EDELWEISS SPEEDWAY 358 MODIFIED MAIN TO PIERRE DAGENAIS
Experience was the name of the game Friday night at Edelweiss Speedway where Pierre ‘’The Snake’’ Dagenais came out victorious in the fast paced 50 lapper Syracuse qualifier.
The Gatineau veteran took advantage of a late restart to take over the lead at lap 47 from sophomore Lee Ladouceur who was the pace setter after taking over from current leading driver at Edelweiss Dave ‘’The Slip’’ Heaslip in the early part of the race. It was Dagenais second win here this year which qualified him for Syracuse later in the season. Lee Ladouceur had to settle for third best after his father Laurent crossed the finish stripe in second place. Dagenais was praying for a caution before the end of the race and the one and only came with three laps remaining. ‘’It seems like when I lead the race cautions are flying all over but when I’m sitting in second or third spot they seem very seldom but it’s like that in this sport’’ said the winning driver after the race. Heaslip who was one of the qualifying heat winners and last week’s feature winner Brian ‘’Slim’’ McDonald of Cornwall rounded out the fast five. Young Ladouceur was the other heat winner.
It was a well fought off final between two Aylmer residents in the Late Model Pro Stock and Denis Gauvreau finally won the battle over Michel Dupuis who gave quite a show right to the end in the 20 lap nail biter. Dave ‘’Bulldog’’ Bissonnette at the wheel of Cornwall Motor Speedway car no 16 completed the podium while Roch Aubin and last week’s winning driver Stephane Lebrun rounded out he top five. Gauvreau and Bissonnette were the qualifying heat winners.
John Holmes of Chelsea captured the eight cylinder feature over current leading driver Dominic ‘’Short Fuse’’ Gauvreau as runner up and over Pembroke’s Glen McKenney completing the podium. Richard Brady and Michel Robert in fourth and fifth place respectively rounded out the fast five in the interminable and rough riding 15 lapper. Holmes and Gatineau ’s Serge Lagace won the qualifying preliminaries.
The four cylinders was again all Carl Soucy who captured his sixth feature win in a row and his eleventh of the season. The Gatineau driver had to overcome post 12 at the starting line but he showed that he was the best coming from behind to register the win. Martin Jacques runner up and Nico Leblanc as third best completed the podium while Dany Larose and Brian Rochon rounded out the top five. Erin Joyce of Alcove who won a leg of the qualifiers had to retire early in the final after her car bounced in the air and landed on his top in a freak mishap but the very popular lady driver luckily came out in one piece and most importantly escaped injuries. Soucy and Patrice Legault were the other qualifying heat winners.
Action resumes Friday night at Edelweiss Speedway where besides the full and regular program of exciting races, a demolition derby and a special Enduro race for eight cylinders with a trailer itched to each car is on the slate. The green flag drops at 7:45 sharp.