DRUMMONDVILLE, QBC – There is something about Autodrome Drummond that fits Justin Barger’s driving style.
The driver, from Montrose, N.Y., won the Quebec Nationals at the speedway a few weeks back and on Saturday night he dominated the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint, Fondations 4 Saisons 25-lap feature event as part the Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports Canadian Sprint Car Series.
The win, worth $2,000, was his fourth victory of the 2009 season.
“We are doing pretty good here,” stated Barger about his luck at Drummond. “I use to struggle here a little bit and we hit on something early this year. I changed the way that I drive this track and it’s worked out really well.”
Barger started on the pole in his Deming Ford powered Maxim mount with Lance Yonge to his outside.
The race began with Jeff Cook bolting from his third position to the lead in turns one and two as he utilized the bottom of the speedway while Barger went to the cushion.
The caution was displayed with only one lap complete when Tommy Wickham caught an implement tire on the inside of the speedway and broke the front end on his No. 75.
Cook led the field to the green on the restart but it was Barger who had the right lane as he went to the outside of turns one and two to take the lead away from Cook.
Barger, in his Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oils sponsored No. 32, jumped back to the inside lane in turns three and four.
“When Jeff (Cook) got me there at the beginning I wasn’t really worried about it,” said Barger. “I planned on just biding my time. I could really roll the top on those couple of restarts and that’s what I did to get back by him.”
With seven laps complete, defending series champion, Steve Poirier, had his night end when he got hard into the outside retaining wall in turn three and severely damaged his mount.
Barger was flawless once again on the restart as he bolted away from both Cook and third place runner Lance Yonge.
By lap 17, Barger was nearly a full straightaway ahead and beginning to work his way through slower traffic on the shiny racing surface.
Barger’s car was so good that he was able to maneuver to any lane on the speedway to get through the traffic.
“My car was really good on the bottom of the track,” said Barger. “The lapped cars weren’t that hard to get through because most of them were sliding off the bottom giving me a way by.”
With five to go, Barger was checked out as the battle for the second spot between Cook and Yonge was heating up.
When the checkered flag flew it was Barger earning the victory with Cook, of Antwerp, N.Y., having enough to hold off Yonge giving him back-to-back top five finishes.
The right rear tire on Cook’s Jimmy Brown powered Maxim was left with very little tread at the end of the affair which hindered his pursuit of the win.
“My right rear was tore right up,” commented Cook. “I figured there was going to be some cautions so I went softer with the tire. If we had some cautions we were going to be all right, but if it (the race) went green to checkers we were going to be in trouble.”
Yonge, of Penn Yan, N.Y., crossed the line third for his second consecutive top three finish in the Quebec province with his Castner Performance powered Maxim.
“My car was strong tonight,” said Yonge. “It was one of those nights where I could have been on the bottom on start I might have been able to get by those guys. I couldn’t run up there on that big berm because it really upset the car. I’m happy to get where we did and I’m hoping for a good finish tomorrow night.”
Alain Bergeron, of St. Pie, P.Q., battled with Michael Parent for much of the race to finish in fourth relegating the young driver from Granby, P.Q. to a fifth place finish.
Rounding out the top ten were Brian McDonald, Jessica Zemken, aboard the Carl Schultz #64, Granby winner Chuck Hebing, Anthony Cain and Doug Emery.
A total of 21 sprints in the pits for ESS’ fourth visit to the 3/8ths mile.
Fondations 4 Saisons A-Main – Justin Barger ($2,000), Jeff Cook, Lance Yonge, Alain Bergeron, Michael Parent, Brian McDonald, Jessica Zemken, Chuck Hebing, Anthony Cain, Doug Emery, Lee Ladouceur, Jim Porter, Daniel Lampron, Dale Gosselin, James Hanson, Jeff Ries, Donald Lemire, Steve Poirier, David Renaud, Chris Sweeney, Tommy Wickham
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Michael Parent, Lance Yonge, Anthony Cain, Daniel Lampron, Dale Gosselin, Jeff Ries, James Hanson
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Jeff Cook, Justin Barger, Doug Emery, Chuck Hebing, Jim Porter, Donald Lemire, Chris Sweeney
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – Alain Bergeron, Jessica Zemken, Steve Poirier, Brian McDonald, Tommy Wickham, Lee Ladouceur, David Renaud