PIERRE DAGENAIS SCORES MODIFIED WIN AT EDELWEISS SPEEDWAY

Veteran Pierre ‘’The Snake’’ Dagenais broke the ice and registered his first modified win of the 2003 season before another very large crowd Friday night at Edelweiss Speedway.

The Gatineau driver left from third place at the start but grabbed the early lead at the drop of the green flag and it was a done deal from then on. Dagenais fought off challenge after challenge in the fast paced 30 lapper from top contender Laurent ‘’Laser’’ Ladouceur and last three weeks winner Dave ‘’The Slip’’ Heaslip. Brian ‘’Slim’’ McDonald ended fourth and Sophomore Lee Ladouceur rounded out the fast five.

‘’It’s about time I break the ice, I was beginning to tire up behind the others all the time’’ said three time local champion in the post race interview from the winners circle. Laurent Ladouceur and Akwasasne’s Perry Francis previously won the qualifying preliminaries.

In the Late Model Pro Stock, Stephane Lebrun won his third checkered flag of the season and his second in as many nights. Lebrun left from post three at the starting line and didn’t waste time taking the lead that he never relinquished. Denis Gauvreau of Aylmer was runner up and Marc Therrien of Alexandria completed the podium. ‘’My car is running much better lately and I’m hoping it will keep going on like this’’ said the happy Gatineau driver after the twenty lap feature.

Michel Dupuis who was celebrating his birthday ended second in front of Mont-Laurier’s Alain Coursol who rounded out the top five. Dupuis, Coursol and Cornwall Motor Speedway promoter Ron Morin previously won the qualifying heats.

Claude Laurin won his second feature race in a row in the eight cylinders finishing on top of Masham’s Michel Robert and defending champion Dominic Gauvreau who completed the winning trio. Veteran Dave Noganosh of Wakefield was fourth while Yves Deschatelets rounded out the fast five. Michel Robert and Dominic Gauvreau each won a leg of the preliminaries.

Thirteen cars took the green flag in the four cylinders and Carl Soucy was sitting on top at the finish stripe and that completed his third win of the season. Martin Jacques took home second money for his effort and last week’s winner Nico Leblanc ended third. Erin Joyce and Jarrid Foley both of Wakefield were fourth and fifth respectively. Soucy and Brian Rochon were winners in the qualifiers.

Carole Charron of Gatineau won the special event for female drivers. This year’s largest crowd of the season that was on hand to watch Florida’s Doug Rose and his Green Mamba Jet literally melt an early model Lincoln Continental, helped the Speedway raise the sum of 4 000$ for the Wakefield Memorial Hospital fund. The cheque was presented to Pierre Rochon the hospital’s general director from Eric Prefontaine co-owner of Edelweiss Speedway.

Action resumes as early as this coming Monday June 30th at Edelweiss Speedway where we will be playing host to the Canadian Dirt Challenge, a 100 lapper for modifieds that is slated on top of a full regular program. The green flag drops at 7:45 sharp.