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PETER MANTHA BREAKS THE DROUGHT AT EDELWEISS SPEEDWAY










Racing was back at Edelweiss Speedway Friday night after a break of the action when Mother Nature cancelled out last weekend’s card and there was a lot of powder in the air as fans was greeted with several scuffles between drivers in all classes.





But that didn’t stop Peter Mantha making a remarkable comeback in the modifieds. The Gatineau driver registered his first feature win since August 9, 2002 at the wheel of a brand new race car by taking the final of the Lafrance Performance series and doing it in a start to finish Friday night cruise. Leaving from the pole on the starting grid resulting of his performance in the qualifying heat, Mantha was early on the GO pedal taking the early lead and it was a done deal from then on despite a half of dozen cautions along the 30 lapper. Dan ‘’Wild Thing’’ Jalbert ended second and Alexandria’s Laurent Ladouceur settled for third best. Pierre ‘’The Snake’’ Dagenais in hot pursuit of Mantha was involved in a freak mishap with veteran Dave ‘’The Slip’’ Heaslip at the halfway mark which resulted in both drivers early retirement to pit lane. Dagenais car was completely demolished after being involved in one of the most spectacular accident to happen in the modifieds in the past ten years at the Val des Monts oval.



‘’When things go wrong things go wrong and when things go right things go right in this sport.’’ said a very happy Mantha from the winners circle. When asked if this ice breaking victory means that fans will see more of him at Edelweiss, here’s what he responded after a short hesitation: ‘’I don’t think so, cause it’s late in the season and I would like to try my luck at Can Am this year.’’ Brian ‘’Slim’’ McDonald in fourth place and sophomore Eric Gauvreau in fifth, rounded out the fast five while Mantha and Lee Ladouceur were the qualifying heat winners.





Joey Ladouceur captured his fourth checkered flag of the season in the Late Model Pro Stock by taking the measure of Todd Raabe as runner up and of Todd Fletcher taking home third cheque for his efforts. Cornwall Speedway promoter Ron Morin in fourth and Aylmer’s Michel Dupuis in fifth spot rounded out the top five. Denis Gauvreau was the early pacesetter and seemed to cruise to his first win of the year but midway into the race, a flat tire turned things over and he had to retire to the pit. Gauvreau and Dupuis won the qualifiers.



Besides taking the checkered flag in the qualifier Bruno Richard scored his second feature win of the season by finishing in front of Dominic Gauvreau as runner up and Pembroke’s Greg Ogilvie as third best in the Semi Pros. Claude Laurin in fourth place and Richard Brady in fifth spot rounded out the fast five.



The four cylinders was again all Jack St-Arnaud taking his sixth feature title of the year over Donald Meunier ending a close second and over Carl Soucy completing the podium. Wakefield’s Ryan Foley and Erin Joyce ended fourth and fifth respectively. Soucy and Pat Legault took top honours in the qualifying heats.



At the halfway point of the 2004 season, Laurent Ladouceur, Stephane Lebrun, Dominic Gauvreau and Jack St-Arnaud are sitting on top of the drivers standing in their respective classes.



Next program of exciting races is scheduled for Friday night July 30 where a full and regular program is on the slate featuring a 50 lapper for modifieds plus the third leg of the Capital Tire series in the Late Model Pro Stock. The green flag drops at 7:45.