Mike Stelter, Devin Caron, Michael Parent, Brian McDonald, Chuck Hebing, Dan Kaszubinski.
Did Not Start – Tommy Wickham, Zach Weigand, Tyler Rice, Don Sharp Jr.
Lap Leaders – Yonge 1-9, Poirier 10-25.
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heats:
Heat 1 – Chuck Hebing, Shawn Donath, Kevin Ward Jr., Ryan Smith, Devin Caron, Shayne Ely, Mike Stelter
Heat 2 – Lance Yonge, Alain Bergeron, Michael Parent, Jason Barney, Chris Jones, Tyler Rice, Dan Kaszubinski
Heat 3 – Brian McDonald, Steve Poirier, Jeff Cook, Justin Barger, Brandon Warner, Don Sharp Jr., Tommy Wickham
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus – Poirier $100
Cook’s Contracting Halfway – Poirier $100
WestFront Construction Hard Charger – Barger (9 pos.) $50
MVCC Aviation Extra – Barney $50
HG Associates Fast Time – Yonge $25
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers – Hebing, Yonge, McDonald $25