DRUMMONDVILLE, QC – Just a mere 24 hours after his good friend Kevin Ward Jr. won at Autodrome Granby, young and upcoming star who resides from the same town of Port Leyden, NY, Dylan Swiernik lead all 25 laps to collect his first Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) A-Main ever. The win came at Autodrome Drummond which was the second stop of the Le Groupe Ultra Tour of Canada.
Ironically, the best finish for the 20 year old driver of the family owned #7C came at this very same track two years ago. By virtue of the redraw, Swiernik drew the pole position, survived several restarts and went on to dominate all 25 laps for the emotional victory.
“This is just amazing, to win my first ever ESS A-Main! To have it come after Kevin’s win last night even made it more special.” said the happy winner. “I have so many people to thank, especially my dad, I just wish he was here with me.”
With the threat of serious thunderstorms and lightning in the sky, it was decided to scrap the B-Main and start the A-Main literally minutes after the third sprint heat. You can bet Swiernik was glad.
“The short time really didn’t matter. After the wreck last night at Granby this car is totally not strait.” Swiernik continued. “We got it the best we could and it was fast. I really didn’t know how good it was until they told me how big my lead was at the end.”
Swiernik and Cory Sparks made up the front row but with the first start being called back and yellow thrown several cars got together on the back stretch which saw Mike Stelter go over making for the lights to switch to red.
A few more cautions early for spun cars of Patrick Vigneault and Jeff Cook bunched the field up but on every double file restart it was Swiernik’s low line proved to be fastest.
Most of the second half of the race went caution free and the only issue that Swiernik was going to face was lapped traffic but he aggressively passed all in route to the dominating win.
Ward actually got his car up to second shortly after halfway from his 11th place starting position having a good battle with Michael Parent. But just five laps from the end his car snapped into a 360 degree spin and then pulled a wild wheelie but never lost momentum and continued.
He dropped back to fourth but did work his way up to third finishing behind Parent. Not the finish he wanted but thrilled the crowd none the less.
For Parent, it was another solid finish for the Granby, Quebec star. “It was a good run, we are getting closer” said the quiet chauffeur. “We have the car pretty close to where I like it at all tracks so now we feel we have a chance at all the shows. We were good tonight, Dylan was a little better.”
Behind the Swiernik, Parent, Ward Jr. trio were Steve Poirier, who started 12th and Jason Barney. Rounding out the top ten were Sparks, Paul Kinney, Lance Yonge, the hard charger of the night in Dale Gosselin and Lee Ladouceur.
ESS/Drummond Notes: A field of 24 cars in the pits…Work commitments kept Sparks from Friday activity but did drive up from his Edinburg, NY home to Drummond…Alain Bergeron, Alain Boisvert and Kayle Robidoux did not return after Granby the night before…The ESS staff would like to thank the Drummondville staff for moving the A-Main up in the show, the 25 lapper was completed mere minutes before the sky opened up with a wild thunderstorm…Next weekend will be a special one with the Lucas Oil ESS gang making the one and only stop at Mohawk Int’l on Friday night and then off to the first ever Asphalt Assault at Evans Mills of Saturday paying a stout $2,500 to win.
Le Groupe Ultra Tour of Canada A-Main – Dylan Swiernik ($1,900), Michael Parent, Kevin Ward Jr., Steve Poirier, Jason Barney, Cory Sparks, Paul Kinney, Lance Yonge, Dale Gosselin, Lee Ladouceur, Martin Roy, Chris Jones, Patrick Vigneault, Joe Trenca, Tyler Rand, Etienne Girard, James Hanson, Devin Caron, Guilluame Neiderer, Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, Paul Pekkonen, Mike Stelter, Donald Lemire.
Lap Leader – Swiernik (1-25).
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Poirier, Swiernik, Ladouceur, Parent, Jones, Hebing.
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Cook, Barney, Kinney, Stelter, Roy, Caron
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – Yonge, Vigneault, Ward Jr., Sparks, Trenca, Rand.
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – Cancelled due to weather.
Bonuses:
Westward Painting Company Halfway – Swiernik $100
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus – Swiernik $100
Fondations 4 Saisons Hard Charger – Gosselin (11 pos.) $50
Fondations 55 Pick Five – Barney $50
North Eastern Pool and Spas Power Pick – Parent, Sparks $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heats – Poirier, Cook, Yonge $25
Go Nuclear Late Models Go Fast Award – Swiernik $25
Jimmy D’s Speed and Machine Fast Time – Poirier $25
For more information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints:
Web: www.empiresupersprints.com
Twitter: @ESSprints
Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/EmpireSuperSprints
Android App: Empire Super Sprints
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Le Groupe Ultra, SUNY Canton, Mach 1 Chassis, Today’s Options, Hoosier Racing Tires, Fondations 4 Saisons, Cobra Coaches, Westward Painting Company, Fondations 55, Camara Slate, North Eastern Pool and Spa, Lacaillade Masonry, Car Mate Trailers, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Ohsweken Speedway, Dover Brake and Clutch, FX Chevy and many, many associate sponsors!!