VERNON, NY – Every time the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints visit the Utica-Rome Speedway, the end of the event comes right down to the closing laps. It usually involves a battle between the current high point men in Chuck Hebing and Steve Poirier.
On Wednesday night, as part of the 50th Anniversary of the speedway, it was no different. Hebing, who started fourth, bolted by Poirier with only three laps to go in order to secure his fifth win of the season in the 25-lap feature event which was also part of the SUNY Canton Series.
“This year me and Steve (Poirier) have had a lot of battles,” commented Hebing afterwards. “It was good to see Jason (Barney) running so good; he’s been struggling a bit with his car. I tell you what though, it was good to beat them both.”
Hebing jumped to the lead at the green flag but it was Poirier that made the moves early on. On lap four Poirier took the top spot from Hebing after starting eighth in the main-event.
A couple of cautions slowed the pace in the first ten laps. Bobby Varin brought out the first one on lap six when he broke the front end on lap six. Then one lap later Charlie Donk slowed in turn four to bring out another. Each time Poirier took control of the lead.
At the halfway point of the race Poirier held the lead over Hebing with Jason Barney not far behind. The caution came out just as they completed the lap when Tim Kelly went off the banking in turn four. On the ensuing restart, Poirier led with Barney pulling a slide job heading into turns one and two to briefly take the lead.
Poirier drove back by down the backstretch and once again assumed command of the event. As the laps clicked off, Poirier worked the bottom with Hebing finding the fast lane on the high-side of the speedway. Hebing made up the difference quickly and then made his move on lap 23.
Hebing drove high going into turns one and two while Poirier worked the bottom of the track. As they exited the second turn Hebing used the momentum to take the lead. Poirier stayed with him but it was Hebing grabbing his second win of the season at the Gene Cole owned facility.
“I don’t know if Steve’s (Poirier) car was going away at all or if he was getting conservative because he kept beating us on all those restarts,” said Hebing. “It’s a lot tougher leading let me tell you. He was probably getting conservative and keeping the bottom guarded which opened the top for me and the momentum took over again.”
The win helped keep Hebing atop of the point’s picture as he attempts to hold off Poirier for his first ever Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint title.
“It’s been a good year regardless,” said Hebing. “I can’t complain but I sure would like to win it (the title) regardless. It’s been a heck a year already.”
Poirier, of St. Mathieu de Beloeil, PQ, held on to finish in second. It was the second time this season that he was passed late in the race by Hebing. He will still happy with the outcome considering the team changed rear-ends in the car only a few minutes before the feature.
“It seems like every time we come here we battle,” said Poirier of Hebing. “The track was super fast tonight, very tacky. I was really happy because we changed the rear-end right before the feature and we didn’t have time to put everything together. We didn’t put the bleeder in the right rear.”
Poirier elected to stay on the bottom rather than heading to the high lane on the track which ultimately was his downfall.
“When I saw the 87 (Barney) on the inside of turn four I figured there was more bite down there,” stated Poirier. “My car got looser at the end and I was trying to find bite there. I couldn’t stay with Chuck (Hebing) at the end but I thought the bottom of turn four was decent but it was not enough.”
Barney, of Brewerton, N.Y., drove his HG Associates X-1 Race Car to a third place finish. It was his first podium finish since mid-July at the Cayuga County Fair Speedway.
“We’ve been struggling a little bit but the car was great tonight,” stated Barney. “I just couldn’t get the motor to run right all night. It is probably me because I can’t leave anything alone. I got to thank Chuck Hebing, he let me borrow an ignition box and without him I wouldn’t be here.”
Shawn Donath drove from the 20th starting position to finish in fourth while Kevin Ward Jr. picked up a fifth place finish at the final checkered. Rounding out the top ten were George Suprick, Lance Yonge, Tommy Wickham, Dylan Swiernik and making his return to the seat after a one year lay-off Doug Emery.
ESS/Utica-Rome Notes: A good field of 27 sprints played host to a manmouth crowd to celebrate the track’s 50th Anniversary…New Hampshire’s Dan Douville made his first ever ESS start. One of his sponsors was Coastal 181, the publishers of Utica-Rome’s 50th Anniversary Book…Mark Zemcik also made his first ESS start since May but blew his engine during the heat events…ESS will make one more stop to the fast half-mile on Sunday, Sept. 4 as a part of Labor Day Weekend.
Lucas Oil/SUNY Canton A-Main – Chuck Hebing. Steve Poirier, Jason Barney, Shawn Donath, Kevin Ward Jr., George Surpick, Lance Yonge, Tommy Wickham, Dylan Swiernik, Doug Emery, Charlie Donk, Jeff Cook, Michael Parent, Tim Kelly, Kory Gurney, Brandon Warner, Paul Habeck, Matt Tanner, Tyler Rand, Dan Douville, Bobby Varin, Josh Pieniazek, Mike Stelter, Cory Sparks
Lap Leaders – Hebing 1-3, Poirier 4-22, Hebing 23-25
Did Not Qualify – Jami Russell, Curtis Bradshaw, Mark Zemcik
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Poirier, Wickham, Sparks, Suprick, Cook, Tanner
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Ward Jr., Swiernik, Emery, Gurney, Habeck, Rand
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – Hebing, Barney, Yonge, Varin, Kelly, Pieniazek
Dover Brake and Clutch/Cobra Coaches Dash – Ward Jr.
Engine Research B-Main – Warner, Donath, Douville, Donk.
Added Starters – Parent, Stelter.
Westward Painting Corp Halfway – Poirier $100
WestFront Construction Hard Charger – Donath (16 pos.) $50
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus – Hebing $50
Mohawk Racing Parts Pick 5 – Ward Jr. $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heats – Poirier, Ward Jr., Hebing $25
HG Assoc. Fast Time – Poirier (16.777) $25