HOGANSBURG, N.Y. � A few weeks back Brian McDonald was leading a 358-modified race at Mohawk International Speedway when mechanical problems caused him to be involved in a big wreck on the front straightaway.
On Saturday night, McDonald returned with his sprint car and went on to win his first ever 25th Anniversary tour Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint A-Main event.
�This place really owed us one after almost winning the Super DIRTcar race here,� said McDonald after the win. �We had it clearly won and like tonight we were gone after every restart. The car failed and we ended up in a big pileup.
�It feels great to win one here, I�ve won a lot here in a modified and now I can say I won one in a sprint.�
McDonald walked away with $2,000 for winning the SUNY Canton sponsored feature event and he tied atop the Riverside Bar and Grill weekend points with Lance Yonge earning each driver an extra $300.
McDonald and Jeff Cook started on the front row of the feature with McDonald getting the jump on Cook into turn one. He was able to slide up in front of Cook for the lead.
By lap five, McDonald caught the tail of the field on the big half-mile speedway. As a result, Cook was able to track him down and pull even with him into turn three.
As they raced into turn one, McDonald went under Doug Emery while Cook tried to go to the outside. Emery and Cook got together sending Cook�s No.10 flipping off the top of the speedway in turn two. He was uninjured in the accident.
�I knew he (Cook) was going to be quick,� said McDonald. �I�ve passed a lot of lapped cars and there are places where you can pass them and places where you can�t. I could see him (Cook) coming and when I got under Emery he checked up and Jeff (Cook) got into him.�
Mike Stelter and Michael Parent came together on the same lap in turn four with Parent�s night being ended as well.
McDonald was able to take the lead again when racing resumed as he brought the field slowly to the green flag giving him a jump on the field.
Very quickly he pulled away from the rest of the competition and found himself battling in slower traffic. He carefully and patiently worked the high and low sides of the speedway to put cars between himself and the field.
McDonald experienced his only trouble of the race on lap 22 when the front nose wing on the car broke and flopped up on his hood. This changed the car and worried the Cornwall, Ont. driver that his chase for his first win might end.
�When that flopped over (wing) I was thinking here we go again,� laughed McDonald. �I had to let off on the backstretch because the car kept wanting to wheelie a little bit. I figured since I couldn�t get by the lapped cars at that point that no one else could either.�
Tommy Wickham, of Constantia, N.Y., finished second in the feature which was a one position improvement over where he finished the last time the Empire Super Sprints visited the ultra-fast speedway.
�We�ve had a few bad weeks lately and to finish second tonight feels pretty good,� stated Wickham. �We ran well the last time we were here and we adjusted the setup a little bit tonight to make the car better.�
�Brian (McDonald) was in a league of his own out in front, it would have been tough to get by him even if I could have got close enough to challenge him.�
Yonge, of Penn Yan, N.Y., finished second the last time and this time out came to the checkered flag in third. A nice end to the weekend for the driver of a H.G. Performance powered Maxim.
�I was pushing Tommy (Wickham) there a little bit at the end of the race,� commented Yonge. �I could stay with him but the track was so fast that the only way I was going to be able to pass him is if he made a mistake. He never did that.�
Tim Kelly, of Rock Stream, N.Y., had crossed the line in second in his Avenger chassis No.12. He was docked two spots for going below the cone on the lap six restart. Chuck Hebing, of Ontario, N.Y., finished fifth in his first ever race at the facility.
SERIES CHAMPION: By entering the event, Steve Poirier captured his second consecutive Empire Super Sprint championship. The St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Que., driver has had a stellar season with ten wins and with three races left to tie Mal Lane�s record of 11 wins in a season.
�Our goal at the beginning of the season was to come out and defend our championship,� stated Poirier. �I didn�t know we were going to have such a good year. Having ten wins in a season is a super year and hopefully we can get a couple more here at the end of the season in the bigger races.�
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints/SUNY Canton A-Main – Brian McDonald ($2,300), Tommy Wickham, Lance Yonge, Tim Kelly, Chuck Hebing, Steve Poirier, Alain Bergeron, Kyle Wilson, Rick Wilson, Kayle Robidoux, Lee Ladouceur, Gordy Button, Chris Jones, Normand Beaudreault, Anthony Cain, Mike Stelter, Doug Emery, Bubby Kerrick, Jeff Cook, Michael Parent, April Wilson.
*** Tim Kelly and Anthony Cain were set back two spots for going under and hitting the re-start cone.
DNS – Jessica Zemken, James Hanson, Justin Harris.
Lap Leader (1-25) – Brian McDonald
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Tim Kelly, Brian McDonald, Michael Parent, Mike Stelter, Normand Beaudreault, Gordy Button.
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Tommy Wickham, Kyle Wilson, Alain Bergeron, Chuck Hebing, Kayle Robidoux, Steve Poirier.
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – Jeff Cook, Lance Yonge, Rick Wilson, Bubby Kerrick, Lee Ladouceur, April Wilson.
Mohawk Racing Parts/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Brian McDonald.
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints 2008 Champion – Steve Poirier.
Cash Bonuses:
SUNY Canton A-Main – McDonald $400
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – McDonald $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – McDonald $100
Les Constructions Ultra Blue Collar Award – Hebing $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Poirier $50 (8 pos.)
Cook’s Contracting Services Bridesmaid Bonus – Wickham $50
HG Associates Pole Award – McDonald $50
AMB Moteurs Fast Time Award – McDonald $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heats – Kelly, Wickham, Cook $25